A guide to designing wheelchair using characters!
I hope this helps anyone who's trying to design their oc using a wheelchair, it's not a complete guide but I tried my best! deffo do more research if you're writing them as a character
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[Art description: Several panels titled, ‘A Guide to Visually Designing Wheelchair Using Characters / (From a Wheelchair User)’ The title panel shows five boxes with red X marks drawn over them and one with a green checkmark. The five X boxes show a person in various inaccurate wheelchair positions, including lying on the floor, sitting with their head sticking out horizontally, and floating upside down above the chair. The subsequent panels have the watermark CowsABunges and are as follows:
1. Standard Chairs: Standard chairs are easy to obtain, cheaper chairs which come in standard sizes, so usually don’t perfectly fit the user. Consider how your character might customise their wheelchair. These chairs are usually dark colours, so think about easy personalisations such as stickers, and spoke skins. [Line drawing of a standard chair with blue text labelling it as a ‘transit chair’ and saying, ‘someone else would push this.’ Separate text emphasises the high handles of the chair.] [Coloured drawing showing a dark-skinned person sitting in the chair, with text that says, ‘Self Propel: This chair can be moved independently, but is often bulky and therefore hard to move.’] [Coloured drawing of one edge of the chair, which has a sticker that says, ‘Cripple punk’ as well as a strawberry sticker and a heart sticker, with descriptive text that says, ‘Wheelchairs can match your OC’s vibe!’]
2. Some people need more support in a standard chair. Some users need extras on their chairs to support them, such as head rests, and belts. Some users may use ‘tilt in space’ chairs. This is all dependent on factors such as core strength, and seating needs, so consider how your character is effected by their condition when deciding the right chair for them. [Drawing of a light-skinned person in a standard chair with a thick cushion and a head rest, which has been labelled in purple.] Foot propelling: Some users use their feet or toes to help propel themselves, and accomadate this by removing the footplate on their chairs. [Line drawing showing a person from the waist down in their chair. Text has been drawn to label the belt tightened across their thighs and to show that the foot plates have been removed.]
3. Active chairs: Active lightweight wheelchairs are bespoke chairs made to allow the user to propel themselves with as much independence as possible. Due to being totally customised to the user, they are expensive and less accessible than standard chairs. [Coloured drawing of a light-skinned person making a peace sign while sitting in a purple active chair. The chair has a noticeably lower back, sides, and handles than the standard chair.] Gloves: Wheelchair gloves are like marmite: some people love them, some hate them. [Three drawings of hands showing different types of gloves. One covers the thumb and leaves the other four fingers exposed, one covers the entire hand, and the last leaves all the fingertips exposed.] Wheels: There are also different types of wheels for chairs, with different price points and different qualities that people may need or want. [Drawing of two different types of wheels. One has a white rim and three wavy spokes, and the other has a black rim and many straight spokes.]
4. Standard Electric: Standard electric chairs are power chairs that come in preset sizes, so they might not be a perfect fit, but can be less expensive than active chairs, and easier for the user to be independent than a standard manual chair. There are many different variations of standard electric chairs, to fit different needs. [Coloured drawing showing a medium-skinned person in a pale orange headscarf in profile as they sit in a standard electric chair.] Chairs can come in different colours, with different levels of portability, and postural support. Like with all chairs, users can be fulltime, or ambulatory (part time). [Line drawing of a standard electric chair, which has a cushioned seat and back mounted on a base with three sets of wheels and a large flat foot plate.]
5. Bespoke Powerchairs: Similar to self propel wheelchairs, electric/power chairs can be made to the exact measurements to the user, with elements added to aid posture and stability of needed. These chairs tend to be expensive. [Line drawing of a bespoke powerchair. The back and seat have been customised, and the base is slightly smaller with a different foot plate.] Joysticks: Joysticks used to control the chair, can be customised to the style and needs of the user. [Two drawings showing a wide joystick with ‘wings’ on the edges and another that is a round knob on a stick.] [Coloured drawing of a light-skinned person sitting in a bespoke powerchair, shown from the front. Text highlights the arm rests and custom colour, a dark blue.]
6. Ambulatory users: Out of the 1.2 million wheelchair users in the UK, a third are ambulatory users, meaning they are able to walk to some degree/under certain circumstances. It’s totally possible for your character to be a part time wheelchair user, and vary which mobility aids are used. [Three coloured drawings of a medium-skinned person whose right leg is amputated above the knee. They use a red active chair, a pair of crutches, and a prosthetic.]
7. Summary: This isn’t a totally comprehensive guide and there are definitely facts I’ve forgotten. This can be a start for those totally clueless on designing wheelchair users. Research is the best way forward if you have bits you have no idea about. Wheelchair users ‘experiences are the best research! [Line art of an active chair.] However: don’t just go asking wheelchair users and disabled people about your characters or invasive questions for your research. They aren’t here just to give you information. There are loads of already existing information from wheelchair users online. [Line art of a person in sunglasses finger-gunning at the camera.] \End descriptions]
[Plain text: A guide to designing wheelchair using characters! \End PT]
