I grew up using normal desks in school and drawing in art class on tables. I have drawn on tables for most of my projects, but every artists desk has a lift to it.
What is the purpose of the varying angles of lift to the desk? Is this just a matter of ergonomics or is there some advantage to the artist to drawing on an angle?
If it were an ergonomic consideration you'd think a writer's desk would look the same, but almost all other desks are flat with the exception of drawing desks.
There are several advantages!
We'll start with the one you mentioned. If you regularly draw on a horizontal surface, you'll spend a lot of time with your head down. This is terrible for your neck! It can lead to sore, tight muscles. Or, if you have neck problems (like I do), it can be downright painful to even try to draw like that for any length of time.
Having the desk at an incline allows you to have a better vantage point of your work. You can more or less have your eyes even with the center of the work piece. This means you're less likely to distort your drawing with perspective problems. When you're head down on a flat surface, your visual focal point is generally aligned to a single spot.
To understand what I mean, take a look at this sidewalk chalk art. This is how it actually looks:
This is how it looks from a specific vantage point:
In the case of drawing on a flat plane, you may end up drawing a distorted, stretched out image, but your mind perceives it as perfectly proportional.
You can avoid that by using measurements and taking breaks to look at the piece from different angles, but it's a little more work.
To me, this can be the biggest advantage.
Having an inclined plane allows you to use an underhand or paint brush grip with ease. These grips allow you to control your pencil by using your shoulder and elbow, instead of your wrist. Long, even, consistent lines are possible when using your whole arm. These grips, and your lines, will have a more natural and relaxed feel.
However, these grips aren't necessarily a benefit for all types of drawing. Generally, I'll use them for life drawings and similar work, but not for small character sketches. I still use an inclined drafting desk or tabletop easel whenever I can, though.
A historical reason for having writing desks at an incline was that quill pens work better that way. If you ever tried writing with a quill and ended up with a blotchy mess instead of some nice calligraphy, part of the reason was probably that you were writing on a horizontal surface, and thus were holding the pen pretty close to vertical. The closer to vertical the pen, the better the ink flows, but if the ink flows too quickly, you get blotches. If you raise your writing surface at an incline, your pen flattens out, and it's easier to write evenly and without blotches.
But the main reason for using a slanted surface is ergonomics: instead of curling your head over the paper and holding your pen (or other implement) in a death-grip, a slanted surface brings the paper closer to your face -- thus less neck fatigue -- and makes it easier to write/draw with your arm and shoulder instead of your wrist. (Note that the ergonomic advantage is easily lost if you don't sit at an appropriate distance -- too far and you'll need to bend in odd ways to reach, too close and you'll be cramping your elbow and shoulder.)
For me having the angle helps with fatigue and body aches after I’m finished working on a piece. I often get zoned in and lose time when I’m drawing, sometimes I sit at my desk and put on music and the first time I look at the clock it might be 12-13 hours I’ve been fixated on an idea, or 12 hours simply trying to make a hand look realistic haha. My Girlfriend finally got me into a routine where I have to have at least 6 bottles of water before I sit down, and I have to have my phone set to give an alarm every 2 hours so I can stand up and stretch. You never realize the toll it takes on you physically until your back is spasming for two days and you’re so dehydrated that you shed half the skin off your lips ugh. I also have had ADD since I was a kid so I’ll usually take my Adderall before I start drawing and that only compounds the hyper focusing.
And that was an ADD rant for you, sorry haha. Yes, the architect drafting table helps your bones when you’re not slouched over for hours.
