Index Finger Pressure When Writing

[SuperNib44]

When I write, I grip the pen with a light hand, although I have noticed that despite attempts to correct it, my index finger becomes concave. This creates pressure and slight discomfort while writing, which I believe is the one last thing to overcome to be able to be able to write for very long stretches at a time. I hold with a tripod grip, mainly with the thumb and index finger with middle finger for minor support. Now matter how "lightly" I grip the pen the index finger, my finger is bent inwards (towards the pen) and if I think about it it feels uncomfortable. How should I go about creating the convex curve exhibited in the photographs of the ideal pen hold? I'll see if I can post a picture soon.

Edited November 8, 2014 by SuperNib44

[ac12]

When you write, you have to constantly check your hand, and make correction.

It will take time before your hand gets used to holding the pen lightly.

 

If your pen is not balanced well, you may be putting pressure on the grip to keep the back of the pen from going down, and lifting the front of the pen.

Example, I write with my Safari and Vista unposted. Because, posting the cap causes the pen to be back/tail heavy.

[SuperNib44]

The pressure usually occurs a few letters after a hand shift down the written line. I am not sure if it is due to incorrect hold or what. It takes time - yes I have been trying to perfect my writing for years and cannot shake the unwanted pressure in this isolated area.

Edited November 9, 2014 by SuperNib44

[Mickey]

Quoting a post I made in another thread that probably applies here:

 

"I've decided to take today's post a little off topic - the relationship between grip tension/activity and finger/arm movement.

 

Lately, I've been thinking about my grip more in terms of deadness, than relaxation. In fact, I've firmed up my grip to make it more dead, i.e., less active. It's not tight, it's not loose. It's inert. The process is kind of like staring at your dog to make it stay.

 

I think about the pen and hand moving as a unit, not about using the wrist or the arm or the fingers or any other part of my body to move it. The fingers are dead, the hand and pen move together. That's it. I don't concentrate on the pen point. I concentrate on the line and the path my hand will travel to produce it.

 

Lo and behold, I suddenly become aware that my little finger is brushing the exact same path on the page as the pen point. I also notice that the point barely touches the page. The lines is spider silk fine and Gillott 303 in my holder feels as fat and easy as a G-nib. This is the lightest I ever write, yet my hand is not relaxed. It's not tight, either. It's inert. Grip pressure is irrelevant."

 

The pen is locked or wedged in between the thumb and first two fingers. The fingers and thumb do not grip or push on the pen. If anything, they push on each other.

[HDoug]

I know the concave forefinger grip you are describing. Yes, sometimes it's the result of too tight a grip, but not always. I know of several capable penpersons who have that grip. The proper use of arms, hands, fingers, and grip, are matters of continuous litigation here at FPN, and since we are not a court, no adjudication has been forthcoming.

But on the theory that posts are at least more entertaining with relevant illustrations, here are some pics with links to yet more pics.

 

In this first pic, grips on the left are "bona" or good, right, "inepta:"

 

 

The rest of the set of grips, here.

 

http://hdougetc.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/d7ef3-p1460.jpg

 

Here is the rest of the collection of paintings from the quill era of quill grips.

 

http://hdougetc.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/e6724-1882thomaseakins.jpg

 

And a colleciton of paintings of later pen grips.

 

For the record I have a smallish italic (2mm x-height) written usually with a .5mm cursive italic. I write with fingers and hand and wrist with the outer part of my wrist making contact (but not bearing weight) on the paper. I write on A4 or 8.5 x 11 paper usually, and don't move the paper sideways as I write. I move the paper up every now and then. That means that the orientation of hand and pen and nib at the upper left of the paper is different from the lower right. My pinky and next-to-pinky finger usually don't touch the paper surface. But they do sometimes.

Anyway, just fyi and diversion.

 

Doug

[SuperNib44]

Quoting a post I made in another thread that probably applies here:

 

"I've decided to take today's post a little off topic - the relationship between grip tension/activity and finger/arm movement.

 

Lately, I've been thinking about my grip more in terms of deadness, than relaxation. In fact, I've firmed up my grip to make it more dead, i.e., less active. It's not tight, it's not loose. It's inert. The process is kind of like staring at your dog to make it stay.

 

I think about the pen and hand moving as a unit, not about using the wrist or the arm or the fingers or any other part of my body to move it. The fingers are dead, the hand and pen move together. That's it. I don't concentrate on the pen point. I concentrate on the line and the path my hand will travel to produce it.

 

Lo and behold, I suddenly become aware that my little finger is brushing the exact same path on the page as the pen point. I also notice that the point barely touches the page. The lines is spider silk fine and Gillott 303 in my holder feels as fat and easy as a G-nib. This is the lightest I ever write, yet my hand is not relaxed. It's not tight, either. It's inert. Grip pressure is irrelevant."

 

The pen is locked or wedged in between the thumb and first two fingers. The fingers and thumb do not grip or push on the pen. If anything, they push on each other.

A good point. I feel I have a dead grip except for this one area. I am just trying to decrease discomfort while I write for long periods.

[Mickey]

 

For the record I have a smallish italic (2mm x-height) written usually with a .5mm cursive italic. I write with fingers and hand and wrist with the outer part of my wrist making contact (but not bearing weight) on the paper. I write on A4 or 8.5 x 11 paper usually, and don't move the paper sideways as I write. I move the paper up every now and then. That means that the orientation of hand and pen and nib at the upper left of the paper is different from the lower right. My pinky and next-to-pinky finger usually don't touch the paper surface. But they do sometimes.

 

Anyway, just fyi and diversion.

 

Doug

 

I believe you write predominantly in the italic style. I don't move the paper for italic (or non-critical FP business writing), either. I move it only for pointed pen work, where the relationship between eye and hand is probably more critical and where significant arm movement is more likely.

[mirosc]

I know the concave forefinger grip you are describing. Yes, sometimes it's the result of too tight a grip, but not always.

 

Indeed. I have a light grip, but prefer to have this concave forefinger. Usually I guide the pen with my fingers*, because this provides the utmost precision (for me); and so I "bend" my finger inwards - not to exert pressure, but rather to lock the joint in a fixed position, because most of the movement comes from the second joint of the forefinger (and the thumb is just counterweight). I can also write with the forefinger slightly stretched, but I've noticed that in this case the more movement comes from the thumb, whereas the forefinger is more of a counterweight - which I don't find so comfortable and not as precise, because two joints in the forefinger need to be coordinated.

 

* the main reason for doing so is that I can write singlehandedly: the wrist keeps the paper in place, the fingers write and the left hand is free to do other work - like opening books, browsing through papers,... or holding a tea mug :-)

This technique saved me a lot of time in archives with limited opening hours.

[ac12]

I was just browsing and found a different grip than I've seen before.

The index finger is held right next to parallel with the pen and essentially on the pen for most of the length of the finger.

So several variations of the grip.

Edited November 10, 2014 by ac12

[Mickey]

 

* the main reason for doing so is that I can write singlehandedly: the wrist keeps the paper in place, the fingers write and the left hand is free to do other work - like opening books, browsing through papers,... or holding a tea mug :-)

This technique saved me a lot of time in archives with limited opening hours.

 

Aha! There's your problem. You're supposed to use the tea mug to hold the paper in place.

Edited November 10, 2014 by Mickey

[mirosc]

 

Aha! There's your problem. Your supposed to use the tea mug to hold the paper in place.

 

[SuperNib44]

After a few more months of practice while using the "standard grip" I rarely feel the discomfort in my index finger anymore. I think part of it was pressing hard (like for flex) on every downstroke as I write, and now I don't pull so hard. I found that as I have been practicing handwriting for the past 5 years my handwriting changes every few months, though my overall style stays the same, only my technique, and letterforms change. Luckily the changes are positive. Thanks for the insights everybody, the paintings are especially interesting!

Edited January 24, 2015 by SuperNib44

[ac12]

You mentioned flex.

Try writing with a nail for a while more, so you can't flex the pen, and don't try to flex it.

That exercise might get to you lighten up on the index finger.

 

Then use the flex pen as an occasional "special use" pen.

Edited January 25, 2015 by ac12