my handwriting and signature suck. id like to improve it. dont know if i will go all out in cursive or italics, but if it is not hard, id like to learn.

gonna get my first pen. wondering since i write in print and i write small and fast and sloppy, should i get fine, extra fine or medium nib. i can get a deal on a charleston xf gold nibbed pen for $50.

im thinking of just using that and practicing. then i can branch out. any places to get started on a fancy sort of writing that i can replicate in note taking, correspondence?

sam
memphislawyer@aol.com

Hi Sam,

as you write small, extra-fine should be good for you. As far as fast and sloppy are concerned, just make an effort to slow down, and you'll lose the sloppyness

Denis.

Hey Sam,

You'll probably get lots of different advice on how to improve your handwriting, but the book that I found to be most helpful in revamping my handwriting is called "Write Now" by Getty and Dubay.

The book can be ordered from Pendemonium.com at this link here.

Good luck!

TMann

(I have no affiliation with this site, but have bought a lot of stuff from them, including this book.)

I just started a reply, then COMPUTER CRASH!

Back to the reply.

If you want to use italic characters, you can do no better than to read James Pickering's posts and to visit his website here.

More than a year ago, my handwriting was poor, um, really bad. Oh well, just plain awful! Doctors writing prescriptions had better handwriting!

Now, my everyday handwriting is what I would describe as modified formata italic. It employs most of the characters in James' exemplars with a few slight modifications. It's not as elegant as James', but with practice, I'll get there.

However, it is quite readable and pleasant to look at.

Sorry about the crash - I'll bet you are not a Mac user

Thank you for pointing a newbie to --
-- an excellent all-around resource and Mr. Pickering's page on Carolingian writing is very, very cool.

Cheers,

-shawn

that james pickering website is great. how do you start practicing? i like how he adapted it for everyday writing, which i guess is medium speed. heck, his writing with the pens he says not to use is still great. my first pen has an extra fine nib but will be good enough to use for practice. so i like his adaptive style and need practical tips. thanks

sam

Best place to start is a book like Write Now and, once you've gotten the basics down, then move on to tweaking it. Just my $0.01, but what do I know - my writing is still horrible.

My fav. pen is a Waterman Charleston, and at 50 USD I'd defenietly say go get it
XF might not beth at suitable for italic writing, but if you write small it'll do great.

Woo! Pens are fun!

Sam (memphislawyer) & Shawn (ShawnPCalhoun) (and of course, GeorgeM): Thank you for the kind words -- please do pursue practical Italic handwriting -- I think you will really enjoy it.

That's a little more modified/ updated version of Carolignian than I'm use to especially the f, s & t. Very nice.

Kurt H

Tell that to Kate Gladstone who lambasted me for 'attempting' a style of writing.

Thank you for your input and comments.


I don't tell anyone anything -- I provide exemplars, make comments and offer suggestions.

James, you have NOTHING to apologize for. If this exemplar is not as accomplished as those of earlier days, it is still far, far beyond the ability of most of us and is a goal to which we aspire and strive.

By the way, my daily handwriting is now closer to the rounder and more formal style shown in a prior exemplar. I still have far to go and miles to write before it approaches the simple beauty of your exemplar

Thanks for the comments, George -- unfortunately, as a craftsman, I am super critical of my renditions.

I must be losing it -- the date on the exemplar should be Monday, 2 January, 2006.

You're not the only one, James; I was convinced it was Tuesday as well
That's what happens when Jan. 1st falls on a Sunday....