Greetings From A Left-Handed Newbie

[SJRobertson]

Hello! I am a recent arrival at the threshold of the large world of fountain pens, ink and stationery. I have been tinkering with a Pelikan Junior and a Pilot Metropolitan. I'm interested in letter-writing and journaling. I'm open to suggestions about what to do next, and I would welcome resources/advice regarding improving my penmanship.

Thanks for your consideration!

All the best,

S.J. Robertson

[PAKMAN]

Hello and Welcome to FPN!! Glad to have you as a member!!

[Wahl]

[OCArt]

Welcome to our little corner of the universe from a pen user in San Diego.

[mitto]

Greetings and Welcome to FPN.

[jar]

Welcome home. Pull up a stump and set a spell.

[tvradio]

Welcome to FPN from another lefty! I've been involved with fountain pens only for around three months, and in that time accumulated 10 cheap/inexpensive $2-12 pens (then got rid of 4 of them). My favorite of the low-cost bunch is probably my Metropolitan with Medium nib (which, like most Japanese pens, writes like a Fine nib on a Pelikan or European pen). My 2nd favorite is a dirt-cheap Jinhao pen to which I added a $15 German Jowo nib.

 

The best thing to do is read up on your interests (use the search), and decide whether you're looking for ink on inks, pens (and new vs vintage), storage, cleaning, etc.

 

As for as penmanship, there are lots of Youtube videos that can be helpful, though most seem to fall into videos for younger students, and videos for calligraphy. I too am working, on my own, to improve my penmanship - I write very small, and it's sometimes difficult for even me to read my handwriting at normal distances. So I bought a Broad European nib for one of my Jinhao pens, and the broadness of the nib forces me to write larger, and clearly.

[SJRobertson]

Thanks to all for the warm welcome.

As I kid, I was told repeatedly that I could never have decent handwriting. It just seemed easier to believe them.

I admire craftsmanship and attention to detail, so I respect the makers of fine pens, inks, paper, etc. I also admire (and somewhat envy) people who can turn their handwriting into high art.

I just want to learn, and to wean myself away from the keyboard.

Meanwhile, I'm awaiting the arrival a TWISBI ECO with a medium nib.

Now I will poke around the rest of the site, and see what else I can learn.

[Maccabeus]

Thanks to all for the warm welcome.

As I kid, I was told repeatedly that I could never have decent handwriting. It just seemed easier to believe them.

 

So was I, & so I did for far too many years. It's a lie. Developing good penmanship is not an impossibility. It may take a lot of work , but so few worthwhile things in life are easy.

Welcome from a fellow southpaw

[Chrissy]

Hello and welcome to FPN. ​

[Henricum_Tropen]

Hello and welcome to FPN, from Cape Town, South Africa.

[ThomasB]

Hello and welcome from Baton Rouge, Louisiana...Enjoy your time here

[Corona688]

As I kid, I was told repeatedly that I could never have decent handwriting.

Once you've figured out how to hold a pencil, it's all about practice, an awful lot of practice. My left-handed cursive was firmly average, aside from the pencil smears. Was. That was a while ago.

 

Ornamental lettering is harder. Look at simple cursive calligraphy: Thickened lines appear where a right-hander naturally puts pressure on a flex pen, i.e. downstrokes and downward curls. Southpaws have to fight our own natural pen pressures to imitate theirs, occasionally at very awkward angles. Practice alone can't make it perfect.

 

There's ways around that. I've been using 45-degree oblique pens, which help but have blind spots. Some adopt penholding styles which aren't mirror images of a righthander. You can also write downwards to avoid those awkward angles. And there's kinds of calligraphy that are supposed to be awkward in our favor, like copperplate. And even right-handed calligraphers may lift their pen more often than the letters show. If the reader can't tell, anything goes.

 

Or so I've gathered. I'm no export, just a tinkerer.

 

Welcome to FPN and enjoy your stay.

Edited February 22, 2018 by Corona688

[northstar]

Hello and welcome to FPN.

[Sasha Royale]

Welcome, SJ !

 

Not all left-handed writers use the same technique. Access the experiences of the membership.

Per improving penmanship, practice ! Find reasons to practice. Take your time, and concentrate on shaping each character the way you want it to appear. Soon, you will be perfect, like I am.

(Gotta go. Wife just collapsed to the floor laughing. It's where I spilled beer.)

Have fun, and write with joy.

[tvradio]

Welcome, SJ !

 

Not all left-handed writers use the same technique. A

That is so true!

 

I overwrite with a hook overhand, with my fingers choked up on the section, close to the nib. (And my handwriting is not great.) The most beautiful lefty calligrapher - does the exact opposite - he's an underwriter who holds his pens almost at the half-way point of the pen. I don't know how he does it, and trying to replicate it was impossible for me.

[Corona688]

I don't know how he does it, and trying to replicate it was impossible for me.

Sounds like the writing style which moves the arm rather than the fingers. The pen angle stays much steadier. Looks exhausting, though, holding out an arm in zombie-like rigor mortis all day. Edited February 23, 2018 by Corona688

[Carrau]

Welcome aboard, from Charleston, SC.

[SJRobertson]

Thanks to everyone for the warm welcome and good advice. For the record, I am an underwriter.

I am waiting for a TWSBI ECO (with a medium nib) to arrive. I plan to use Noodlers Bulletproof black with it.

Once my Pilot Metropolitan empties the cartridge it came with, I plan to use Pilot Iroshizuku Bottled Fountain Pen Ink, Shin-Kai, Deep Sea, Blue Black, on the recommendation of Pilot.

I am still experimenting with paper.

I hope to have interesting reports to make as time goes on.

I am open to suggestions!

All the best,

S.J. Robertson