What is good handwriting?

[Titivillus]

Is good handwriting just clear and easily readable something that a computer & printer can do better or is there an artistic facet that comes in? If all of the 't's are not identical is it still good handwriting?

 

 

Curious,

 

Kurt H

[James Pickering]

Is good handwriting just clear and easily readable something that a computer & printer can do better or is there an artistic facet that comes in? If all of the 't's are not identical is it still good handwriting?

 

 

Curious,

 

Kurt H

To me the most important quality of good handwriting is legibility (readability).

 

I think that ease of rendering by the writer is very important also -- that it can be rendered at a practical "everyday use" speed in a relaxed, effortless manner so that extensive writing can be produced without undue fatigue.

 

In my opinion, good handwriting is enhanced by being beautiful and elegant -- but those properties are hard to define and depend on individual tastes and concepts ("beauty is in the eye of the beholder"). To me, evenness of the writing and a pleasing, balanced layout on the paper are important attributes. I don't think that the precision of presentation quality calligraphy letter formation is a consideration.

 

By definition, handwriting involves the rendition of text on a suitable writing surface by individuals using hand held writing instruments. To me, a great virtue of handwriting is that it is personal -- a unique reflection of the individual writer -- as opposed to the output of a technological device.

 

James

Edited November 25, 2004 by James Pickering

[Keith with a capital K]

The basic purpose of handwriting is to communicate thoughts and ideas but if that was all there was to it, the symbols that I can crank out on this keyboard would suffice. The handwritten word has a wamth and personality that machine rendered text does not.

 

I liken the handwritten word to that of seeing a live performance where the individual character of the writer is expressed through the letter forms and structure of the document or note. Reading a letter from a friend is as enjoyable to me as listening to a concert or watching a live performance as all are very personal expressions.

 

What defines good handwriting?

 

Legibility.

 

After that, it's all gravy.

 

It doesn't matter if your "t"s don't always match as that little clash in forms is one of those things that makes your writing your own.

 

I often have to watch my own writing as it can be quite flamboyant and to some who's first language is not english, it can often look like another language altogether. Even some english speakers / writers have problems with cursive script as many are completely accustomed to seeing just the printed word.

 

I am quite pleased that my daughters are learning to read cursive although they themselves are still at the printing stage.