What Does Your Handwriting Look Like

[jniforat]

... I'm practicing a lot with medium and fine nibs because they demonstrate my faults ...

 

You are a braver man than I. I just abhor my writing with fine nibs, and even medium nibs, because smaller nibs so readily reveal my faults. On the other hand, the larger stubs and CI nibs provide line variation that gives some interest (I think) and helps me see less of my obvious faults and inexperience.

 

I really appreciate the excellent comments and suggestions here, and especially the unexpected appearance of caliken in this thread, to whose writing many FPNers aspire. Thank you, Ken, for participating here: it is great motivation for improvement. Maybe, Jeffery, with your suggestion, I will be brave enough to practice with small nibs and force myself to look at the results.

 

RookSeven, you have amazingly clear printing - it SO easy to read, and easy on the eyes. Good job!

you have great handwriting as it is, dcpritch!

[dcpritch]

... you have great handwriting as it is, dcpritch.

 

Thank you, jniforat, I appreciate that, but I am going to follow Caliken's above advice: "Never believe your own publicity," in part because I feel very undeserving, especially in light of some great handwriting in the posts above, but also because I do hope to make some improvements. Like fourseamer mentioned, I tend to rush through and write too quickly, and I need to learn some new strokes. I really appreciate the helpful comments and suggestions on this thread and will continue to follow it and maybe, maybe, I will gain enough improvement to show a before and after example. DAVID

[Bronze]

Be your own strictest critic. In spite of what other opeople say, you know when it's not quite right.

 

Ken

 

 

Thank you for chiming in Ken, and I certainly recognize what you write about being your own strictest critic. For better or worse that tends to be my natural state of mind.

 

It seems my eye for italic develops faster than my hand! Which is what drives this (for now at least) continuing dissatisfaction with my writing. Once my ability reaches a certain level the eye is already on the next...

As you say it's quite interesting the way some writing I admired only a year back or so now looks less than perfect and often blatantly sloppy.

 

As a musician for several years this whole process of working on my handwriting reminds me quite a bit of learning to play an instrument. It takes a long time to get to a certain level, and to appreciate that you have come a long way, yet at the same time you are always looking to improve, work on your weaknesses etc. This experience also gives you a certain discipline, and the belief that you can get there one day, although it may be a slow and gradual process. Having said that, this handwriting business is merely an enjoyable pastime for me.

 

Thank you for your words of encouragement, and especially for your inspiring work!

[caliken]

I worked at a professional level as a pianist for most of my life - mainly playing jazz piano, and it was in that context, whilst learning, that I first came across the advice "never believe your own publicity"

 

On some occasions when it had gone particularly well and I was over-complimented on my playing, I made a habit of going home and playing a track by Art Tatum. That certainly brought me down to earth!!

 

Ken

[Wickwack]

caliken - - - -

 

Pianist AND master calligrapher - you are my idol!!!! Two of my most favorite things...

[Bronze]

I worked at a professional level as a pianist for most of my life - mainly playing jazz piano, and it was in that context, whilst learning, that I first came across the advice "never believe your own publicity"

 

On some occasions when it had gone particularly well and I was over-complimented on my playing, I made a habit of going home and playing a track by Art Tatum. That certainly brought me down to earth!!

 

Ken

 

Art Tatum can definitely have that effect on you!

My remedy when I need a bit of perspective is usually some Cannonball Adderley, early George Benson or some Michael Brecker.

[Sirena]

[Safari_Camo]

Hello... here´s my penmanship

 

Let me put some details... 99.9% of the time I write in print form, I don´t write in cursive since.... I was in elementary school a long... time ago.

 

No lined paper underneath the white paper ( I should in this case...).

 

For the test I wrote some lines in spanish, translation:

 

For a good penmanship you need three elements: a good pen, a good ink and a good paper.

 

Pens used:

 

Lamy Safari F nib (both)

 

Inks: (both are samples) very nice hues indeed

 

Private Reserve - American Blue

J. Herbin - Lierre Sauvage

 

Paper:

 

A4 90 Gr. Xerox from Brasil (nothing else available in my country, all the paper comes from Brasil)

 

 

 

http://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i455/rendergroup/Fountain%20Pen/full_page_torn.png

 

 

 

A Close Up:

 

http://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i455/rendergroup/Fountain%20Pen/detail.png

 

 

 

Full Page Iif you like to read all my letter.

http://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i455/rendergroup/Fountain%20Pen/full_page.png

[FLJeepGuy]

Here's a sample of my handwriting using a Sheaffer Targa Classic 1003 with a fine italic nib (not much italic here). The ink is Levenger Cocoa and the paper is from a Rhodia No. 13 pad (excuse the splice, but a 4x5 pad was all I had handy). My cursive is atrocious, so I mostly print. I've been practicing my cursive after years of disuse, so hopefully, it will get better before long.

 

[dcpritch]

Here's a sample of my handwriting ...

 

Hey that is really cool writing. It may not be classical in style, but it has great character and is easy to read!

 

DAVID

[detcord]

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/2428/imag0135e.jpg

 

I used to write in very sloppy all caps, now im copying the hobbit down in modern manuscript to improve my regular penmanship. M nib w/ cross black cartridge, left handed.

[spiv]

here is my "im using a fountian pen" handwriting

full tilt - not slow and careful

only slightly slower than my usual block captital "i'm using a sharpie" hand.

 

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b388/itspiv/pen%20and%20ink/ik001.jpg

[HRY0009]

Your experimental writing is sensational. I have a very different 'normal' handwriting too, and was trying to improve it. I couldn't reproduce your results even if I tried! I would be glad to hear suggestions, best of luck!

 

First of all, this is a really great thread and I'm enjoying seeing everyone's writing.

 

My writing is a work in progress. Here's a sample of what it looks like when I'm not thinking about it:

 

http://rongilmour.info/images/handwritingNormal.jpg

 

And here's a hand with which I'm experimenting. I can't call it "my" handwriting yet:

 

http://rongilmour.info/images/handwritingPretty.jpg

 

The first sample is written with a Pelikan M205 F; the second with a Pelikan M400 EF. Both are unmodified factory nibs.

[JefferyS]

Here is what I'm starting with.

[Sassafras]

here is my "im using a fountian pen" handwriting

full tilt - not slow and careful

only slightly slower than my usual block captital "i'm using a sharpie" hand.

 

Spiv,

 

I really quite like your full tilt FP writing. It's easy to read and still has lots of character.

[Ink Sandwich]

Here's a sample of my norma, everyday handwriting:

 

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/3478/script1.jpg

 

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

(Kaweco Sport, F Nib).

 

Here I've decided to have some fun with a ballpoint pen:

 

http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/1313/script2q.jpg

 

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

I wouldn't even know how to call that kind of writing - maybe Spencerian-inspied? lol

 

There's some beautiful handwriting here, and some very nice colors too!

Edited May 7, 2011 by Ink Sandwich

[Landel]

Hi All,

 

Super awesome thread here! I like HDoug's writing the best - it really has a lot of character.

 

Here's mine, normal handwriting is all in caps - after going through University my handwriting became horrible scribbles and I couldn't revert to what it used to look like before. So after buying my first FP (Sailor Professional Gear, H-EF nib) I decided to change my handwriting to all capitals in a desperate bid to improve my handwriting. Notebook is Markings by C.R. Gibson: really excellent FP paper; super smooth with no bleeds or feathering. Other times I will use Giuris paper by Maruman, also really good stuff. The ink is Omas green - if you like green this is the best! Someone should really do a review on this ink.

 

Not sure why, but the scanner picks it up blur - if I sharpen the image the colour changes significantly. (Click on image for correct sizing)

 

 

 

 

 

I did try a couple days ago to write more legibly. Works okay with a soft mechanical pencil but the writing deteriorates with the FP. On Maruman P140 High Quality Report Pad. In case you're wondering this is a Latin excerpt from "Lorem Ipsum".

 

Cheers!

 

Edited May 8, 2011 by Landel

[myyrkezaan]

I practice my writing with Lorem Ipsum too. I get my text from http://www.lipsum.com/

Edited May 8, 2011 by myyrkezaan

[JefferyS]

There is no accepted standard for that. A medium Sailor looks like a fine Parker, and a medium Conway Stewart looks more like a broad.

 

http://niagaracalligraphyguild.netfirms.com/news0699/nibs.htm

 

This shows some comparisons. I would consider 0.4-0.5 mm fine, and 0.6 to 0.9 to be more like medium.

[Tinola]

I'm new to FPN. I never really cared about how nicely I wrote my notes as long as it's legible. Now I would like to improve my handwriting. So, here's a sample of my writing.

 

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b263/johnsolanzo_1209/7cdbb68c.jpg