Best Ways To Improve Handwriting?

[moylek]

 

 

What finally worked was learning a new hand from scratch: cursive italic. In particular, I used Write Now by Getty and Dubay. Here's the result after about four years, during which time my hand has drifted from the model and become a sloppier but my own.

 

 

I should clarify: by "after four years", I meant that the sample was written "four years after I learned cursive italic." Learning cursive italic took about six weeks, working through the worksheets in Write Now in near-daily sessions of ten to twenty minutes.

[oneill]

Well, I've had to own up to it... that my handwriting isn't very good. It's legible, but it's not neat and consistent. I bought a stub nib that does shore it up a little, but "polish on a dent won't take the dent out." I'd like to improve upon it, since I have many fine pens to choose from.

 

But before I start looking into reading up on techniques, I'm wondering if it makes more sense to investigate videos? Because it's one thing to read about a technique versus seeing it first hand (as we all did when our teachers first showed us how to write). Also... is it a good idea to go back to single letter forming, and do this repeatedly before stepping up to writing words? Is there also a recommended "pace" in which to do this? Should it be a daily practice of a 10~30 minutes?

 

Well, I've had to own up to it... that my handwriting isn't very good. It's legible, but it's not neat and consistent. I bought a stub nib that does shore it up a little, but "polish on a dent won't take the dent out." I'd like to improve upon it, since I have many fine pens to choose from.

 

But before I start looking into reading up on techniques, I'm wondering if it makes more sense to investigate videos? Because it's one thing to read about a technique versus seeing it first hand (as we all did when our teachers first showed us how to write). Also... is it a good idea to go back to single letter forming, and do this repeatedly before stepping up to writing words? Is there also a recommended "pace" in which to do this? Should it be a daily practice of a 10~30 minutes?

[oneill]

 

I have NO idea how the PODT by MYU on 20 jul 2016 supposedly by me oneill got on here but I did not post it.but I am guilty of what is one there from now.when I was attending school in the Uk we were all given what is known as an exercise book when writing with a pen it was ruled in the following way,a line followed by another line say about quarter of an inch above it with another line just a tiny bit more that the second line and so on and so forth all the way up the page so that the second line would be the top of the letter, abcd etc, wo betide you if the tops of your letters were not exactly on the second line,I have never seen such a ruled book here in Australia but you can print your own, believe me your handwriting will improve over night with this method

[Michael547]

To get a feel for the proper muscles (and start training them correctly), hold your arm out in front of you, elbow bent, and write in the air. Write big. Use your arm and shoulder to shape letters; hold your forearm, wrist and fingers stationary and in writing position.

[seaclanky]

Hello, MYU, all. I had a similar problem a couple of years ago. I determined to improve my degraded hand. A little research was in order. To my surprise I was unable to find a definitive, official, published by HM Ministry of Handwriting, hand. It seems that the rules are 1) make it legible; and 2) make it fast. Then I added my own rules. I wanted the end product to be in "Copperplate" style; so used Roundhand as a basis. I would be using a range of writing instruments, from pencil and biro to fountain and dip pen. Using a flexible dip nib to swell the line meant that pressure could only be applied on the downstroke. So the letters would have to be formed with this in mind. In the interest of speed and fluidity pen lifts would not be happening. What happened next involved a lot of practice; taking a Roundhand "font" and working out how to make the shapes quickly with a sharp dip nib. In other words I took a perfectly respectable hand and altered it to suit my own taste. I suspect that the more videos you watch, the more ideas you will glean; but in the end your own style and personality will overlay any standard "style" you may adopt. Have fun!