Handwriting size

[Lugworm]

My quest to become a lefty underwriter continues.

I have written a few lines in large writing, medium and rather small writing.

Which do you think looks the best?  

Any tips for improving?

[LizEF]

Your handwriting seems consistent throughout - so much so that I had a hard time figuring out that it was the three blocks of text that were different sizes, and the three images were just focusing on separate blocks (at first, I thought maybe you'd posted the wrong pictures for 2 and 3 as they were the same page - then I realized they are supposed to be the same page).  I think that's a good thing, and all your writing is more than legible.

 

As for which size I like the best, I think the large and medium look better than the small, but don't really have  a preference between the two.

 

Best wishes in your efforts!  (I've never been able to stick with handwriting practice.  )

[ParramattaPaul]

I'd say you are doing well.  Keep up the good work.

 

[A Smug Dill]

17 hours ago, Lugworm said:

Which do you think looks the best? 

 

The largest handwriting size, primarily on account of the line widths and the inter-word spacing relative to the x-height. Also — although I haven't attempted to measure precisely — the ascender height is taller than the x-height in every size, but the contrast is especially large for your smaller handwriting; at a rough guesstimate, the ascender height is ~150% of the x-height in the sample of your large handwriting, but ≥200% of the x-height in the sample of your small handwriting.

 

If you used a finer nib, put less blank space between words, and made the ascenders shorter for your small handwriting, then the way it presents will be very different; so it isn't a case of your larger handwriting looks better on account of it being more legible, or even just larger and clearer.

[arcfide]

I think if you chose a finer width pen, the smaller sizes would improve, but my vote is also for the bigger size, especially at the size of line and pen width. 

 

As for improvement, you have relatively consistent spacing, slant, and letter heights, but I notice a distinct lack of attention to counter-spacing. That's what I would pay attention to, and building some more counter-spacing into your lettering is likely to show you the value of that larger x-height. If you improve the consistency and visibility of the counter spacing in your letters, I think you'll notice a marked improvement in the feel of the letters. 

[Lugworm]

Thank you everyone for replying.

Could I just ask, what is counter spacing?  These terms are quite new to me.

[LizEF]

3 hours ago, Lugworm said:

Thank you everyone for replying.

Could I just ask, what is counter spacing?  These terms are quite new to me.

It appears to be the spacing between letters (that or how to organize your kitchen ).  But I'm not sure how much I trust google to accurately find the thing I'm looking for (as opposed to the thing someone wants to sell me).

[Karmachanic]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counter_(typography)

 

[arcfide]

On 3/19/2021 at 6:31 AM, Lugworm said:

Thank you everyone for replying.

Could I just ask, what is counter spacing?  These terms are quite new to me.

 

In handwriting, the easiest way to think about it is the various empty space that exists inside of a letter, rather than between two letters. Especially, the spacing around your ascenders and stems in various letters, such as n or m, can be a little unbalanced, with too much space given to the main bowl and not enough given to the other spaces, such as the empty space between each hump of an m or the stem of the m or n and the first hump. Giving more empty space in these areas can improve the readability and look of your letters and help them to look more elegant.