How to Write in a Straight Line on Unlined Paper?

[Conservative Eccentric]

On 2/18/2023 at 1:14 AM, dipper said:

That is certainly true.

 

The lines on printed guide sheets are dense black and very thick. Perhaps 1mm line width.

 

Seen through 100gsm writing paper those thick black lines can look faint and fuzzy - but are still visible and usable for guiding handwriting.

 

If using 120gsm paper?

In my stock of papers there seems to be a big increase in opacity when the writing paper weight goes up from 100gsm to 120gsm. Much more than the 20% increase in weight would suggest.

I cannot see a thick lined guide sheet through "Navigator" 120gsm "Colour Documents, Ultra Smooth" A4 plain paper.

 

That is without a light box. On occasions I have traced drawings etc onto 120gsm paper - by holding the original image and the 120gsm paper against a glass window pane during daylight. That bright daylight backlighting makes a dramatic difference.

 

 

What weight of paper would defeat both the guidesheet and lightbox methods (so that I can be sure to stay below that in my purchasing of stationery)? 

[Conservative Eccentric]

On 2/18/2023 at 1:58 AM, arcfide said:

 

A lot of people may talk about practice being the only way to improve this. This is, strictly speaking, true. However, I do think there is more guidance to be had here. In particular, getting to that straight line easily is best accomplished, IMO, by focusing more on technique and the traditional biomechanics of writing than one typically is taught to do in most writing courses today. There are plenty of different ways to achieve this effect, but for whatever writing you are doing, you'll want to figure out what that biomechanic is, and then work on making it second nature. For instance, with American Palmer-esque writing, the key is to maintain a solid body and arm positioning that retains the "writing zone" correctly, so that each letter is form in a relatively small area in front of the writer, and the paper is carefully positioned and moved to ensure that all of the writing happens within that writing zone. If you follow these rules rather exactly, the result is that it is much easier to write straight lines. 

 

The same goes for, say, an Italic hand. Positioning the paper properly, understanding the appropriate spacing on the page, positioning your hand "correctly" and using the appropriate wrist or finger motion to achieve consistent strokes will tend to produce consistent writing that you can then tweak to get straight lines each time. 

 

You will need to practice, but the best way to practice is with a clear intention and meticulous attention to the biomechanics, rather than just doing whatever with your body to try to make writing come out at the final destination on paper. This makes it easier to be consistent and then trains you to get a more repeatable result, which is ultimately what you need if you intend to write in straight lines most of the time. 

 

Many people are able to write in staight lines without following the traditional biomechanics, but they still have managed to achieve some level of consistency, and I would argue that in general, such results are harder to replicate than if you take a more stable, standard approach to how to work with the pen. 

 

I was not taught anything about the biomechanics of writing other than how one is supposed to grip a pencil (which, no matter how much I got punished for it, I never actually used because it was so uncomfortable), so it is all new to me.  The Calligraphy Masters Youtube channel was recommended to me in another thread and their three-parter on positioning was helpful, but I am not sure what I will need to do differently to begin learning the writing style of my choice (a sort of insular minuscule), especially since my starting point is just my basic, messy printed handwriting.

[Conservative Eccentric]

On 2/18/2023 at 2:18 AM, Mercian said:

In the meanwhile, one possible ‘cheat’ solution for you is to buy ‘laid’ paper whose inlaid lines are parallel with your writing. Not the same as actual guidelines, but still a useful reminder.

 

In notebooks, one can use a sheet of paper (or an envelope) underneath one’s writing hand as a ‘shield’ to prevent one’s skin oils from getting on to the paper that one is about to try to write on.

If the ’shield’ is wider than the page, one can keep it parallel with the top of the page, and then use its edge as a reference to keep one’s lines of writing straight and parallel.

 

Oh, laid paper looks very interesting, thanks.

 

I actually have held an envelope beneath the line I am writing as a kind of guide to keep it straight, but, having rather exaggeratedly long downstrokes on some of my letters (especially 'y'), and always holding the envelope too close, I inevitably end up on the envelope rather than the paper, cutting off the bottom of some of my letters, heh.

[Conservative Eccentric]

On 2/18/2023 at 5:16 AM, Lamy4life said:

imo to learn to write on blank paper you first must "master" writing on lined paper. Which from what I gathered it seems you can't. 

 

Improving your handwriting is a skill that takes alot of patience to "master"

 

 

That is very true; my handwriting is messy and not even cursive.  The fact that I cannot write in a straight line on unlined paper just seemed to me like the most obvious of my problems to try to tackle first.

[Conservative Eccentric]

On 2/18/2023 at 1:04 PM, Karmachanic said:

More guidesheets  https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2014/05/turn-a-blank-notebook-into-a-lined-notebook/

 

Thank you.

[Conservative Eccentric]

On 2/18/2023 at 1:47 PM, mhwombat said:

I think you'll find this video helpful. I usually use the first option (another piece of paper on top as a guide).

 

 

 

Cheers.  I think the second option (a lined page beneath, as others have suggested) will probably work best for me.

[XYZZY]

I'm quite comfortable using guide sheets.  I have no reason to want to not use them because I'm used enough to making/using them that that cost is minimal, and I can only imagine that the practice necessary to write straight lines is not something I would consider worth my time.  Also, in a notebook, guide sheets can also serve as a bookmark and a poor but good enough blotting page:  when done writing just move the guidesheet to the current page and close the notebook.  Don't worry about blowing on the page and waiting for it to dry.

 

I second https://incompetech.com is an excellent site for quick and simple guidesheets.

 

I also agree with the suggestion of thicker lines.  They can certainly work magic to make them appear.

 

I don't use 120gsm paper, I can certainly see that would be a problem for guidesheets.  You might try "stripes", which is basically taking the idea of a thicker guideline to the extreme.  Instead of having a thick line every 7mm, instead have a 7mm thick line (strip) every 14mm.   Then you're just writing on alternating light/dark strips.  That might be enough for you to see some sort of delineation.  On incompetech, set it for 19.84 point line thickness, and 0.71 lines per cm.  And black lines: you want contrast, not pretty colors.

 

I prefer plain paper to make a lot of guidesheets.  In my notebooks I have settled on 7mm, which seems to be pretty standard for lined notebooks.  But making your own guidesheets at https://incompetech.com makes it easy to experiment with different sizes and find what works well for you.

 

I generally us 1pt guidelines, which works well in notebooks where I'm not exact.  I have found though that in a project I'm doing on 52gsm "new" Tomoe River paper, that I prefer using a 1.5pt line for the guidesheet under the verso pages, because with the writing already done on the recto side it's harder to see the line.  2pt was not needed.

I once managed to get a piece of thin blotting paper (real blotting paper) to go through the office printer and printed a guide sheet on that.  I was particularly proud of that little hack, thinking it would be better as a bookmark and blotting page.  It was, but those are secondary goals, and it was less good as it's primary goal:  I usually align the guide sheet in a notebook by nudging the edge so that it exactly fits the notebook page, for blotting paper the edges ended up getting frayed and mushy rather quickly.  So while a neat hack, it was not very practical.

 

[Mercian]

46 minutes ago, Conservative Eccentric said:

What weight of paper would defeat both the guidesheet and lightbox methods (so that I can be sure to stay below that in my purchasing of stationery)? 

The answer to that question is going to vary with the colour of paper you’re trying to use, but…

 

…I’d expect Murphy’s Law to dictate that the weight of paper that renders lightboxes/guidesheets useless is abut 1gsm less than the minimum weight of paper that will give you satisfactory performance with your ink in your pen.

 

Full disclosure: I am English and, since you asked, yes; my middle name is ‘Eeyore’ 😉

[XYZZY]

Just to throw this idea out there, it's probably not practical, but a bit fun and maybe will give somebody an idea...

 

Back in the days when Bibles were hand written on parchment (and "parchment" was made from animal skins), this was a real problem.  You think 120gsm paper is thick? 🙂  One way to tackle this was by hand drawing (charcoal or graphite) lines on the parchment.  But another way was to have a frame with evenly spaced wires.  When preparing a new page of parchment you place that frame on the parchment and apply pressure (let say a roller) to the wires, so that the wires left an impression in the parchment.

 

If I was going to try a project on parchment (not likely) I would be very interested the frame of wires.

 

[encremental]

I find writing between the lines rather than on  them gives your work a look that is slightly more spontaneous - as if you haven't used guidelines at all.

 

Give it a try for a page, and you will see what I mean  

 

John

[Conservative Eccentric]

On 2/18/2023 at 3:40 PM, txomsy said:

A couple of unmentioned ideas.

 

1) The traditional approach: ruler, pencil and eraser. Draw the lines with a pencil, write and erase the lines afterwards. That's the way it has always been done when guide sheets were not an option. At the extreme you may lightly mark the lines with a burin/chisel. This will give you the reference and disappear without eraser.

 

2) The pro approach: distance yourself from your own writing. Literally and figuratively. Figuratively because we often are so concentrated on the writing that all our attention focuses at the writing point and lose the perspective. Once you are not worried about the shapes of letters or words, you can concentrate on other aspects. Literally because the way to do it is by not focusing on your writing edge but on the whole page, look at all the page while you write, this will give you the hints you need to keep the level.

 

I saw a version of the first approach in which someone used a ruler to lightly score the page with their fingernail, though I would be afraid of the line remaining visible afterwards.

 

I definitely need to work on the second approach; I am usually so wrapped up in trying to get my thoughts down that I pay no attention to the whole page.  

[Conservative Eccentric]

15 hours ago, XYZZY said:

I don't use 120gsm paper, I can certainly see that would be a problem for guidesheets.  You might try "stripes", which is basically taking the idea of a thicker guideline to the extreme.  Instead of having a thick line every 7mm, instead have a 7mm thick line (strip) every 14mm.   Then you're just writing on alternating light/dark strips.  That might be enough for you to see some sort of delineation.  On incompetech, set it for 19.84 point line thickness, and 0.71 lines per cm.  And black lines: you want contrast, not pretty colors.

 

Thanks, I will have to try that.

[Conservative Eccentric]

15 hours ago, Mercian said:

…I’d expect Murphy’s Law to dictate that the weight of paper that renders lightboxes/guidesheets useless is abut 1gsm less than the minimum weight of paper that will give you satisfactory performance with your ink in your pen.

 

Heh heh, I expect so.

[Conservative Eccentric]

14 hours ago, XYZZY said:

Just to throw this idea out there, it's probably not practical, but a bit fun and maybe will give somebody an idea...

 

Back in the days when Bibles were hand written on parchment (and "parchment" was made from animal skins), this was a real problem.  You think 120gsm paper is thick? 🙂  One way to tackle this was by hand drawing (charcoal or graphite) lines on the parchment.  But another way was to have a frame with evenly spaced wires.  When preparing a new page of parchment you place that frame on the parchment and apply pressure (let say a roller) to the wires, so that the wires left an impression in the parchment.

 

If I was going to try a project on parchment (not likely) I would be very interested the frame of wires.

 

 

Considering that the handwriting and calligraphy style I want to learn is medieval in origin and I do like genuine parchment, I would love to get my hands on a wire frame like this.

[kazoolaw]

On 2/17/2023 at 7:06 PM, Conservative Eccentric said:

Are there ways to improve to the point that I will eventually not need guidelines?  It will get a bit annoying to print a guideline sheet for every notebook I have, what with so many of them being different sizes and dimensions.

 

Same as the route to Carnegie Hall:  practice, practice, practice.

You can do it given enough time:  I've been able to write straight lines, and semi-justify both left and right margins.

Now if you could only read my handwriting!

[InesF]

On 2/18/2023 at 1:06 AM, Conservative Eccentric said:

Are there ways to improve to the point that I will eventually not need guidelines?  It will get a bit annoying to print a guideline sheet for every notebook I have, what with so many of them being different sizes and dimensions.

It's a challenge. It's true, finally, it's all about practice.

However, you may start by either draw fine and finest pencil lines, so pale you have a hard time to see them. From those practise you may learn very fast.

Another way is to fold the paper into stripes of about double, later threefold the height of your handwritten letters. Write your text in the middle height of those stripes without using a defined baseline. As you increase the height of the stripes (over several weeks!), later putting two lines of text at one stripe, you will reach the point not needing baselines any longer.

 

Please be aware: you will never write a "perfect" straight baseline without any aids. "Almost straight" can look natural and charming!

 

On 2/18/2023 at 4:40 PM, txomsy said:

2) The pro approach: distance yourself from your own writing. Literally and figuratively. Figuratively because we often are so concentrated on the writing that all our attention focuses at the writing point and lose the perspective. Once you are not worried about the shapes of letters or words, you can concentrate on other aspects. Literally because the way to do it is by not focusing on your writing edge but on the whole page, look at all the page while you write, this will give you the hints you need to keep the level.

Yes, that's a great advise!

[Conservative Eccentric]

I may be terribly complicating this even further, but are there also printable online guide sheets with ascender and descender lines and so forth for use with various styles of calligraphy?

[Mercian]

22 minutes ago, Conservative Eccentric said:

I may be terribly complicating this even further, but are there also printable online guide sheets with ascender and descender lines and so forth for use with various styles of calligraphy?

Your best bet for that may be Séyès-ruled (aka ‘French-ruled’) paper.

It can be bought in notebooks made by Calirefontaine, and there are online Séyès-ruling generators in which one can specify one’s chosen line separation.

 

That said, it’s also true that certain calligraphic hands won’t suit Séyès-ruled paper. On that, each lne is divided into four equal-height sections. Many calligraphic hands want the ratios between x-height, capital-height, and descender-length to be different ratios.

 

You may be able to find online templates for ruling for a specific calligraphic hand that you are attempting to learn/practice, but:

Printer paper is often really not great for use with most FP inks. It’d be fine if you use a pencil to write on it, but not so much with a fountain pen. You might get away with using i-g ink on copier paper - but you may want to ask for recommendations for copier paper.

 

If you want to learn/practice a particular calligraphic hand while using a fountain pen, your best bet may be to do what the old monks and scribes had to - draw your own guidelines faintly in pencil, then do your writing, then erase your guidelines.

(If you are going properly ‘old-school’, and writing on vellum, you can just lightly-score your guidelines into its surface.)

[inkstainedruth]

33 minutes ago, Mercian said:

Many calligraphic hands want the ratios between x-height, capital-height, and descender-length to be different ratios.

 

You may be able to find online templates for ruling for a specific calligraphic hand that you are attempting to learn/practice

 

When I took a calligraphy class in college, we were taught to use a piece of scrap paper to make marks the width of the nib we were using for a specific hand, including for the ascenders and descenders (not just the "x-height"), sort of like this:

[]

  []___

[]

  []

[]

  []

[]___

  []

[]___

(assume that the [] boxes are solid ink boxes the width of the nib here, and the underlining marking the three different sections of the letters).  Then to make a vertical pencil line along one margin and then use a t-square for the horizontal lines after marking that first line with the three lines needed for each line of writing (ascender, x-height, and descender).  And then, as someone else said earlier in the thread, to erase the pencil lines when the piece was finished and the ink was dry.

Hope I'm explaining this well....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[bass clef]

To keep lines straight:

• first line, keep each word approximately the same distance vertically from the top of the sheet
• for each additional line, keep each word approximately the same distance vertically from the line above it

As you are forming a word, you can see the previous word, and it's not that hard to keep the same vertical distance from the line above! Our eyes and brains are acutely aware of parallel, and if you begin to drift off course, you can correct it on the next word.