Advice On Improving My Cursive Handwriting.

[Duffy]

Once again @Stompie, many thanks for your valuable input.  As my Lamy 1.1 is soooo.. smooth, I might give their 1.5 a try. Also as the Manuscript set is not going to break the bank, I will probably get that too at a later time.

 

I feel like a child in a candy shop !!!   😅

[Stompie]

9 minutes ago, Duffy said:

I feel like a child in a candy shop !!!   😅

I think that is also the nickname for this site - a meeting place of kids in a candy shop!  😂

[Duffy]

On 7/21/2024 at 7:24 PM, Duffy said:

  As my Lamy 1.1 is soooo.. smooth, I might give their 1.5 a try. 

 

Just a quick update. Well...I got the 1.5. Up to now I have being using the 1.1 and found it "challenging but manageable".  The 1.5 is a different beast altogether. 😄 I am enjoying the challenge though, and confident of being able to write a half- decent looking few sentences in time.

 

@txomsy : You were right in your earlier quote about the 1.5. 😉😄

[txomsy]

Thanks, I hope you enjoy the 1.5mm nib; its line variation its patent enough to be noticeable and satisfying (I'd rate a 1.1 stub as starting to get into the "subtle" grey  area). It is also enough to show clearly any defect, which is the best and fastest way to learn to spot and correct them, speeding highly the learning process.

 

It is also wide enough to be impractical (from my point of view) for everyday writing, but is great for lettering and improving quickly, I'd advice it as a first step to "loving" Calligraphy.

[Duffy]

An Update:    This Christmas I decided to give my wife a break from writing the Christmas cards and write them myself.

 

It was encouraging to receive a few compliments on my handwriting. Among them was a request from my wife's nephew asking would I write the name cards for the tables, at his upcoming wedding. No pressure then...!!! 😁

 

I was flattered at such a request, and it inspires me to keep going on this wonderful fountain pen/writing journey.

 

 

[Stompie]

44 minutes ago, Duffy said:

An Update:    This Christmas I decided to give my wife a break from writing the Christmas cards and write them myself.

 

It was encouraging to receive a few compliments on my handwriting. Among them was a request from my wife's nephew asking would I write the name cards for the tables, at his upcoming wedding. No pressure then...!!! 😁

 

I was flattered at such a request, and it inspires me to keep going on this wonderful fountain pen/writing journey.

 

 

👍👍👍

[bhavini]

On 12/26/2024 at 4:54 PM, Duffy said:

An Update:    This Christmas I decided to give my wife a break from writing the Christmas cards and write them myself.

 

It was encouraging to receive a few compliments on my handwriting. Among them was a request from my wife's nephew asking would I write the name cards for the tables, at his upcoming wedding. No pressure then...!!! 😁

 

I was flattered at such a request, and it inspires me to keep going on this wonderful fountain pen/writing journey.

 

 

It's been lovely to see your handwriting journey. How wonderful to be recognised by family and friends too!

 

I came upon this thread looking for ways to improve my writing (which is not chickenscrawl but not as elegant or consistent as I'd like it to be... Yet.) Reading this thread -- and the wealth of information contributed so generously -- made me realise that I don't want to change how I write to appear picture-perfect, but I do want to write some letters in a more beautiful way. And above all, consistently.

 

@txomsy I want to follow your advice of interiorising how certain letters are written. What are your favourite sources of handwriting you've liked?

[Duffy]

Hi @bhavini.  Your goal is exactly the same as mine was. I started with the free on-line course linked below. I slowly and methodically practiced each letter as instructed on the course. Then I started writing sentences. It has been a constantly evolving journey as I tweaked and changed some letters that I was not happy with. 

 

After that, it was a case of practicing for about an hour or so  every day (or as often as possible). It takes a while for consistency to develop, but with patience, it will happen.

 

Good luck with your journey. 👍

 

 

https://consistentcursive.com/the-course/

 

[Vintage_BE]

On 4/21/2025 at 8:03 PM, Duffy said:

Hi @bhavini.  Your goal is exactly the same as mine was. I started with the free on-line course linked below. I slowly and methodically practiced each letter as instructed on the course. Then I started writing sentences. It has been a constantly evolving journey as I tweaked and changed some letters that I was not happy with. 

 

After that, it was a case of practicing for about an hour or so  every day (or as often as possible). It takes a while for consistency to develop, but with patience, it will happen.

 

Good luck with your journey. 👍

 

 

https://consistentcursive.com/the-course/

 

I just saw the announcement of a live workshop by Dave DiGiovanni on American cursive writing. Could be a great opportunity to get a kick start. 
https://www.thegentlepenman.com/business-penmanship?fbclid=PAQ0xDSwKrn6FleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABp8Vh2SEyx8650IbJyFZ_QOiRwRXnn76sHYZnfRwgEN_uGR7qpyrZsSQu6C3R_aem_7jL8UFL6PBzhdrNXAK4Kbg

[Duffy]

Thanks for the heads up @Vintage_BE. 🙏

[txomsy]

On 4/20/2025 at 6:53 PM, bhavini said:

@txomsy I want to follow your advice of interiorising how certain letters are written. What are your favourite sources of handwriting you've liked?

Sorry, I have been mostly off-line since last May ad am catching up now.

 

My source of inspiration was my father, a humble school teacher with beautiful handwriting (mostly Copperplate-like). My mother wrote more in a Palmer style -so I grew associating it with a feminine hand. When I started looking at improving my hand I went directly for Copperplate. Also got a book on calligraphy with some other hands, among which Italic prominently arose as an everyday hand.

 

Now, I find myself moving between chicken scratch (cool hand), italic (as I warm up) and Copperplate-like.

 

For these, there is a nice book with tons of useful advice, Italic & copperplate Calligraphy, by Eleanor Winters, which is not too expensive. On a cheaper (and lighter) side, Calligraphy in the Copperplate Style by Kaufman and Homelsky, and Copperplate Calligraphy by Jackson, are both published by Dover Books (hence affordable) and are short manuals, easy to read.

 

If even that's an issue, the Net is full aplenty of free digitized books on Copperplate and on Italic styles. The web site www.operina.com is a nice resource for Italic writing.

 

Now, if one is highly motivated and has lots of time, one can look at many of the free copy books over the ages. This is most illustrative as one learns that there is no one true hand in any style and that there have been many variants as teachers/masters. Which is great for it means you can develop your own version.

 

Just remember: what matters is consistency and readability. Aim for consistent, easily discernible letters and you'll have most of the work done. And as you practice, your own preferences will creep in, which -In My Most, MOST humble opinion is not bad as long as the letters are easy to distinguish and read.

 

[Stompie]

On 7/22/2025 at 7:34 PM, txomsy said:

as one learns that there is no one true hand in any style and that there have been many variants as teachers/masters. Which is great for it means you can develop your own version.

 

 

 

 

Oh yes, that is the most valuable thing I realised way back when starting out with handwriting, there is NO one way and One Way only!