Push or pull

[altecniblick]

This might be a silly question, but do you tend to push the pen forward, or pull it back when writing? To put it another way, do you emphasize the downstrokes or upstrokes? I don't really know if there's a right or wrong way. My writing is disjointed, by which I mean not always cursive, and wonder if this is part of the problem.

 

I'd be grateful for any tips.

 

Simon.

[wykpenguin]

I guess the English alphabet is meant to be pulled, i.e. you can elongate the p, f, j, y and q's all you want but I can't imagine a tall t, b, or d. And with a FP you can only put pressure while pulling a nib. Pressure on the push stroke makes the nib dig in, esp if you use XF like I do.

[Renzhe]

I use more pressure on downstrokes (i.e. pull). If you write with a dip pen, you might know/discover that push = broken nib + mess.

[caliken]

 

For normal sized handwriting with a square-edged (italic) nib, I used pulled and pushed strokes with a very light touch, without difficulty.

 

With wider edged nibs for more formal lettering, I alway use pulled strokes only. However, with a Pilot Parallel pen, the nib can be used in all directions, even with the largest 3.8mm wide nib.

 

In 'Copperplate' style writing, both push and pulled strokes are used all the time, with the lightest possible touch on pushed hairlines.

 

[altecniblick]

Thankyou for the good advice. I'll concentrate on pulling the pen downwards as a rule.

[wykpenguin]

For normal sized handwriting with a square-edged (italic) nib, I used pulled and pushed strokes with a very light touch, without difficulty.

 

With wider edged nibs for more formal lettering, I alway use pulled strokes only. However, with a Pilot Parallel pen, the nib can be used in all directions, even with the largest 3.8mm wide nib.

 

In 'Copperplate' style writing, both push and pulled strokes are used all the time, with the lightest possible touch on pushed hairlines.

 

I didn't like my parallel pen. I thought the cross strokes were too thick. I had the 3.8mm and still thought the contrast of fat and thin was not good enough. Perhaps I am addicted to the hairlines of copperplate.

[caliken]

I didn't like my parallel pen. I thought the cross strokes were too thick. I had the 3.8mm and still thought the contrast of fat and thin was not good enough. Perhaps I am addicted to the hairlines of copperplate.

I agree that there is no comparison with the degree of contrast possible with a good flexible nib and that produced by the Parallel pen - but it does have its place. If you want to write large edged-nib script with easy strokes in all directions (pulled & pushed) and aren't too concerned with the contrast between thick and thin, then its good fun to use.

Edited February 26, 2009 by caliken

[Nibby]

Simon, thank you for bringing up this topic. Until I'd read your posting, I hadn't really thought of writing in terms of push and pull. Now that I'm thinking in those terms (and specifically with my various pens...changes with each), my handwriting has improved.

 

Thank-you.

 

Paul

[wykpenguin]

I didn't like my parallel pen. I thought the cross strokes were too thick. I had the 3.8mm and still thought the contrast of fat and thin was not good enough. Perhaps I am addicted to the hairlines of copperplate.

I agree that there is no comparison with the degree of contrast possible with a good flexible nib and that produced by the Parallel pen - but it does have its place. If you want to write large edged-nib script with easy strokes in all directions (pulled & pushed) and aren't too concerned with the contrast between thick and thin, then its good fun to use.

 

It does write well pushed. That's good for a lefty like me because I can't always turn the page 90deg clockwise and write down but I still prefer dipped italic nibs for their better contrast.

[Robert Hughes]

As an overwriting left hander I always push. And I'm none too happy about it either. Those nifty wet-noodle pens don't work at all for us, unless we're willing to write backwards.

 

Sdrawkcab etirw ot gnilliw er'ew sselnu ,su rof lla ta krow t'nod snep eldoon-tew ytfin esohT .rehtie ti touba yppah oot enon m'I dnA .hsp syawla I rednah tfel gnitirwrevo na sA

 

(It's no easier to write than it is to read. Now you understand what a left hander goes through...)