Show Us Your Handwriting - Vintage Penmanship!

[John in Covina]

Crooked LINES?

I usually have a sheet of HEAVY lined paper underneath what I am writing on.

Many papers are thin enough so that the lines will shown thru and act as a guide for me to write.

I have guides I have made using the lining ability in Excel. By making several with different line heights in Excel I can find one to get the spacing of lines I want.

I have guides for regular sized paper and even ones for addressing envelopes.

 

[ShoreRoadLady]

I usually have a sheet of HEAVY lined paper underneath what I am writing on.

Many papers are thin enough so that the lines will shown thru and act as a guide for me to write.

I have guides I have made using the lining ability in Excel. By making several with different line heights in Excel I can find one to get the spacing of lines I want.

I have guides for regular sized paper and even ones for addressing envelopes.

Smart! I'll have to remember that - thanks. I have a lightbox I can use for the heavier stuff, too - such as blank white notecards (my mortal enemy). Once rather recently, after trashing a card that *had* to be neat and pretty, I resorted to a fine mechanical pencil and gridded ruler, making the faintest marks I could on the card itself. After the ink dried, I took a kneaded rubber eraser and made sure there was nothing left. Worked in a pinch, but *not* what I want to do on a regular basis!

 

[Rachael]

I remember my aunt used to buy pads of paper for letter writing that came with a lined page to slip between the sheets. This was in the 70's, but I wonder how old that particular trick of the trade is.

When filling out a job application that required hand-written pages last week, I used a sheet of notebook paper on a white clipboard for this same purpose.

 

[Bill Taylor]

I remember my aunt used to buy pads of paper for letter writing that came with a lined page to slip between the sheets. This was in the 70's, but I wonder how old that particular trick of the trade

OLD! For sure that technique was used in the 1930's. I was there and remember those extra lined sheets to keep lines straight. I remember using those sheets in 1937 when I was in the first grade and I imagine it had already been around a good while.

Bill

 

[Emer]

lol For Christmas, I requested the Spencerian Penmanship book. I'm determined to have pretty handwritting by this Christmas if it kills me!

 

[DBLIII]

I'm not sure this falls under penmanship (which requires skill, I think), but I just got a fountain pen with an italic nib on it and the way my writing looks is staggeringly better. Not sure if that's because I have to keep the pen at one angle to make it work or just what, as I've never used an italic nib. But it sure has possibilities, as it's made an amazing change.

 

[Choeki]

My handwriting used to be just godawful - so bad that people used to jest that I ought to be a doctor. So I stopped writing in cursive and exclusively wrote in block letters (sometimes in upper and lower case capital letters) for a number of years until I became a professional teacher in Japan. I was constantly having to find new and interesting subject matter to supplement my curriculum, so one day I decided to do something about my handwriting and took up Spencerian script so that I could instruct it to the high school students in the "elective" class (basically study hall) with a final project for art class assigned.

Unfortunately it didn't go over well since they had little use for English handwriting (they usually wrote in Japanese unless forced to do otherwise). Nevertheless, I was able to master the basic Spencerian script and continue to use it on a daily basis at work as well as in my journal and letter writing. Oddly enough, the lower case letters are nearly identical to what I was taught in elementary school, but it took me some time to get used to writing the capital letters...

 

[lindylady]

Ever since I learned cursive writing in the second grade, it has been much easier for me to use than printing. I find that I slow down when I print, not to mention that it looks like chicken scratch. [huh]

 

[Nick D]

I would love to be able to get thicks and thins when I write, but I just can't seem to get my pen to do it (A Cross Townsend with a 'Fine' nib. I think I should have gone with the extra fine). Don't know what I'm doing wrong. I can do it with a dip pen, though not consistantly. My calligraphy is good, but that's slow and precise, not typical handwriting.

I've thought of trying to change my handwriting, but I write so fast when I'm taking notes I'm afraid changing my writing style will slow me down. I could keep the one for notes and the other for slower writing, I suppose. I've seen some of JRR Tolkien's handwriting that I really like, it may be something to emulate.

 

[DerMann]

I would love to be able to get thicks and thins when I write, but I just can't seem to get my pen to do it (A Cross Townsend with a 'Fine' nib. I think I should have gone with the extra fine). Don't know what I'm doing wrong. I can do it with a dip pen, though not consistantly. My calligraphy is good, but that's slow and precise, not typical handwriting.

I've thought of trying to change my handwriting, but I write so fast when I'm taking notes I'm afraid changing my writing style will slow me down. I could keep the one for notes and the other for slower writing, I suppose. I've seen some of JRR Tolkien's handwriting that I really like, it may be something to emulate.

You need a flexible nib to get the line contrast going.

Some vintage Watermans (especially the 52), a few Esterbrooks (forgot the number), and especially Mabbie Swan come with flexible nibs. These pens are usually fairly expensive, though. If you want to just do calligraphy, I'd suggest looking for more appropriate flex nibs on dip pens, as they are much cheaper.

 

[katiemakeup]

It is so charming, I wish that was taught when I was in grade school. I have nice cursive penmanship, although it tends to reflect what mood I am in. When I print, I usually form this print-cursive hybrid as I often write quickly and it's easier to do. Interesting effect.

Does anyone think that personality should mirror in their penmanship?

 

[Nick D]

You need a flexible nib to get the line contrast going.

Some vintage Watermans (especially the 52), a few Esterbrooks (forgot the number), and especially Mabbie Swan come with flexible nibs. These pens are usually fairly expensive, though. If you want to just do calligraphy, I'd suggest looking for more appropriate flex nibs on dip pens, as they are much cheaper.

Are there any modern production pens with the appropriate flex? There's a pen shop in town with a good selection, though I'm more than fine with an antique if I can find one.

I have a great number of nibs for calligraphy, and can cut real quills. The only way to really duplicate medieval script is a quill

Here's a little piece I did a little while ago, with one of the pen holders I made in my forge. This was a practice piece, it was a lot more even a few pages on.

 

[John in Covina]

Are there any modern production pens with the appropriate flex?

YES!!!! Pilot/ Namiki Falcon get the fine for the greatest line variation.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

A nib is wider than it is thick on any pen and although you will not get the variation of a flexible nib, you will still get some fat to thin lines, if you keep the nib in a constant position.

 

[John in Covina]

As to thick thin lines: Although it is much less noticable for most regular pens, also some modern pens have some flex but are not sold as such. Pelikan and one of the Italian brnads were more likely to show some flex with their regular nibs.

In vintage i have has good luck finding flex nibs in Waterman and Wahl/Eversharp.

In modern fountian pens the wider one way versus narrower the other nibs come up with those makers offering Italic, Oblique, Stub, and Music nibs. These days the Italic and Oblique are shaped with a specific angle in construction that you have to hold the pen in a certain angle to the line of writing and that may not fit the way you write. Some also may have very sharp corners and dig in on textured paper as did my Stipula 22, I got a second fine nib to install instead.

(I have a Pelikan M605 with a double broad oblique that gives me fits because the hold is nothing like my natural hold. Where as the specialty Binder nib for my Vanishing Point is a Cursive Italic but much more forgiving and works well with a variety of holds, But there is a best hold, luckily it is much closer to my natural hold.)

Stub and Music nibs are not angeled but are straight across and are rounded more for smoother writing. The music is really made for fast writing of those musical notes as inspiration hits and has really good line variation more so that most stubs.

Platinum from Japan has the best Music nib I think with two splits in the nib to carry more ink and make for a wetter line for that fast writing. Occasionally you will see the same style music nib from Pilot and the Sailor music nib with only one split is still regarded as a top notch nib.

Stub nibs were offered regualrly in the past and faded over time, but the manufacturers are hearing about how they are searched for and are making more available. At the same time the nibmiesters such as john mottishaw and Richard Binder can create what amounts to hand made hand fitted marvels of nib function and finnesse for you.

This year I hope to send my Pelikan 605 to get it shaped down to a nice stub at some point and make it part of my exceptionally good writing fountain pens.

Happy writing!

 

[Ethan Bentley]

Great thread, I've been gradually evolving my handwriting to Copperplate. The practice can be quite relaxing.
I went to the public library to see if thy had any handwriting books, even for children and they had nothing - so what does the future hold for fine penmanship?

Thank you for all the links.

 

[John in Covina]

LA PEN SHOW Sunday 2/15/09

FYI: if you're in Southern California the Los Angeles Pen Show is today, Sunday 2/15/09 from 10am to 5pm at the Manhattan Beach Marriott.

I posted more info in the events section.

 

[LynnLaBlanc]

Handwriting-

Do you write in print or cursive when you write by hand?
I ask this because recently, I was reading Newsweek and an article stated that only 1 in 10 people choose to write in cursive rather than print nowadays, and that a lot of schools are choosing to drop cursive from the curriculum in favor of typing lessons.
I know that cursive and handwriting were emphasized a lot more in the early half of the century, and seeing as everyone here is vintage, I want to know if it translates to your handwriting.

I just switched to cursive writing after reading the article. It it really is a "dying art" then I want to preserve it- just like most people can't cook, sew, or fix cars and plumbing the way the used to...

 

["Skeet" McD]

Well, I'd LIKE to....

Do you write in print or cursive when you write by hand?

I am strongly left-handed, writing-wise (although I shoot and golf right-handed...and eat and throw a ball left-handed). The ONLY thing my parents did that I strongly regret was to stop my first-grade teacher from FORCING me to write right-handed. They meant well, Heaven knows, and who knows what terrible neuroses I might have got had they not done so :>)...but I've spent my life doing living history and really wanting to write period handwritings.

Can't really be done, frankly: the weight of the strokes all go the wrong way, and you end up running your hand through the wet ink. Before the ballpoint pen, there was a REASON they forced lefties to write right-handed. I've tried to teach myself many a time, but just can't manage it. I think I need a nasty teacher with a ruler!

I have succeeded in teaching myself to play stringed instruments the "right-way-round" so perhaps I'll get there yet.

In the meantime, I print, mostly (which is much more forgiving in terms of stroke direction).

"Skeet"

 

[HungaryTom]

Another left handed, who was luckily not re-educated to write with the 'right hands'. I write often in my notebook during meetings or when I have to interpret and then I checked my notebooks - it is always cursive although not quite calligraphy.
I wrote the last hand-written letters some 5-6 years ago, I still do postcards but rarely, most of the time I only sign them.

I begun writing some 30 years ago still I think it is important to have the cursive writing practiced as well - to imprint the letters the 'learning by doing way' which makes kids really know the alphabet.
I am not a teacher but I think that without the firm basics it doesn't work - my 4 years old namely recognizes the letters but can NOT write yet.

Typing should come later. Also, if kids learn only MS Word and a computer does all the spell-check for them, their brains will loose the training and their orthography might suffer.