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In an attempt to improve my dreadful handwriting, I've been trying to do hand-written first drafts of GCS content.
... so far, it doesn't seem to be helping, but is just making me even MORE aware of how scrawly my writing is. I think I need to start doing penmanship exercises, or take a calligraphy class or something.
(Plus I'm not used to writing by hand anymore, so now my hand hurts. Whaaah, I say. Whaaaaaah.)
... so far, it doesn't seem to be helping, but is just making me even MORE aware of how scrawly my writing is. I think I need to start doing penmanship exercises, or take a calligraphy class or something.
(Plus I'm not used to writing by hand anymore, so now my hand hurts. Whaaah, I say. Whaaaaaah.)
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I have a number of old school pen nibs of different shapes and width of line, plus some oblique nibs, and various carved wooden, sculpted hard rubber, or molded plastic penholders. I also have and regularly use my dad's 1930s Sheaffer fountain pen, and DH's high school graduation gift Pelikan fountain pen, and a few others I've picked up along the way. I find that using real liquid ink and a dip or fountain pen does wonders for improving one's penmanship. It brings back the rhythm of writing, and makes it a sensual experience.
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good paper, too
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writing, printing, italics, longhand
Do some research before you do too much more writing; most of those longhand systems have no particular basis for preference other than being well-known. They might also exacerbate any RSI symptoms you might have.
My own writing/printing style is informed by some of the flowing characteristics of the systems above, but it's more printing (and sometimes not picking up the pen when it doesn't make a difference). I find that it gets much more legible if I take my time writing things out -- but if I want to write fast enough to keep up with my brain, the quality does go down a bit.
There is also the original "italic" system; from memory, it was created by Italian monks (thus the name) for quick, efficient copying of texts.
Now for references for all that...
First paragraph here is nice: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penmanship
Ooh, very nice (although it's on about.com, so watch out for popups and such): http://desktoppub.about.com/od/fonts/p/schoolfontstyle.htm
And a page full of samples: http://www.drawyourworld.com/dnealian.html
The Palmer Method, much taught in the USA: http://www.zanerian.com/Palmer.html
Here's at least one book on modern italics: http://www.cep.pdx.edu/titles/write_now/index.html
Hm. Just in case I misinterpreted, the traditional fancy loopy cursive is still valid, but it's effectively an art form, not just for communication -- and like any art form, it takes long and regular practice to develop and maintain an elegant hand.
Happy writing!
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I've been writing letters to my neicelet at least every couple of days because she was shipped off to Vermont and, while it's not the motivation I would have chosen, I am noticing marked improvement.
Using pens that are comfortable and paper I like is quite key, as people have mentioned. It just makes it so much nicer.
I keep a wee supply in my purse, along with the gorgeous address book I found at Powell's, so that I can write a little whenever the muse comes to call. Or when I have time to while away.
Which is to say, having the penmanship you want is a good thing to want and work toward.
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Really, handwriting is a pretty much useless anachronism.
We have printers and fonts for a reason: no one can read anyone else's handwriting.
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Re: writing, printing, italics, longhand
Samples of italic hands across centuries: http://briem.ismennt.is/d/dd/dda/ddaa.htm
Some amazing "everyday" work with fountain pens: http://www.covingtoninnovations.com/pens/
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handwriting not quite obsolete...
And even as a computer programmer, I find myself writing a fair bit -- on whiteboards, notes in meetings, and even little reminders to physically stick on my computer keyboard. W.r.t. notes: sure, I can type faster than I can write legibly -- but when I'm doing software design, I have boxes and arrows everywhere, and when I'm doing math, I've got equations everywhere.
There are methods for generating those on the computer, but I've never worked with any that are fast and fluid enough to be useful -- so I still make paper notes and then typeset them later as required. I helped my wife remotely with some calculus; I eventually typeset it and turned it into this (http://scrye.com/~tkil/help/jenn/2005-fall/calc-20051101/calc-20051101-001.png), but I wouldn't be able to do that nearly as quickly as I generated my rough notes.
Finally, typing and computers (and printers and fonts) all require electricity (or at least a manual typewriter and an inked ribbon); sometimes a notebook and pen or pencil is more appropriate (taking notes, exchanging information after an accident, annotating existing documents...)
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Re: handwriting not quite obsolete...
Computers are fantastic and I swoon at font collections, but for me pen and paper have their place as well.
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In other news, have you heard of the album "Electronic Edwardians" by In the Nursery? Wonderful, wonderful listen-to-while-you're-writing music.
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My signature and initials are even worse, considering the number of times I have to sign them each day. The initials get jotted down anywhere from 50-100 times a day.
Problem is, with my job, most of the time I don't have time to take it nice and slow and try to make things neat - I've got to not this down and get on to the next thing.
-Victoria
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http://penmanship.donnayoung.org/charts.htm
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I've never tried penmanship exercises or caligraphy classes, but I know that writing more didn't help one bit.
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Last night's foray into handwriting was probably hampered by the fact that I was sitting on the couch, balancing the notebook on my lap, and having a very affectionate cat bumping her head into the notebook or on the pen.
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Re: writing, printing, italics, longhand
I'm fine with a "non-traditional" style of handwriting (even though a tiny part of me really wants to be able to produce flowing, Edwardian-style writing); I just want it to look elegant, not scribbly.
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He developed Parkinson's in his 70s, and in his 80s, when his hands shook so badly he had trouble feeding himself, his signature was still legible, and mostly the same as it had always been. In her 90s, my mom's signature is still steady and perfectly slanted.
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And the hurty-wrist thing, well.... yeah.
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Re: writing, printing, italics, longhand
http://scrye.com/~tkil/help/jenn/2006-spring/calc-20060305/
(Pardon the yellowed prints -- amazing how much light my stupid little camera wants...)