Show Your Early Handwriting

[caliken]

Whilst clearing out a few boxes the other day, I came across this scrap of paper from a long time ago. I remember the subject and the occasion, but I have no recollection of ever having written like this!

 

It must have been written at least fifty years ago. Certainly, it was written with the wrong nib at that x height. Some of the letters look as though they were written with a spade!

 

Does anyone else have early examples of their handwriting which they'd rather forget about; or are they encouraged when they see how the've improved?

 

Ken

 

On the original, the lines are 1/4" apart.

 

 

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/earlywriting900.jpg

Edited November 30, 2011 by caliken

[Mr Ink]

Ken

 

If only I were able to write as neatly as in your old example, I would probably be very happy and not bother to improve. I take your point about having used the wrong nib and all, but I still find your older handwriting very attractive and pleasant to the eye. It makes you want to read it!

 

John

[smk]

Ken, I agree with John. The handwriting in the sample is quite attractive.

 

I think I have my 3rd grade handwriting somewhere - I'll see if I can find it.

 

Salman

[HDoug]

I think some people who until now were satisfied with their writing now realize that they have 50 years of practice ahead of them! I like that writing. The thickness of the nib makes it look a bit more Gothic than Humanist, but that's just a stylistic matter IMO.

 

Thanks for posting, but there is no way I'm going to post an example of my old writing!

 

Doug

 

P.S. Although I do have an example here at FPN in one post.

[caliken]

Although I do have an example here at FPN in one post.

HDoug,

 

Can you re-post it here?

 

Your current Italic hand is beautiful, and it would be very interesting to compare!

 

I think that my early example is OK, but a bit "spiky" which makes it rather difficult to read - but I appreciate all your comments.

 

caliken

Edited December 1, 2011 by caliken

[pmhudepo]

Perhaps not quite what you intended, caliken, but here is a picture of the results of two of my writing sessions. The first page was about the first time that I sat down just to write, in September 2010. I copied some text from zenhabits.net, because I had read it before and liked it. It would free my mind from thinking about what I would write so that I could concentrate on how to write.

 

The second page is from almost a year later, when I would regularly start the day with some exercises.

 

 

I must say that if my writing shows progress (and I hope it does), I still find it difficult to transfer my skills from practice words (right page) to real sentences (left page), and even more so to transfer them to journaling, letter writing and, extremely so, note-taking.

 

Patience, practice & persistence, I suppose.

Edited December 1, 2011 by pmhudepo

[caliken]

I still find it difficult to transfer my skills from practice words (right page) to real sentences (left page), and even more so to transfer them to journaling, letter writing and, extremely so, note-taking.

The difference in your handwriting before and after is considerable and I admire your structured practice.

You must be delighted with your progress.

 

Changing from practicing words to constructing sentences while maintaining the same level of penmanship, seems to occupy different parts of the thought processes!

 

I had a similar problem. I used to advocate random gibberish as practice material as the mind is free from extraneous thought - at least, that's the theory.

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/Practicelettering400.jpg

I have since abandoned this system as I found that I was inadvertently selecting letters which felt right and went together. As soon as I changed to real words, there was a deterioration in my writing as I was no longer selecting the letter combinations.

 

I now follow the routine someone suggested on this forum a while ago. I do most of my practice whilst listening to the TV and I pick up random phrases as I hear them and write them out. It works well for me.

 

caliken

Edited December 1, 2011 by caliken

[Nimmireth]

I do most of my practice whilst listening to the TV and I pick up random phrases as I hear them and write them out. It works well for me.

 

caliken

 

I practice using this method as well. When you go back and read all the phrases it can be very entertaining.

[HDoug]

Although I do have an example here at FPN in one post.

HDoug,

 

Can you re-post it here?

 

Your current Italic hand is beautiful, and it would be very interesting to compare!

 

I think that my early example is OK, but a bit "spiky" which makes it rather difficult to read - but I appreciate all your comments.

 

caliken

 

Thanks for your compliments on my handwriting. Here's a link to my post in another thread comparing my handwriting from six years ago. The "current" writing in the post is nearly a year old, but my hand hasn't changed too much in the past year. I continue to work on consistency of shape/size of letters and recently, on things like punctuation and ampersands, and a neat variant "r" which I see in manuscripts from time to time that looks like a "2" or even a "z." Sometimes, it is used along with the regular r where it is used to follow the letter "o". Hmm, maybe I'll post an example in another thread to show what I mean.

 

Doug

[caliken]

Although I do have an example here at FPN in one post.

HDoug,

 

Can you re-post it here?

 

Your current Italic hand is beautiful, and it would be very interesting to compare!

 

I think that my early example is OK, but a bit "spiky" which makes it rather difficult to read - but I appreciate all your comments.

 

caliken

 

Here's a link to my post in another thread

 

Doug

 

My apologies, Doug. I had forgotten that I'd seen this earlier post and had, in fact, responded.

I think that I've had what's become known as a "Senior Moment"! :embarrassed_smile:

 

Ken

[HDoug]

My apologies, Doug. I had forgotten that I'd seen this earlier post and had, in fact, responded.

I think that I've had what's become known as a "Senior Moment"! :embarrassed_smile:

 

Ken

 

No need to apologize! There were quite a few posts in that thread, and I enjoyed following it. Hope people will continue posting here too. I like looking at all the various handwriting, and it doesn't really matter to me if it's "good" or not so. And I REALLY enjoy your examples because they are so well thought out and so perfectly executed.

 

Doug

[pmhudepo]

I now follow the routine someone suggested on this forum a while ago. I do most of my practice whilst listening to the TV and I pick up random phrases as I hear them and write them out. It works well for me.

 

Thank you for your comments and this suggestion. I'll switch on the TV and will give it a try.

[Bronze]

I think I have posted some pictures in other threads, but here is what my handwriting looked like in October 2009.

And yes, I really did try my best in this example

 

 

http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm118/DrBronze/DSC_0637.jpg

 

 

 

What it looks like now:

 

http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm118/DrBronze/DSC_0826.jpg

 

http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm118/DrBronze/DSC_0728.jpg

Edited December 6, 2011 by Bronze

[caliken]

Beautiful examples, Bronze.

 

This just shows what is possible with application and perseverance. The difference is so marked, it certainly doesn't look as though they were written by the same person!

 

Thanks for posting.

 

caliken

[Bronze]

Thank you for the kind words Caliken. I'll also add that what made me start working on my handwriting was seeing your italic writing on this forum.

So please continue to post examples of your work, it really does make a difference for people across the globe

[whitelily]

Beautiful writing, Bronze! Which books/Internet sites did you use to learn Italic handwriting?

 

Edit: I just wanted to add I´m not looking for resources in general. I have that, but I just thought his particular take on Italic handwriting was very nice.

Edited December 11, 2011 by whitelily

[Bronze]

- Thanks Whitelily

 

With regards to books, I used "Write Now" by Getty/Dubay, and I also have an old copy of "A Handwriting Manual" by Alfred Fairbank. The Fairbank book also has several great examples of different italic writing, some dating back centuries, plenty of inspiration seeing all that variety. Quite amazing really, all the varations you find of this script, while all being distinctly italic.

"Italic Variants" by Caliken, available from his website also has some great examples and interesting variations.

And you might find an interesting letterform here or there, minuscule or majuscule, that you can incorporate into your own style.

 

Other than that I also took a lot of inspiration from the posts on this forum by Caliken, HDoug and Katim. I also found Caliken's videos very informing. Seeing how the writing is done, with regards to rhythm, movement etc. is very helpful. I wish he would make them available again. Especially since many of the videos out there (including many "tutorials") really aren't of very high quality unfortunately.

 

Lastly I'll add that anyone can improve their writing, if I can do it surely you can as well! I'm no authority on this subject, and I still see my writing as very much work in progress, and I'm sure it will evolve over the years.

Edited December 12, 2011 by Bronze

[whitelily]

Thank you for that thorough reply, Bronze. I really appreciate it. Improving my handwriting is something I quite enjoy, and I´m always looking for new ways to learn and new sources of inspiration to keep me going in order to improve. I will look into the books you mentioned!

[The Royal Pen]

I think I have posted some pictures in other threads, but here is what my handwriting looked like in October 2009.

And yes, I really did try my best in this example

 

 

http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm118/DrBronze/DSC_0637.jpg

 

 

 

What it looks like now:

 

http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm118/DrBronze/DSC_0826.jpg

 

http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm118/DrBronze/DSC_0728.jpg

Oooh the excellent shading!

 

Your penmanship is absolutely excellent! It matches the ink so perfectly!

[wastelanded]

Mad respect to you all, some incredible advances to see there! I have been thinking lately about how atrocious my handwriting has become: I doubt even a pharmacist could read it. I have to dig out some of my writing from when I was a child, it was much better than today. I learned old German cursive from my grandfather, then modern at school.

 

I think today handwriting itself is becoming anachronistic, with computer keyboards taking up so much of peoples' writing time. I have decided, as a new year's resolution, to improve my handwriting, and to actually write to friends instead of sending emails. Even just a postcard with a few words on it. In the old days many people did that. I have boxes of postcards my grandparents received from friends with simply the person's name written on it. Time to make a tiny part of life more personal again, I think

 

I've received a Kaweco Dia from a dear friend as a Christmas present, so lots of inspiration!