Handwriting Between The Lines

[caliken]

physicsgirl,

I think that this is really effective. I particularly like the four lines beginning "and so"....very attractive.

 

wallylynn,

You're welcome....it's an interesting subject.

 

Ken

Edited December 15, 2010 by caliken

[Ted H]

It made my writing much more clear and legible, but I had to go back down to fine nibs for every day note taking stuff. I can do it on regular rule w/a broad/italic/music nib, but I have to put it on a desk and pay attention. It really helps either way, though, I think.

[Yoda4561]

Just stumbled onto this one, I love it, makes everything so much easier to read. I have an issue with my descenders hitting my ascenders on the line below, but if I practice this and keep everything in between the lines that won't be an issue anymore. Might have to order some extra ink, this could take a while :embarrassed_smile:

[Anne-Sophie]

Rock on, Ken!

 

Someone noticed that I did that, pointed it out to me. I hadn't noticed myself.

 

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5163/5204144221_93cfa149e8.jpg

Pelikan Toledo by ethernautrix, on Flickr

 

 

Ethernautrix, your handwriting is amazing!

[Anne-Sophie]

I tried writing between the lines but it looks disastrous.

Keeping my handwriting in the line, when I am in a hurry, is a challenge.

[egretsrus]

Lisa, the above photo of your writing is so gorgeous I revisited your flickr site. Can you take a pic of the above journal pages without the Toledo so we can enjoy more of the writing and colors? It is a visual feast....

[ethernautrix]

Anne-Sophie and egretsrus, thank you! I happened to glance through a notebook from two years ago and saw that I was writing on the line at that time. I wonder when I started writing between the lines. I'll have to open some notebooks to find out.

 

egretsrus, I'll take more pictures, perhaps later this afternoon. Thank you for your kind words!

 

Lisa

[kathleen]

I write on the line. I prefer fine stationery unlined and can write a very straight line without ruled paper. I have an issue with my descenders hitting my ascenders on the line below. I will begin to practice between-the-lines writing and perhaps, by leaving wider spaces between lines when using unruled paper, I can avoid the tangles. It's a simple solution but it will require concentration on my part.

Edited December 30, 2010 by kathleen

[Rai]

Thanks for the tip - I'll try it. I have an unusual "talent" if you will ~ I can't write straight on blank paper unless it's turned at an angle with a corner pointed up and I write diagonally across it. Then I can write perfectly straight! Can anyone relate?

 

*raises hand*

 

I've never been able to write on a straight line without the paper tilted at an incredibly bizzare angle—on the worst days the paper will actually be perpendicular to my wrist. It causes all kinds of problems when I have to sign something on a tiny counter. If I try to hold the paper upright—lined or otherwise—my writing slants to the point of starting to circle back on itself.

 

My writing is tiny usually, but my ascenders and descenders are almost flamboyantly overstated (a side effect of making sure that people could read my writing in high school without it being easily forgeable) and so they tend to occasionally meet one another. I'll have to try the between-the-lines thing. It'll force me to pay attention to what I'm doing from one letter to the next.

[katim]

I found this idea very interesting and was surprised that it was entirely new to me. I decided to give it a go and append here the results. I wrote it at almost my normal handwriting speed, but slightly slower because I wasn't sure whether I was going to fit that size between the lines. I'm afraid I have developed some bad habits in my italic - notably the ligature from the centre of the 'e', which many italicists frown on. However, I find it the easiest ligature for that letter in cursive italic, so I shan't be changing it any time soon!

I'm also aware of the shaky nature of some of the letters, but at 76 my hand's not as steady as it used to be.

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s289/kent993/Handwriting.jpg

[caliken]

katim,

 

IMHO this is a great example of how well this idea can work in the right hands. Your italic sits very well and the size of your writing looks perfect between those lines. Far from getting in the way, the lines almost enhance your writing and frame it, somehow.

I don't know who frowns on centre ligatures from the letter 'e'. I've always found this to be a perfectly acceptable, attractive alternative.

I'm glad that I started this topic. Several attractive versions have emerged, yours being the most recent. I don't know if you'll use it that much, but it's certainly a viable alternative.

 

BTW I noticed a striking similarity between your italic and the hand of Tom Gourdie.

When you take into consideration the fact that his version (the first) was carefully written for the title on a book cover, whereas yours is part of a piece of normal handwriting, the comparison is most impressive!

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/2Handwritings200.jpg

 

caliken

Edited January 2, 2011 by caliken

[katim]

Ken,

 

You're too kind, but thank you all the same! I'm glad to hear that my 'e' ligature is acceptable to so noted a penman as you - I think it was someone writing in the magazine of the Society for Italic Handwriting who didn't like it.

 

I should have avoided the excuse of my years for my shaky hand - I'm well aware that we're much of an age and there's no sign of the shakes in your beautiful writing! Though I don't post often these days, I do follow this particular section of FPN and your posts give a lot of pleasure.

 

Kind regards and best wishes for the New Year,

 

Ken

 

 

 

[jips123]

This example of "in-between the lines" writing is in Dutch and dates from c1490.

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/dutch300.jpg

I am Dutch but this is very hard to understand, though it looks beautiful....

[kathleen]

katim,

I LOVE your penmanship! It is beautiful, distinctive and quite easy to read. It does look very pleasing framed between the lines.

[HDoug]

katim, I love your writing also. Would love to see more posts of your writing.

 

Doug

[caliken]

I'm glad to hear that my 'e' ligature is acceptable........I think it was someone writing in the magazine of the Society for Italic Handwriting who didn't like it.

 

When the letter 'e' is written in two strokes, it can be joined to the following letter from the loop. As a single stroke letter, joining is from the base in one continuous movement.

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/eeees200.jpg

 

Back in the sixteenth century, even Tagliente used the ligature from the centre of 'e' in his signature,and nowadays it is commonplace in many examples of italic handwriting. The use of the one or two stroke 'e' is very much a matter of personal choice. Actually, it is even acceptable for both forms to be used within the same piece of handwriting.

 

Ken

Edited January 2, 2011 by caliken

[happyhaley]

So interesting and a very attractive way of writing. I'll have to try the writing in between the lines. I find that sometimes ruled notebooks are too wide for my small lettering tendencies. I too have a bit of trouble not inching up the paper as I write across.

 

I like the historical examples, Caliken, and the 'e' ligature history. I'll have to try that as well.

 

~Haley

[Bronze]

- Katim, great handwriting. Thank you for sharing, I would love to see more of it.

[ethernautrix]

Katim, I love your handwriting! Also, Caliken's. Those are way beyond what I could hope to do. (I, ah, I don't plan on practicing, so there's a big obstacle right there. But I sure do enjoy looking at others' gorgeous handwriting!)

[StyloBug33]

I tried doing this, and I have to say - I really like it. I have to write smaller, but the overall effect looks much neater. Thank you for the suggestion!