Learning The Palmer Method Of Business Writing

[vivere]

Heres my warm-up practice for the morning. Trying to keep on the steady track

 

Best,

 

Forrest

 

[bassmannate]

What are some doing when forced to write in a less than ideal situation? Palmer seems to rely on having a good desk to sit at with your arms properly supported.

 

I've been working at Palmer for almost a week now and, while I'm in the prescribed position, I can write much better than before with some speed. However, my job frequently requires me to write in less than ideal situations such as clipboards, on top of an audio board, etc. What are you doing to write correctly when you don't have a desk to write at?

[thang1thang2]

What are some doing when forced to write in a less than ideal situation? Palmer seems to rely on having a good desk to sit at with your arms properly supported.

 

I've been working at Palmer for almost a week now and, while I'm in the prescribed position, I can write much better than before with some speed. However, my job frequently requires me to write in less than ideal situations such as clipboards, on top of an audio board, etc. What are you doing to write correctly when you don't have a desk to write at?

 

I write palmer by planting my palm firmly onto the paper and then writing purely with using my fingers (shoot me now, hmm?) one or two letters at a time and then scooting my palm. This allows me to write on my hand, on my lap, on a train, on a plane, here or there or anywhere without too much loss of legibility.

 

Obviously when I have a nice desk I take my hand back off the paper and have it graze gracefully, like an overweight hippo, across the page.

[mboschm]

I used to dismiss hand position... How wrong I was! It has really helped me a lot to use the "textbook grip". Besides, I can now use my arm for the "bulk work" and only write with my fingers when I want or feel I need to.

 

http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o565/mboschm/DSC_0263_zps37eb762e.jpg

[jbradley]

I am about two weeks into learning the Palmer Method and had a question.

 

I have been doing the first two drills to get more consistency and get the feel of the arm movement. Looking at Drill 3, it seems like the Palmer book (either of the two Palmer books from iampeth) is writing much smaller than I would expect:

 

When pupils make the ovals fairly well, they are ready to begin to apply muscular movement to words and sentences. The ovals given above are twelve-sixteenths of an inch high, and the letters in the word "mine" (called minimum letters) are about one-twelfth as high, or one-sixteenth off an inch.

 

My ovals are 12/16ths (with a guide sheet), but is the word "mine" really 1/16th of an inch? My normal, small printing with pencil is slightly taller than that!

 

Jami

[jbradley]

I think I figured out the 1/16" description in the Palmer books. I have a collection of family letters from 1890-1910 and I was looking at them today. Some of the writing is beautiful, although ordinary for the day!

 

I came across a post card that was written with minimum letters less than 1/16" of an inch. It was perfectly readable and I can see that they just had a lot to write on the card.

 

I think I will need to practice with larger letters, at least until I have a much finer nib. My Nemosine fine point doesn't come close to the hairlines they were using at the time!

[Ayla]

Is it too late to learn with everyone? My handwriting is lacking and its mostly not my fault, I want really good handwriting. I really do, but having a narcissistic mom who belittles you every chance she can and having a school that teaches me to use my right hand at first before deciding that I can use my left, doesn't (in my opinion) help. None the less, I want to jump aboard the train!

 

Here is a sample of my handwriting, PRE palmer method. No warming up, or lessons.

 

 

 

And please forgive the poor quality of this scan.

Edited February 13, 2013 by Ayla

[thang1thang2]

It's never too late! Don't stress over "full arm writing" as the one and only solution and have fun with the Palmer method! Doing the drills every day is the most important part.

[thang1thang2]

It's never too late! Don't stress over "full arm writing" as the one and only solution and have fun with the Palmer method! Doing the drills every day is the most important part.

[thang1thang2]

Whoops. Computer fart. (Deleted)

Edited February 13, 2013 by thang1thang2

[Ayla]

I won't worry, but now you got me curious, what is this full arm writing you speak of? Seeing a video would help me picture this.

 

It's never too late! Don't stress over "full arm writing" as the one and only solution and have fun with the Palmer method! Doing the drills every day is the most important part.

[thang1thang2]

I've never found a video on it, but it's basically not using your fingers to form the letters, but instead waving your arm around to do the letter forming instead.

 

Hold an imaginary pen in your hand and write in big huge letters in the air "hello" WITHOUT moving your wrist, or fingers at all. Just move your arm. That is full arm writing. When you're "good" enough at it, you can do that on paper. In my opinion it's a stupid habit to get into. Writing with the fingers, with the forearm or the whole arm makes no difference what so ever and your effort is better spent learning how to write well, not differently.

[vivere]

As a fellow lefty writer, I can attest to the wonders of arm writing. It has minimized cramping which only can improve the experience and quality of your handwriting. Additionally, arm writing has increased longevity while also making my writing more consistent. However, the consistency aspect may just be a reflection of consistent practice, but the pain free writing practice sure contributes to that aspect.

 

I suggest that you go to the Iampeth website and they have the Palmer business methods handbook. They open the material with diagrams representing arm movement.

 

Good luck!

 

Best,

 

Forrest

[vivere]

 

Old vs new. It was written on cheap 3x5 cards that was sitting in front of me at my work desk. Wasn't very conducive to fountain pen writing.

 

Best,

 

Forrest

[smk]

That's some progress Forrest - anyone would be happy with that!

 

Salman

[vivere]

Thanks, SMK. I try to work on it as often as possible. I started journaling, postcrossing, handwritten work notes and correspondence. I'm trying everything I can to practice my handwriting.

 

Best,

 

Forrest

[Ayla]

I went to iampeth and downloaded the book, and I get the movements but a video of this would help immensely. I am still having trouble visualizing it. Oh! and speaking of iampeth, what are guide sheets and how do you use them? Also, vivere, I am very happy that your handwriting has and is improving!! It looks wonderful, better than anything I can do at present

[vivere]

I use a mixture of graph paper, college ruled, and [i]Achim's[/i] guidesheets. They help a lot in developing consistent slant. Great feedback from those sheets. However, they have so much going on it makes it more difficult to better my letter forms. I was using them as a crutch, and so I moved to more open paper. I have books laid everywhere and others that I carry on person. This way, I always have paper and pen when I'm in the fancy to practice.

 

Best,

 

Forrest

[vivere]

Good Morning Everybody! Happy Valentines Day! Use yoru penmanship skills and write a lovely letter to your heartfelt companion.

 

Best,

 

Forrest

 

[vivere]

The trouble I am having now is making i's and e's sufficiently differential. Palmer has incredibly subtle e's that are hard to make.

 

Best,

 

Forrest