Need Help Easing My Death Grip On My Pen.

[onepuff]

You hold your pen in a similar way to the way I do but I have quite a light grip. The fact you grip your pen tightly is probably coming from your shoulders! If your shoulder muscles are tight you will grip tightly and this is probably due to stress. Try rolling your shoulders back and forward prior to and occasionally during writing and take frequent short breaks. You might also want to lightly massage your shoulders and neck. Try and keep a good posture when sitting and not hunch over the desk as this will tighten all your muscles up and induce stress. These steps work for me.

Edited July 26, 2012 by onepuff

[liz4tin]

You hold your pen in a similar way to the way I do but I have quite a light grip. The fact you grip your pen tightly is probably coming from your shoulders! If your shoulder muscles are tight you will grip tightly and this is probably due to stress. Try rolling your shoulders back and forward prior to and occasionally during writing and take frequent short breaks. You might also want to lightly massage your shoulders and neck. Try and keep a good posture when sitting and not hunch over the desk as this will tighten all your muscles up and induce stress. These steps work for me.

 

 

I do have a lot of tension in my job. My knots have knots in my shoulders.

[Andrew H]

I used to hold the pen like that.

 

Here is what I suggest in order to change to a tripod grip:

 

Examine the tripod grip, look through these carefully:

Calligrapher's tripod: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/163184-the-tripod-or-triangular-pen-hold/

Fountain pen user's tripod: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/201146-the-classic-tripod-grip/

Especially pay heed to the way the second link sets up the grip. I'm not sure if it's best to rest the pen in the web of your hand or the first knuckle of your first finger. Do what feels "right".

 

Then read this:

http://www.paperpenalia.com/handwriting.html

Practice the recommended exercises.

 

Lastly:

Practice big letters on a whiteboard with a marker. Don't press into the board (a marker is much like a fountain pen or a paintbrush--they simply glide over surfaces, no pressing). This will train you to relax and to use your shoulder more, which in turn releases the stress in the hand and wrist. I was a teaching assistant for a college course, so I spent a lot of time in front of a whiteboard during discussion. It helped.

Edited July 27, 2012 by Andrew H

[caliken]

Examine the tripod grip, look through these carefully:

Calligrapher's tripod: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/163184-the-tripod-or-triangular-pen-hold/

Fountain pen user's tripod: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/201146-the-classic-tripod-grip/

Especially pay heed to the way the second link sets up the grip. I'm not sure if it's best to rest the pen in the web of your hand or the first knuckle of your first finger. Do what feels "right".

 

You're right, Andrew. There are no hard and fast rules about this.

 

I use the tripod grip as shown in the first of the two examples you posted, because I find the pen much easier to control with the shaft resting on, or in front of, the large knuckle. This hold raises the shaft to about 45 degrees from the paper. I find that most nibs work best at this angle and I use this hold with all pens and in all styles of writing.

 

An interesting subject - thanks for posting.

 

Ken

[pmhudepo]

Andrew H provides good links and information. I particularly like this post, as it clarifies an inportant detail.

 

Also, try not writing with your pen. Instead, doodle, sketch, draw (even if you think you can't), play. Get used to the pen and how little pressure is needed. If you write with your pen, old habits can easily creep in again and ruin the experience, so separate the two for now. Draw ovals, loops and slowly move towards letters. An oval can become the letter O, l or e. Trick your mind by not writing, but doodling, so it won't automatically apply its death grip technique.

 

Find some books on IAMPETH on Palmer or Business Writing and do the excercises. Even if you're not interested in these scripts, the practice will help you get a bette feel for posture, grip, motion and rhtyhm.

[NedC]

Dominican nuns to sneak up behind you and carefully observe your writing and then try and pull the pen out of your fingers, any resistance is met with the thwack of a wooden ruler and chuckles from your classmates. Worked for me;)

[caliken]

I use this very light penhold and never have any problem with hand fatigue or cramp.

 

I rest the shaft just in front of the large, forefinger knuckle. This places the nib at about 45 degrees from the surface of the paper. I find that most firm nibs work best at this angle.

 

I use this pen hold with all pens - dip and fountain; posted and unposted and in all styles of writing.

 

In flexible nib writing with an oblique pen, the flange positions the nib at a lower angle to the paper to avoid snagging on upstrokes, but the pen hold is exactly the same.

 

Ken

 

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/PenGrip1600.jpg