Criticize My Cursive

[Jordanlaa]

Hey,

 

I just started using fountain pens regularly and I realised that I can't write in cursive. So today after writing out letters hundreds of times this is where i'm at with my writing. Please criticize it as much as possible and help me achieve perfect cursive. I'm using a Lamy Safari with EF nib. Let me know if you want me to write anything in particular

 

Thanks

 

[GClef]

This is the result of "hundreds of times"? That's pretty good.

Legible cursive is perfectly ok. "Pretty" legible cursive takes a lot more than "hundreds of times". Maybe, thousands...or tens of thousands.

But you're off to a decent start...now, WORK! You can do it!

Edited March 31, 2013 by GClef

[Jordanlaa]

Any advice on which letters need more practice or how to make it look neater?

[beak]

Hi there

 

Well I agree that you made a very good start.

 

I'm no sort of handwriting expert, but I'll pass on what I found worked for me when I was trying to improve my handwriting, which is cursive. There are many experts here and they may contradict me, but, for what it's worth:

 

When you practise, copy only good examples - that sounds daft, but many think that practise is nothing more than doing a great deal of writing, when really what they are doing is repeating the same mistakes over and over again, and in doing so are 'teaching' their hand to write mistakes - reinforcing the wrong thing by doing it many times, if you see what I mean. I think that ten minutes of copying good examples is worth more than an hour of repeating mistakes.

 

Try concentrating on just one thing in every practise session; I used to have the fault of not closing up letters such as 'a' that have a circle (I think there's one of these in your sample) so I would write out a poem or something thinking only about this aspect.

 

Why not have a look at the threads about Improving Your Handwriting; many of us share our experiences of learning there.

 

Good luck, and let us know how you get on.

[Elizabeth in NJ]

What do you mean by "perfect?" Do you mean being able to form letters exactly like the chart on the wall of your 3rd grade classroom? Of something consistent and stylish? I'm assuming legibility is a given.

 

My completely amateur opinions of your writing are as follows--I like the basic style. It's nice and minimalist. But it's hard to say more with such a small sample. Could you post a longer sample, and maybe your non-cursive for comparison?

[MR.PixelPomegranite]

The piece here is legible and stylish. But, the angle of writing varies throughout; the t has a forward slant but the j seams to have a backward slant. This might be something good to change!

[Jordanlaa]

The piece here is legible and stylish. But, the angle of writing varies throughout; the t has a forward slant but the j seams to have a backward slant. This might be something good to change!

 

Hey everyone, I have been taking on all your advice and I have tried hard to resolve the problem in the initial sample with not closing the a. I also started copying off a very stylish sample which gave me a new way to write my q's b's and f's. I have also tried to correct the angle and keeping the slant consistant. I have included a new longer sample, tell me what you think and how I can improve further! I have written "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" about 1000 times by now as well as other phrases, and here's what's come of it.

 

Thanks for all the help so far!

[Jordanlaa]

I just realised the last r on for was done differently, this is because that is the way I used to do it which i'm trying to change to the other way simply because i think the other way looks more stylish

[smk]

There is marked improvement in the second example you shared - this is good work.

 

You have received good advice so far on maintaining slant, shape and size. These three qualities are required of any style to be attractive.

 

It is exciting to see you develop your own style rather than following a standard form. All you need to do is get the basics right.

 

One thing I would recommend for your consideration is to make the joins only where they feel natural and see if it helps with the flow.

 

Looking forward to your progress.

 

Salman

[zuerincolour]

Lovely start! I wish I could have been half as good when I started learning cursive years back.

 

What really helped me learn was a handwriting slope card/plate thing that you can print off and slip behind your page to get a consistent slope.

 

Something like this or you could create your own depending on the angle you prefer.

 

That and lots of practice to get my letters all the same shape!

 

really helped me for some reason. It's not the best at all, but I picked up a lot from it.

 

Good luck!

[Elizabeth in NJ]

Very nice improvement!

 

I just realised the last r on for was done differently, this is because that is the way I used to do it which i'm trying to change to the other way simply because i think the other way looks more stylish

That last r looks much better than the rest. Your other r's look absolutely tortured. It's not you. Rs are really really hard and stopping to try to make them the new way might be ruining your rhythm. I'd suggest you not worry about your r's for a little bit and focus on everything else, and take on the r's a little later.

 

By the way, I think the old r looks better with your style anyway.

[Jordanlaa]

Lovely start! I wish I could have been half as good when I started learning cursive years back.

 

What really helped me learn was a handwriting slope card/plate thing that you can print off and slip behind your page to get a consistent slope.

 

Something like this or you could create your own depending on the angle you prefer.

 

That and lots of practice to get my letters all the same shape!

 

really helped me for some reason. It's not the best at all, but I picked up a lot from it.

 

Good luck!

 

Thanks Joeccentric, I actually did find the video quite helpful as well, I'll print out the angle slip and try that as well.

 

As for my R's, they do feel a little bit forced when I write them but I feel like it could just be because i'm new to them, but I'll try both ways and I'll post another sample later on in the week. I've refilled my pen many times just from writing these samples. Thanks again for all the help everyone!