Writing Speed And Paper Texture: Will It Change My Habit?

[proton007]

I've noticed that it is nearly impossible to write slowly on paper that has even a tiny bit of texture.

 

As in, the resistance created by the 'peaks' and 'valleys' on the paper surface can only be overcome if one writes at a particular speed. Only then the curves are smooth, and the handwriting flowing.

 

Does that mean my handwriting will be 'bound' to the type of paper I use for practice? A smoother texture would mean more slippage, while a rougher texture would be even worse.

 

Is there a 'control' in this experiment I can use? Nib? Flow? Something that helps me adjust as I encounter variation in paper quality?

 

This has become a point of distress.

[ac12]

For paper with texture, you need to use a wider nib. This is the same effect as a small wheel vs. a large wheel on a luggage cart. The larger wheel will roll smoother over rough surfaces like an asphalt road.

 

Second write with a LIGHT hand. The more pressure you apply, the more friction you will have against the paper.

 

But yes, you will need to select paper according to task. And fountain pens generally need a smoother harder paper to write smoothly on. And the finer the nib the more sensitive it will be to the surface texture of the paper.

 

Example, I would not even try to write with an XF nib on linen texture paper.

Edited February 4, 2016 by ac12

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

Interesting question.

 

My hand is for the most part a matter of habit: I've been using a Western M nib and fairly toothy [cheap] papers for quite some time, and I tend to write very quickly, almost extemporaneously.

(I find it passing strange that I'm posting in this particular Forum: perhaps the kindest remark about my handwriting was that is it 'unique'.)

 

With my brisk light hand I prefer inks of middling lubricity combined with somewhat toothy paper for on-duty writing. For personal writing, I generally select papers that can amp-up the shading, so trend towards dry-ish inks with nibs of Medium or greater width. When I shift to the narrow nibs, I prefer enough feedback so that I can keep the nib running on the itty-bitty sweet spot, yet as narrow nibs do not promote shading I may trend towards the inks with a higher dye-load which typically have grater lubricity.

 

I put appearance above comfort, so may struggle with the slippery combo of a high lubricity ink from a wet pen and broad nib on a smooth surface paper, hence need to slow my pace or write in a more compact hand - let's not slide off the page. Yet when dealing with textured paper (laid/linen/wove) I am not dismayed by their texture though I may grit my teeth.

 

In counterpoint to Member ac12, I have found that when using a light hand with a narrow nib pen on coarse paper I need to try a few different rates of travel. Somewhat akin to sailing on a choppy sea: too slow, every wave is felt and there may be loss of steerageway, but at a certain rate one can skim over the waves yet still remain in control (with enough keel down).

Depending upon the ink+pen+paper combo, which determines the amount of ink transfer, the line quality may range from sketchy to solid.

 

__ EDIT - to add: In addition to nib width, there are also the factors of nib shape, and the geometry of the nib and the writing pad of the nib.

> Our friends at Classic Fountain Pens have graciously provided a photo of some such variation @ http://www.nibs.com/SailorSaibiTogiNib.html

> The Waverley nibs, which I adore in the narrow widths, are discussed by Mr Binder @ http://www.richardspens.com/?ttp=waverley

 

Bye,

S1

 

__ __

See also Post 68 onward @ https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/221159-pilot-iroshizuku-tsuki-yo/?p=2424828

 

Edited February 4, 2016 by Sandy1

[ac12]

I appreciate Sandy's comment about speed, but I found that I have to be careful, cuz for me 'speed kills.' My handwriting gets uglier and uglier as I speed up, beyond a certain speed. Although individual strokes can be somewhat fast, I still run into that 'speed kills' problem. Tricky balance.

[Sandy1]

I appreciate Sandy's comment about speed, but I found that I have to be careful, cuz for me 'speed kills.' My handwriting gets uglier and uglier as I speed up, beyond a certain speed. Although individual strokes can be somewhat fast, I still run into that 'speed kills' problem. Tricky balance.

 

 

Hi,

 

Too true!

 

Even in school I started to take notes with my sheet in landscape orientation, then I started to use A3 sheets. (!)

 

Perhaps the balance is between 'arm writing' and 'finger writing'???

 

I tend to have problems with tiny writing - I start to draw rather than write. And when I write in a compact hand, things can go pear-shaped.

(The labels on my Ink Review sheets, done with a very narrow nib, depict such. Please let us be polite and not even mention the Grocery Lists.)

 

Wheee!

 

Bye,

S1

Edited February 4, 2016 by Sandy1

[proton007]

Reading the comments here (appreciate the insight, Sandy and ac12 ), I've adjusted the aim of my practice slightly. Now I not only aim for getting the shape right, but also aim to do so at a decent speed, enough to counteract the resistance the usual run-of-the-mill printer paper gives.

 

I realize the ink I use for practice is a dry but fast absorbed type (Lamy Blue Black). On a Pilot fine nib, it's not the most pleasing writing experience, but I can live with it, and I like to think that if I can get this pen+ink combination to work for practice, using better combos should be a breeze.

 

Another practice I developed recently is to look for 'anchor points' when joining letters. As in, the point where my hand stops after making a part of the letter shape needs to be practiced well, so that combinations of letters don't mess up. I was having trouble in forming letter combinations because the ascending stroke from the previous letter needs to be adjusted to join the next letter.

[Sandy1]

Reading the comments here (appreciate the insight, Sandy and ac12 ), I've adjusted the aim of my practice slightly. Now I not only aim for getting the shape right, but also aim to do so at a decent speed, enough to counteract the resistance the usual run-of-the-mill printer paper gives.

 

I realize the ink I use for practice is a dry but fast absorbed type (Lamy Blue Black). On a Pilot fine nib, it's not the most pleasing writing experience, but I can live with it, and I like to think that if I can get this pen+ink combination to work for practice, using better combos should be a breeze.

 

Another practice I developed recently is to look for 'anchor points' when joining letters. As in, the point where my hand stops after making a part of the letter shape needs to be practiced well, so that combinations of letters don't mess up. I was having trouble in forming letter combinations because the ascending stroke from the previous letter needs to be adjusted to join the next letter.

 

Hi,

 

It seems to me you're headed in the right direction, but take that with a grain kilo of salt.

 

I think that your choice of ink is sound: LBlBk has some shading potential, so the Value (light - dark) of the ink on the sheet will show where your hand is fast (light) and where it is slow (dark); and on most papers gives a high line quality so you can see where the nib is not running on the sweet spot of the writing-pad.

 

May you have the patience and persistence to develop a fair hand that pleases you and those who read what you've written.

 

Bye,

S1

[ac12]

 

Reading the comments here (appreciate the insight, Sandy and ac12 ), I've adjusted the aim of my practice slightly. Now I not only aim for getting the shape right, but also aim to do so at a decent speed, enough to counteract the resistance the usual run-of-the-mill printer paper gives.

 

I realize the ink I use for practice is a dry but fast absorbed type (Lamy Blue Black). On a Pilot fine nib, it's not the most pleasing writing experience, but I can live with it, and I like to think that if I can get this pen+ink combination to work for practice, using better combos should be a breeze.

 

Another practice I developed recently is to look for 'anchor points' when joining letters. As in, the point where my hand stops after making a part of the letter shape needs to be practiced well, so that combinations of letters don't mess up. I was having trouble in forming letter combinations because the ascending stroke from the previous letter needs to be adjusted to join the next letter.

 

 

You can also take a look at the tip of the nib with a loupe. If the shape of the tipping is not a sphere, where it makes contact with the paper, like some/many older/vintage pens, you could reprofile the tip to be rounder where it contacts the paper. That will smoothen out the writing. I've done that with a few nibs. But you need to be slow and careful, so you don't mess up the tipping and ruin the nib.

 

BTW, you did not say what pen and nib you are using.

 

Ah transitions....try "wr" as in "write." The end of the "w" normally ends at the x-height, so how to get to the "r" ?

- Sometimes I will make a short upstroke on the last stroke of the "w," not reaching the x-height. Then I can transition to the "r."

- Other times I end the "w" at the x-height, and tilt the "r" so that I can enter it at the x-height. Yeah it looks funny.

- Other times I just end the "w" at the x-height, then stop, then start with the "r" at the base line. So I break the word in half.

Some of these transitions can be frustrating.

[proton007]

   

 

You can also take a look at the tip of the nib with a loupe. If the shape of the tipping is not a sphere, where it makes contact with the paper, like some/many older/vintage pens, you could reprofile the tip to be rounder where it contacts the paper. That will smoothen out the writing. I've done that with a few nibs. But you need to be slow and careful, so you don't mess up the tipping and ruin the nib.

 

BTW, you did not say what pen and nib you are using.

 

Ah transitions....try "wr" as in "write." The end of the "w" normally ends at the x-height, so how to get to the "r" ?

- Sometimes I will make a short upstroke on the last stroke of the "w," not reaching the x-height. Then I can transition to the "r."

- Other times I end the "w" at the x-height, and tilt the "r" so that I can enter it at the x-height. Yeah it looks funny.

- Other times I just end the "w" at the x-height, then stop, then start with the "r" at the base line. So I break the word in half.

Some of these transitions can be frustrating.

 

For practice I use a Pilot Metropolitan in F.

The tip is pretty small, I do remember fiddling with it, but the fragility of it wore down my confidence in getting it to behave any better...it works fine for now, depending on the flow of ink.

 

About transitions, the most troubling for me are these:

- Anything that has a descender (q/y/g/p) attached to an 'e', my 'e' here ends up without the upper ellipse.

- Letters which have multiple long ascenders (double 'l', lh, lt etc).

[ac12]

Yeah the Pilot F is probably too fine for textured/less than smooth paper. So my question is, do you HAVE TO use the F nib, or can you go up to the M nib? I have situations where I changed from a F nib to a M nib, to reduce the scratchy/snaggy feel when writing on certain paper.

[proton007]

Yeah the Pilot F is probably too fine for textured/less than smooth paper. So my question is, do you HAVE TO use the F nib, or can you go up to the M nib? I have situations where I changed from a F nib to a M nib, to reduce the scratchy/snaggy feel when writing on certain paper.

I'm not under any compulsion to use the F nib, but it's the pen I leave in my office... Besides, practicing with a fine nib in my opinion helps highlight mistakes.

 

For handwriting in general I use a TWSBI M nib.

[ac12]

I suggest using a Pilot Metro M nib with that paper, or switching to a smoother paper to continue using the Pilot Metro F nib.