Need Some Help With Pen And Handwriting

[LorDAsBaat]

Hi, this post might not seem suitable for this section but it actually is. Alright, i used to have a cursive handwriting and everyone in my life criticized it because it was HELL ugly. I found this forum and ordered a William Mitchell Calligraphy pen, learnt a new handwriting font (Chancery Italic Hand). It is still super beautiful and mesmerizes everyone for some seconds at a first glance but the problem is that I have to re-grind my pen every week because it wears out and slowly becomes a normal round pen. Secondly, as it is a calligraphic font, it takes time to write and isn't as fast as my cursive used to be. So, I have two choices.

 

1) I can order a fountain pen with a stub nib (which won't wear out soon) and keep my handwriting font (Chancery Italic)

 

2) I want you guys to recommend me another handwriting font and this time, it will be a round font i.e written with a non-italic, non-calligraphy nib, a simple, round nib.

 

I think the 2nd option is better, I need a font that is faster (like cursive) and looks neat (NOT like cursive). Or maybe my cursive is worse and I need to work on it. What do you guys think?

[Rednaxela]

I'd say work your cursive. Most of it is about technique instead of forms.

[ac12]

I contend that people need to have 3 different hands

#1 - nice cursive, written slow.

#2 - FAST note taking hand. It only needs to be legible enough for YOU to read. If necessary, rewrite neatly later.

#3 - PRINT/italic

 

#1 - My nice cursive is as slow as printing.

#2 - Can even be short hand. Some use cursive italic.

 

I would recommend you try a "business hand." It is Palmerish in basic style.

Go to the IAMPETH web site, then into the 'rare books' section and look for a business hand instruction book.

 

You will have to dedicate yourself to doing the practice drills and lessons, or it will not work.

[sidthecat]

I also wonder if you aren't pressing too hard. Try relaxing your arm and hand, and let the ink flow onto the paper of its own will. You might find it easier to create smooth letterforms, too.

[ksm]

William Mitchell Calligraphy Pen looks very similar to Manuscript Italic pens... I did not use William Mitchell pens, but I've used Manuscript pens a lot. Most of them had problems with nibs and initially required much pressure to write reliably. Only after correcting tines alignment and making them level I was able to write without pressing pen into paper.

 

My suggestions:

1. If you feel comfortable with Italic, use it, but forget about Chancery Italic forms and aim for modernized cursive italic (as taught by Sassoon or Getty & Dubay). That form is faster as it emphasize joins and looses ribbon serifs characteristic of Chancery Italic. That kind of Italic hand could be rendered with both round and stub nibs). If you insist on visual attractiveness, then try to follow instructions in Fred Eager's book.
2. Learning italic handwriting is more about internalizing its rhythm than about gaining perfect form. Form is crucial to calligraphy, but when it comes to handwriting, form follows the rhythm.
3. Get good stub nibbed pen and do not sharpen it, stub is rounded to facilitate fast writing. I personally favour stock TWSBI 580 1.1 stub as note taking pen. Most of my stubs have generous flow, usually too generous for slow writing (resulting in barely noticable line variation), but adequate for fast paced writing with lightly held pen.

[Sasha Royale]

I like the Second Option, and prefer the LorDAsBaat style, that may not yet exist, and will continue to evolve. Calligraphy is beautiful, but only visually. Equally beautiful is an idea in the human mind, or the song in the human heart. Use the LorDAsBaat writing style, and the LorDAsBaat pen, to convey these.

 

I believe that "personal" writing style should be personal.

[knarflj]

 

1. Learning italic handwriting is more about internalizing its rhythm than about gaining perfect form. Form is crucial to calligraphy, but when it comes to handwriting, form follows the rhythm.

 

ksm, could you elaborate on this? I have been struggling to learn everyday italic precisely because I can't figure out the correct rhythm, and I would love a good explanation or example. I don't want to hijack the current thread, so if you think it more appropriate, perhaps you could reply here: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/322144-italic-hand-position-and-movement/ Or, of course, direct me to some other thread where this question has already been answered. Thanks!

 

Jenny

[amberleadavis]

Well, I wrote a lovely response and I'm having trouble with image hosting. I'll post it this weekend.