Advice On Improving My Cursive Handwriting.

[Vintage_BE]

On 1/21/2024 at 5:38 PM, Duffy said:

Hi all. Just an update on today's writing practice. I can see a little more "maturity" in this sample compared to the one I posted back in October, though as always, room for improvement. While I have added a slight flourish to some of my capitals, I have not delved fully into the world of flourishing yet. That said, if/when I do, I want to use it sparingly.

 

Any advice/opinions on this sample welcome. Thanks.

Bravo.  I know how much time goes into this, but the result is clear. And the good news is that, if you continue to practice in a focused manner (and if you continue to carefully study the exemplars) it will only get better. Enjoy and once again bravo.

[Duffy]

@Vintage_BE:  Thanks for the words of encouragement. This month (April) marks my tenth month of everyday practice. I enjoy my writing time immensely, and it is great to look back at previous writing examples and notice any differences. 

 

Currently, I am trying to keep the right hand margins neat and trying to avoid "squeezing" in words at the end of a line. Sometimes I do a "dummy run", but other times I miscalculate. (LOL!).

[kealani]

On 4/22/2024 at 4:57 AM, Duffy said:

@Vintage_BE:  Thanks for the words of encouragement. This month (April) marks my tenth month of everyday practice. I enjoy my writing time immensely, and it is great to look back at previous writing examples and notice any differences. 

 

Currently, I am trying to keep the right hand margins neat and trying to avoid "squeezing" in words at the end of a line. Sometimes I do a "dummy run", but other times I miscalculate. (LOL!).

Congratulations on your dedication and steady improvement. Your writing is getting more consistent with a hint of elegance. It will become more refined or "seasoned" as you keep up with things.

Realize that if you stop practicing it will slowly devolve as well.

 

Great job!

k

[Duffy]

6 hours ago, kealani said:

Congratulations on your dedication and steady improvement. Your writing is getting more consistent with a hint of elegance. It will become more refined or "seasoned" as you keep up with things.

Realize that if you stop practicing it will slowly devolve as well.

 

Great job!

k

 

Thanks for your words of encouragement. Yes, I can see a gradual "maturing" of my writing. This makes me want to keep going. 

[Revekah]

Mate, your writing looks pretty solid already. Maybe try a few different pen brands to see what feels best. Heard some good things about Conway Stewart for smoothness. Keep practicing, it'll pay off!

Edited July 11, 2024 by Revekah

[Duffy]

@Revekah :   Thanks for your feedback. I will consider (if my wallet allows 😉) trying some other different fountain pens. Up to now I have been using a Lamy Studio, Faber Castell Loom and Essentio, and Pelikan Pura. I started off with a medium nib but found that I prefer F or EF. 

[txomsy]

I can't agree with the "try other brands" comment. It is an all too common misconception that the tool makes the art, not the human using the tool. One can see this often in Photography: buy Canon, Nikon, Ricoh, Sony...  or in almost any other human endeavor.

 

Switching brands -by itself- will do very little (if anything at all) to improve one's handwriting.

 

Depending on one's preferred writing style, switching nibs may help improve the looks of text (and possible help identify and correct errors in penmanship, e.g. getting a 2mm or 1.5mm stub instead of a 1.1mm for italic handwriting).

 

For some specific nibs and hands, switching to a specific nib in another brand may provide the additional flair (slightly thinner, more flex, tooth, smoothness or crispness) to make writing slightly more pleasant. But one should first check reviews to make sure there will be a real difference before shelling out one's own hard-earned money, the improvement will likely be small, and anyway, one should first learn to master his own tools first.

 

It may also be that changing aesthetics or shape/girth may make writing more pleasing... but that needs not necessarily mean switching brands in most cases (I can only think of a few cases where one may be forced to, e.g. urushi or Toledo are not made by all brands).

 

In the end, it is not the tool, but the hand. And any hypothetical minor improvement comes from changes in specific parts, not in brands.

[Duffy]

@txomsy. Thank you. I always appreciate your input. I agree that switching brands will do little to improve a person's handwriting. I bought my different fountain pens more out of curiosity and because I thought they looked nice, rather than to improve my handwriting. Vain.....?..self indulgent....? yes...I suppose so. 

 

Years ago I played bass guitar in a band and I used to like reading the bass guitar forums. As with fountain pens, people often said that if only they could afford X,Y, or Z brand, their playing would sound amazing. Others (like yourself) pointed out that the sound was "in the hands...not in the amp, guitar, strings, or the guitar itself."  So, I have come across (and totally agree with) this advice previously. 

 

Having said all of the above, I still enjoy picking up a different pen from time to time, while at the same time realising that regular practice...practice...practice...is the only game in town. 

[txomsy]

Me too, I do also have several pens and like to switch.

 

I learned to play guitar with a classic guitar. After some 15 years I had learnt to get a very wide range of sounds out of my first and only childhood guitar (I started when I was 6). We (me and my friends) couldn't get a second one way back then, and an electric guitar was unaffordable luxury (not to mention finding someone who know how to play one to teach you), so we found out ways to get what we wanted with what we had. Then life kicked in, I gave up playing (and my guitar) for other endeavors and that was all (have longed for my guitar for ~40 years, but never got around to buying a new one).

 

Anyway, the point is that people wrote amazing letters way before fountain pens did even exist.

 

When I decided to retake calligraphy my first impulse was dip-pens. Until I thought it would be nice to use an FP and not have to re-dip often. Then I got drained to the FP rabbit-hole. Still, when I look for quality, I long for dip-pens for I haven't found a really competing FP yet. Not for flex, not for italics. Luckily I still keep my dip pens and a good stock of nibs.

 

But knowing how to write with a dip pen helped me much not to worry about FPs: once you have developed the soft touch for a true flex or italic nib, using any stub, soft-italic or "flexy" FP nib is a non-issue. And after using BPs, a "hard to flex" nib, neither.

 

Going the other way, I can understand how one can never feel satisfied with an FP and enter an endless quest for a "holy grail" FP nib (except for maybe the Montblanc Flex --but I've got no experience of that one, so cannot be sure).

 

[Duffy]

@txomsy :  My guitar playing experience was very similar to your own. Started playing bass guitar at around 13 and jammed with friends. Then, like yourself, life kicked in and the guitar/playing was abandoned. When I took early retirement at 50 years old, I decided to pick up where I left off. Joined a band when I considered I was ready to. Loved being a "mature rocker".  😁😎

 

Re pens: My earliest childhood school memories are of using dip pens. They had a narrow wooden handle. There was an inkwell inserted in every desk.  Around that time, I remember the class being entered for a hand writing competition, but we had to use fountain pens for this. I remember having trouble with the bladder FP's leaking onto a completed page of handwriting, and having to start over again. 

 

Seeing as I have revisited fountain pens in recent times, perhaps I might do the same with dip pens. 😉

[Stompie]

Your handwriting is looking very good.

 

As others have said, before buying a load of other pens try simple variations, like an italic nib. Italic nibs give you a very different look for very little outlay as many pen companies offer italic nibs that easily replace standard nibs at a very low cost - take Lamy for example. TWSBI do italic nibs, as do Parker and Sheaffer. 

I think Manuscript pens are sold in various shops including W H Smiths and The Range. Manuscript calligraphy pens are cheap, for about £4 or £5 a set which includes 3 nibs, a pen and some cartridges. The Range sometimes has them on sale for £3.

If you have a problem getting any of them, let me know and, as I have loads of them, I will send you a set as you are only a short distance away!

[Duffy]

@Stompie: Many thanks for...your compliment about my handwriting....your advice on getting an italic nib...and... for your very kind offer to send me some nibs.

 

I will certainly look into italic nibs.  It will be a new direction on my enjoyable writing "journey".  🙏

[Stompie]

50 minutes ago, Duffy said:

@Stompie:  offer to send me some nibs.

 

🙏

 

No mate, not the nibs, I will send you the complete set if you want.

 

 

[Duffy]

1 hour ago, Stompie said:

 

No mate, not the nibs, I will send you the complete set if you want.

 

 

Wow !!! That is beyond generous !!!!   🙏     I will be in Dublin city centre tomorrow and will see what I can find. Also, as I have the Lamy Studio  I might try their 1.1 stub.  If I am not successful in acquiring what I want, I might take you up on your generous offer.

 

I am also grateful to you (and @txomsy for putting me on to these nibs/pens.  It never crossed my mind to experiment with them. 

 

 

[Duffy]

17 hours ago, Duffy said:

   I will be in Dublin city centre tomorrow and will see what I can find. Also, as I have the Lamy Studio  I might try their 1.1 stub.

@Stompie: Well...I was in town this morning and bought the Lamy 1.1 stub nib for my Lamy Studio. Also, the Manuscript set is available in one or two shops, but I will wait and see how I get on with the 1.1 before deciding to buy it.

 

So...I won't need to take you up on your offer, but thanks again for offering. 🙏

17 hours ago, Duffy said:

 

 

 

 

[Stompie]

21 minutes ago, Duffy said:

@Stompie: Well...I was in town this morning and bought the Lamy 1.1 stub nib for my Lamy Studio. Also, the Manuscript set is available in one or two shops, but I will wait and see how I get on with the 1.1 before deciding to buy it.

 

So...I won't need to take you up on your offer, but thanks again for offering. 🙏

 

Brilliant news mate. I hope you have lots of fun with the new style of writing. 

Fit the italic nib and write with the nib at a 45 degree angle keeping your writing style exactly as you now have it - you will see a marked difference in the look of your handwriting! 

[Duffy]

1 hour ago, Stompie said:

Brilliant news mate. I hope you have lots of fun with the new style of writing. 

Fit the italic nib and write with the nib at a 45 degree angle keeping your writing style exactly as you now have it - you will see a marked difference in the look of your handwriting! 

Here is my first attempt with the 1.1 stub. Not sure if I quite had the nib at a 45 degree angle. Will work on that. The nib writes a lot smoother then I was expecting. Later on, I might try Lamy's 1.5 stub. 

 

Thanks for your help and encouragement. This forum has inspired me to practice regularly and consistently. 

 

 

[txomsy]

Looks nice. Beware the 1.5mm, it may blow up your mind and get you started on a new adventure path 🙂 

[Duffy]

@Stompie....(or anyone else who can enlighten me. 😉)  I have a quick question regarding the calligraphy set you offered to send me. I hope you don't mind me badgering you like this. 🫣

 

Are these nibs stubs ? In your picture and in the link below of the same item in a Dublin shop, it simply gives the size in mm. In the Dublin shop link it gives mm and F,M, and 2B. If the nibs were stubs would it not say something like FS...MS...ect ?

 

I already have F, M, and B nibs on my various fountain pens, so I don't need any more.  

 

https://store.evansartsupplies.ie/product/13672/Manuscript-Beginner's-Calligraphy-Set/

[Stompie]

4 hours ago, Duffy said:

@Stompie....(or anyone else who can enlighten me. 😉)  I have a quick question regarding the calligraphy set you offered to send me. I hope you don't mind me badgering you like this. 🫣

 

Are these nibs stubs ? In your picture and in the link below of the same item in a Dublin shop, it simply gives the size in mm. In the Dublin shop link it gives mm and F,M, and 2B. If the nibs were stubs would it not say something like FS...MS...ect ?

 

I already have F, M, and B nibs on my various fountain pens, so I don't need any more.  

 

https://store.evansartsupplies.ie/product/13672/Manuscript-Beginner's-Calligraphy-Set/

 The Manuscript nibs are Italic nibs, not unlike stubs but a lot more crisp. The Lamy nib is more of a stub as it has rounder corners. In the photo here, my Lamy has been ground to be sharper so it is not a good example.

The F,M,B etc signify the width of the nib and is relevant to italic, stubs and normal nibs. Normal nibs with rounded tips are what I presume you have on normal fountain pens.

The measurements on the Manuscript nibs are how wide the nibs are.

 

Your writing looks good there mate. As you get more used to the Lamy 1.1 you can try rotating the nib more to the right so as to get thicker downstrokes on your letters or you can move it more to the left to get thicker cross strokes. It is all a fun hobby so play around with the pens as you write, you will enjoy it!

 

And please, you are not badgering anyone at all, we are all in this together and enjoy sharing and helping others as much as we too enjoy getting advice and help from others!