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Hi to dear readers, specially dear Archi Girl
Ofcourse If it is possible, the Aim for creating this topic is to talk about handwriting from the first (history,...) upto now, its Analysis and the other amazing researches about it
.Thank you for your attention
,With Regards
.How did handwriting develop? It evolved over a few thousand years, changing and adapting to new cultures and new technologies. Here's a brief history
...In the beginning
Before there was writing, there was only verbal communication, with cultural norms, rituals and stories passed on orally from one generation to the next. As language and cultures evolved, so did the need for communication. Simple drawings became pictographs, and pictographs became standardized within each culture.
?What is writing
Writing is a codified system of standard symbols: the repetition of agreed-upon simple shapes to represent ideas. Recognizable systems of writing developed in 3 major cultures within 1200 years of each other. Sumerian cuneiform developed around 3000 BC, Egyptian hieroglyphs around 2800 BC, and the precursor to Kanji Chinese around 1800 BC. The development of writing allowed cultures to record events, history, laws; theories in math, science, medicine; create literature and more.
Simple pictographs were used to represent people, places and things. As the needs for communication expanded, different pictographs were combined to represent ideas, and required knowledge to interpret the new symbols. These became ideographs: abstract symbols that evolved beyond the original drawings.
Sumerian innovations
Sumerian scribes used to write on long, vertical tablets of wet clay, from top to bottom, right to left. Right-handed scribes had problems, since they would sometimes smudge the symbols as they wrote. They started turning the tablets sideways, and started writing right to left, then top to bottom. Ideographs were also turned sideways as they were written, and became more abstract in appearance. Also, the introduction of a triangular-tipped stylus increased the abstract look of the symbols.
Ideographs were combined to sound out longer words, such as wind + doe = window. These later developed into phonograms: the first phonetic sound of each symbol in a group was pronounced, and together the sounds produced a word, such as dog + eagle + lake = deal. Phonograms required a person to decipher the writing in order to understand the meaning.
Egyptians innovations
Around 2400 BC, the Egyptians started using papyrus and reed brushes for writing. Ink flowed more smoothly on papyrus, and allowed scribes to write more quickly, which made symbols less angular and more rounded in appearance.
Hieroglyphs were simplified about 1500 BC, and became known as hieratic script (priestly writing). This was used almost exclusively for religious writing, but was later used for commerce. The script was simplified again around 500 BC, and became more widely used. This was called demotic script (script of the people).
The Phoenician alphabet
The ancient Phoenician alphabet also developed around 1500 BC. It comprised 22 phonetically-based symbols and was widely used. By 800 BC, it had spread to Greece, and under the rule of Alexander the Great, it further spread to Egypt, Persia, and India.
The Roman Empire
The Roman Empire rose to power in the 2nd century BC, and by 146 BC had conquered Greece. The Romans adopted many aspects of Greek culture, including the alphabet. This 23-letter alphabet spread across Europe as far as England, and also into Northern Africa and the Persian Gulf. Inscriptions in capital letters were carved on structures all over the empire.
The hand-written counterpart to the carved capitals was called Capitalis Quadrata. These were later transformed into Rustica Capitals, which were very condensed in width, so that more text could fit onto parchment and papyrus, which were still expensive materials.
By 400 AD, an everyday Roman script had developed for transactions, bookkeeping and correspondence. Written letter forms were much more informal in shape, compared to the structured capitals. Letters began to flow together to save time and space on parchment. This was the earliest sign of lowercase letter forms, with ascenders, descenders and ligatures between the letters.
Christianity and Celtic writing
By now, Christianity was the official religion throughout the empire, and Bibles were copied and distributed to the extent allowed by the limitations of producing each one by hand. St. Patrick brought a Bible with him to Ireland, and the Irish began producing their own elaborately designed Bibles.
The Celtic style of lettering involved writing the letters within 1-inch square guides, and were known as uncials. Around 600 AD, smaller half-uncials appeared, which closely resembled our modern lowercase letters. The letters were very rounded in style, and ascenders and descenders were extended on the lowercase letters. Also, word spacing was increased to improve readability.
Charlemagne standardizes writing
In the late 700's AD, the ruler Charlemagne controlled most of Europe, and appointed an English monk to oversee standardized lettering practices for copying texts. Large uncials were used at the beginning of sentences, and lowercase letters were now a uniform part of the Roman alphabet.
This style developed into Romanesque hand, and later into the Gothic style in Germany, around 900 AD. Gothic lettering was very thick, angular, and tightly set between letters and words, to save space. The dot on the lowercase i was added to distinguish it from similar strokes in the m, n and u.
Lettering styles continued to develop. There was a common script style in use for practical purposes, and a more precise, artistic hand lettering was used for important texts and books, with great care taken to write each letter.
In the 10th century, the letter u was created separately from the v, whereas previously the v was used for both sounds (such as sirivs instead of sirius). The w was created in the 12th century to accommodate more European languages, where the v would not serve. The j evolved from a modified i in the 15th century. This brought the Roman alphabet to 26 letters total.
From writing to mechanical printing, and back to writing
When Gutenberg created his movable type press in the mid-1400's, he modeled his letters upon the style of the scribes at the time. The technology advanced, and more upright letters were designed for printing. Several others designed similar upright, or Roman style, type faces, but in the late 1500's, Robert Granjon designed type faces that more closely resembled script writing, and these became quite popular.
The development of copperplate engraving allowed for the use of very delicate type faces with many flourishes and curliques in the script-like letters, which greatly influenced handwriting. Handwriting masters began to grow in number, to produce beautifully written documents. Elegant handwriting became a sign of social status.
The institution of penmanship
By the mid-1700's, there were special schools established to teach handwriting techniques, or penmanship. Master penmen were employed to copy official documents such as land deeds, birth and marriage certificates, military commissions, and other legal documents. Timothy Matlack was commissioned to write the final copy of the Declaration of Independence, and Jacob Shallus penned the final copy of the Constitution of the United States of America.
In the late 1800's, Charles Zaner founded the Zanerian College of Penmanship, and later sold part interest to Elmer Bloser. Together, they founded the Zaner-Bloser Company, and created materials to be used in teaching good penmanship as part of a general education. In 1904, they published the Zaner Method of Arm Movement, developed especially for elementary-aged children. The Zaner-Bloser style is one of the main styles of handwriting taught to children in the U.S. to this day.
A newer method of teaching penmanship was developed in the mid-1970's by Donald Neal Thurber, called D'Nealian style. It uses slanted letters to teach printing, in order for children to transition more easily to cursive writing. This has also become a popular method taught in U.S. schools.
The cover on this penmanship book from the late 1800s is as ornate as the instructions contained inside it. Note the upper right hand corner -- it specifies that this version is intended for boys, indicating that boys learned a different handwriting style from the one girls were taught.
Handwriting in America: A Cultural History isn't a new book by any means. Published in hardback in 1996, it's been around for a bit; you can get it in paperback or at used-book stores. But it's one of those books that has stayed in my mind as interesting, enlightening, informative, and just plain fun.
Handwriting in America: A Cultural History is a fascinating look at how penmanship reached the state it’s in today.
If you read this book (which reads much like and may be a thesis, with numerous quotes from a huge range of sources), prepare to have just about everything you ever believed about handwriting turned upside down.
In the foreword, author Tamara Plakins Thornton shows us the seeds of the intellectual journey that resulted in this book: "Foremost among (my attitudes) toward handwriting was my secret conviction that good penmanship does not matter, that if anything it denotes a person who is fearful or incapable of being in any way unusual. Of course, what lies behind that conviction is the belief that handwriting in some way reflects personality, most especially those qualities that differentiate one person from everyone else. Faithful imitation of penmanship models -- what teachers would call good handwriting -- thereby signals conformity and ordinariness, while breaking all the penmanship rules, even to the point of illegibility, is a mark of individuality."
The ribbon around this hand is actually a penmanship tool, intended to train muscles to the proper position and range of motion. As the person wrote, the ribbons would tug when he/she reached the outer limits of "proper" and literally rein the hand in.
Thornton's attitude, typical of mid- to late-20th Century attitudes toward handwriting, was probably picked up in school, where she says she had little to no emphasis on handwriting. By the late 1960s, penmanship as a discipline had descended to such low status that schools had begun to eliminate it, a process that by the 1980s was woefully complete. Thornton became interested in the subject’s cultural heritage when, as an adult, she saw an 18th Century advertisement that advocated the adoption of particular handwriting styles appropriate to a person’s gender, social status, and occupation. Adopt a handwriting style? One appropriate to your station?!?
This is what hooked me on the book. I’d assumed that penmanship had always been taught the way it was taught me by a martinet named Mrs. Pairsh, who had wholeheartedly adopted the most militaristic of A. N. Palmer's methods, ordering us to start practice by issuing commands: "Pens. Position. Circles." When class was over, at lunchtime, she ordered us: "Turn. Stand. Face forward. March." (She did, however, get results.)
If enthusiasm lightens labor, as this penmanship student wrote some 25 times on this page alone, one hopes he had some enthusiasm for the job. Even at a 6th or so grade level, his writing is much more disciplined than ours is today.
It intrigued me to learn that handwriting instruction has gone through phases, fads, up- and downturns in popularity -- all the things that reading, math,and science have endured.
The first few chapters of Handwriting in America proved the most interesting to me, and the first two chapters most interesting of all. Called "The Lost World of Colonial Handwriting," the first chapter explains how a particular writing style was, far from being considered an expression of individuality, actually selected and adopted -- learned, cultivated, and practiced.
Clerks learned one writing style; engrossers another; aristocratic ladies still another, and gentlemen something different yet again. These styles were instantly recognizable to everyone who mattered, so that merely by looking at something a person had written, his/her social status, educational level, and relative importance in society were immediately known. It was a useful system for a class-based society, a society that was facing increasing depersonalization in communications brought on by the rise of the printing press. That society would have been aghast at the idea that merchants’ and gentry’s words should be given the equal weight that the printing press, with its uniform text, gave them.
Reading and writing were not taught at the same time, and sometimes writing wasn’t taught at all. Not everyone was thought to need to know how to write, and the ability to read wasn’t considered dependent on writing. Especially in America, reading was considered essential because it gave individuals personal access to Scripture. On far-flung frontiers without clergy, spiritual development was often self driven.
The intricate exercises on this page (of which this is only a sample -- it includes many others!) show some of the movements students practiced interminably to gain proficiency in the strokes used to make letters.
But writing? Inessential. A good eye with a hunting rifle, the ability to judge planting times, good weaving skills, yes; but not writing. Writing was at best a commercial skill. For women, it held the same importance as needlework or dancing, while illegible writing on the part of gentlemen was considered proof that they were above crass commercialism. These attitudes also served as a powerful social control.
Suppose you were a lowly clerk with the proper mercantile "hand" for your station. Suppose you had some rather radical political or social ideas and the audacity to write an inflammatory pamphlet. You’d most likely have it published scribally, meaning it would be reproduced by hand by someone who, as I understand it, would reproduce it using a style appropriate for your station in life. Anyone among the upper classes (or other classes, for that matter) would know by the handwriting style with which the piece was written that you were only a clerk and that your words and thoughts should carry no weight.
As Thornton sums up, "The appropriate degree of authority granted to the handwritten word, to literacy in the largest sense, was inscribed into the very words themselves, guaranteeing that literacy would carry neither socially promiscuous meanings nor culturally disruptive uses."
Notice the detailed definitions of very basic terms -- slant, a straight line, a curved line. This penmanship book differentiates ad infinitum between right-hand and left-hand curves.
Big changes came during the Victorian era, particularly in teaching methodologies, that eventually came to identify handwriting development with character development. The Victorians conceptualized the development of a disciplined, ordered handwriting as evincing the internalization of the discipline, integrity, resourcefulness, and other characteristics they felt essential to a strong, upright character.
In men, a "muscular" handwriting was admired. Women ("ladies," anyway), mirroring their supposedly passive role in society, were expected to exhibit frivolous, overly ornate hands that took inordinate amounts of time to pen properly -- thus demonstrating that they had nothing of importance to occupy their time.
In typical Victorian fashion, they complicated the process to such an extent that they’d write literally pages of instructions on how a person was to sit, pages more on pen position, and still more pages on paper position. I have engravings of a skateboard-like tool with a hole in its front end, on which a student’s forearm rested while he practiced penmanship (the pen went through the hole to touch the paper and the skateboard was supposed to train his muscles to the proper movement).
Read this, and see if you can decipher exactly what it says. Imagine trying to remember what stroke was what, how it differed from others, and how they fit together while your hand was struggling to follow your muddled brain. Could they have made it any more difficult?
Later on, one school of handwriting instruction broke letters down into individual component strokes, which at their most extreme were taught externally to the letters: You’d learn Stroke A, Stroke B, and Stroke C, and then learn that a particular letter was composed of A and C, for instance. Overcomplication? Well, the Victorians were good at it!
Out of this group came Platt Rogers Spencer, who developed the wildly baroque swirls of Spencerian script. At the height of this movement, some writing masters’ instructions for certain feats (usually illustrative of the masters’ prowess) included holding the pen stationary on the paper while rotating the paper 180° before continuing -- hardly something useful for ordinary folk.
Later came A. N. Palmer, who was considered revolutionary in his time and who approached penmanship training with a regimentation that left generations of children with shivers if they heard the term "push-pull." Children were, among other things, made to stand at blackboards and, at "push" and "pull" commands from the teacher, make rows of consistent up/down chalk marks. As skill advanced, these would be done on paper in decreasing sizes until a good writing size was reached.
During A.N. Palmer's era, if you did everything right and completed your push-pulls with aplomb, you might receive a button like this one as a reward for your efforts.
As typewriting had mechanized office communication, Palmer turned individual writers into machines -- the social importance ascribed to handwriting had again transmogrified from an integral indicator of character to a disconnected musculoskeletal function. Palmer"s method did, however, result in uniform, legible handwriting. The downturn of penmanship was in part in response to that extreme regimentation.
Later chapters trace the development of graphology, which has its roots in mid-1700s attempts to decipher character from physiognomy (phrenology was one branch of that school of thought), and the evolution and devolution of the craft as it gradually slipped into disrepute and became sidelined as an inessential element in an educated, well-rounded person.
The 248-page book is available almost anywhere, with hardback list price at $45 and paperback at $18. You can probably even find one at a used-book store. Either way, it’s well worth the read and may even become a valued member of your reference library, as it has mine. Published by Yale University Press, ISBN 0-300-07441-7.
Book review, by Dyas A. Lawson
This flourish is made with a superflex nib on an E. Johnson dip pen from the 1800s. Even then, superflex nibs were a bit of a specialty item; and their relative fragility made their survival to modern days less likely. Note how the ink separates to follow the individual tines as they spread past the ink’s ability to maintain a sheet across the gap.
"How do you know when a nib is flexible?" asked the puzzled young man before me, a frown crinkling between his eyebrows.
"Uh-h-h. . ." My response, slightly less than articulate, illustrated my bafflement. For me, it’s kind of like breathing -- hard to explain step by step to, say, a fish with new lungs. But the young man had a legitimate question: How do we determine whether a nib is rigid, semi-flex, flexible, or a wet noodle? How can a person judge whether he or she might like to try one, or for that matter what it ought to do once in his/her possession? Can we make comparisons to pens that nearly everyone would have access to, so we’ll have a more or less equal baseline for comparison?
That sent me on a quest to those more knowledgeable than I about nibs, metallurgy, calligraphy and flexible-nib-based handwriting, and flexibility in general. Sam Fiorella, John Mottishaw, Pier Gustafson, and David Nishimura, to be exact -- all well-known and well-respected names in the pen-collecting world.
First, we should note that nib flexibility involves many factors. Among those are alloy composition, tine length and width, nib thickness, slit length (to some extent), and others. Less controllable factors (at least as far as objective analysis is concerned) come into play, also, such as the writing characteristics of the person wielding the nib -- for example, the pressure on the nib and the angle at which it’s held to the paper. And if those weren’t daunting enough, we still have to add the physics involved, which includes such things as friction, opposing forces, and things I haven’t messed with for 30 years.
You can relax; we aren’t going to go into those technical bits. They can be fascinating, but also complex, and deserve detailed discussion on their own. Since they aren’t relevant to our main point, which is how to determine a nib’s flexibility and give it some sort of classification, we’re going to ignore most of them.
General classification agreement
I was pleased to see that everyone essentially agreed with my initial assessment: The only practical way to determine a nib’s flexibility is to try it out -- feel it -- and judge its behavior against that of other nibs. In other words, we all use a subjective/relative assessment rather than an objective/measurable one (although I’m sure such a set of criteria could be developed if one were so inclined).
"I judge it like you do, by the feel of the nib and just how it writes," said Fiorella. "No magical formula!"
:Nishimura offers descriptions that he uses to judge flexibility
Semi-flex: nibs with "suspension," i.e. they respond to pressure with a change in feel, but without creating significant line variation.
Flex: nibs that provide significant line variation.
Superflex (the "wet noodle" variety): nibs that must be used with a light touch, that open up with very light pressure and can be destroyed by careless or inexperienced handling.
"There’s really not much more one can do, as a practical matter," Nishimura said. "There’s no simple answer to flex descriptions."
Above , you can see some of the typical characteristics of a rigid vintage nib: short, stubby tines and a short slit with a broader shoulder. Above right, a more flexible nib with longer, thinner tines, a narrower shoulder, and a slimmer profile overall.
Many pen experts recommend testing a nib for flexibility by pressing it gently against your fingernail. The more quickly the tines spread and the lighter the pressure, the more flexible the nib. This nib, on a 1920s Conklin, is fairly flexible, spreading significantly with little pressure.
A simple methodology
Mottishaw, the metallurgist and nib-modifier in the crowd, had similar thoughts but a different way of expressing it, and offers a simple, easy test for flexibility. "Rather than an objective criteria I would describe a methodology," he said. "Because flexibility is a characteristic in a gold nib, to bend when put under pressure, the test becomes one of feeling.
"What I like to do is place the tip of the nib on my left thumbnail and feel how much pressure is required in order to separate the tines. I suppose one could measure that in grams (ounces might be a little crude), but I never have."
Obviously, then, the lighter the pressure needed to cause the tines to spread appreciably, the more flexible the nib. The thumbnail test is a common one among penfolk; look around any pen show or gathering of pen collectors, and the fountain-pen users will be testing each other’s nibs on their thumbnails for just the effect Mottishaw mentions. (Caveat: Do this gently and cautiously until you know what you’re doing so you don’t accidentally spring a nib beyond its ability to recover.)
It’s significant, also, that people experienced with flexible nibs tend to the definitions Nishimura offered. Agreement was pretty much universal as to what constitutes rigid, semi-flex, flex, and superflex. That will make our task somewhat easier.
Gustafson, a professional calligrapher and graphic designer who creates the exquisite thick/thin flourishes of Spencerian, copperplate, and related hands with the ease with which most of us blink our eyes, once wrote and illustrated a pocket-sized booklet, which he jokes is "fraught with subjectivity," that delved into the intricacies of nib flexibility. It’s important to note at the outset that the mark of a top-notch calligrapher is not the breadth of line, but the fineness of the finest line produced and the quality of the transitions from thin to thick and vice versa (the desirable qualities vary from hand to hand). It takes considerable control to make that just-barely-there stroke (and make it consistently) preparatory to the pressured stroke that splays a nib. Part of the nib’s ability to do that is the only other nib quality we’re going to discuss, and that briefly: Return, as Gustafson calls it.
Return refers to the rapidity with which a flexed nib returns to its original shape. If it does so instantly when pressure is released, it has a fast return; if more slowly, a slower return. This will affect the kind of thin/thick lines it will make, regardless of who’s wielding it. A fast-return nib will allow an instant switch on the upstroke from thickest to thinnest line; a slow-return nib will not, and will result in a more gradual change from thick to thin. Sometimes this is desirable; sometimes not.
We’ve compiled a list of modern and vintage pens that tend to exhibit the characteristics we’re illustrating. This list is not exhaustive, nor even hard and fast. It’s entirely possible to have variation within manufacturers and within the same model range. We hope that at least one or two among them will be available to everyone, so you can try the various nibs against your own thumbnail and get a feel for flex vs. non-flex. In addition, these descriptions will help readers understand exactly what we mean in future when we classify a nib as flexible, semi-flex, or rigid.
Rigid nibs, which have little to no flex, leave lines of uniform width regardless of pressure. Left to right, Rotring Core, XS nib (about the same as F); Retro 51, M; Visconti Pericles, F; Cesare Emiliano, M. Please note--these images are intended only to illustrate line-width variation, not to be beautiful!
Rigid nibs
Most modern nibs fall into this classification. They often are just as suitable as ballpoints or rollerballs for multi-copy forms and are certainly easier for ballpoint-reared hands to master. I can’t think of a modern nib that’s genuinely flexible (Nakaya and Namiki Falcon would fall into my "soft" category). The change in fashion to rigid nibs occurred in the early 1920s when the first Sheaffer Lifetime and Parker Duofold nibs were made thick and solid to live up to their long warranties. Sheaffer Lifetimes and Senior Duofolds from 1924 through 1930 will usually be rigid, as are all Waterman’s manifold nibs, and most vintage manufacturers -- Conklin, Wahl-Eversharp, Mabie Todd -- included rigid nibs in their line-ups. The Parker 51s and Sheaffer conical (Triumphs, Snorkels) and inlaid nibs (PFMs, Imperials) generally fall into this category. Contemporary pens with rigid nibs include such readily available (and usually inexpensive) pens as the Parker Vector, Sheaffer No Nonsense, Diplomats, Heros, Cesare Emilianos, Pelikan Futures and Pelikanos, and disposable fountain pens such as Pilot Varsitys. Most modern Waterman nibs are rigid -- a nice irony, since their early nibs were among the most expressive in the industry -- as are most current Parker and Sheaffer nibs.
These lines, made with semiflex nibs, show slight variation from very light to fairly heavy pressure. Left to right, Ancora Ravenna, F; 1940 Sheaffer Balance, EF; 1940 Parker Duofold, F; modern Pelikan 400, F.
Semi-flex nibs
Most Pelikan nibs, on the 400 models and up, tend toward semi-flexibility. When pressed, these "soft" nibs give slightly, imparting a gentle, cushion-like "bounce" to the feel of the writing. This doesn’t give significant line variation, but it can set up an engaging writing rhythm; it’s almost as if they give your fingers a boost toward the next letter. Semi-flexes also can be found in many of the Italian brands, such as OMAS, Stipula, Delta, and Ancora. Nakaya's flexible nib is on the soft side of soft for me; it comes closer to old-style flex, but isn't quite. Generally, you’ll not find these among the under $100 pens (although there can be exceptions, usually where you least expect them). Waterman #2 nibs from 1915 through 1925, with the New York imprint, and Sheaffer’s ca. 1920 self-fillers are vintage examples.
With flexible nibs, we begin to see some genuine line variation (and it takes much less pressure to get it). Left to right, Security, F nib; Waterman’s #7 Red, F; 19th Century Aikin-Lambert dip pen, F-M
Flexible nibs
Among early flexy Waterman nibs, the #2s are the most ubiquitous. The flexibility of the Pink and Red nibs in the 5 and 7 series is legendary. Wahl, Conklin, and Mabie Todd made a range of flexible nibs in the semi-flex and flexible categories. Mottishaw adds that few truly flexible nibs were made after 1930 and even fewer after 1940, but points out that Canadian-made post-1930s Waterman and Parker pens slated for export often had flexible nibs, as these had a place in the hearts of many Europeans (who also had flexible Pelikans, OMAS, and Mont Blanc pens to choose from).
Pre-1920 Parker and some early Sheaffer nibs had lovely flexibility, too. Dip pen nibs usually offer more flex at lower prices, and it’s really not that difficult to learn to control the ink flow with a dip pen. I still use them to write letters from time to time and find it quite soothing. That can make it an inexpensive way to try out flexible nibs to see if you like them. I'm reminded of a craze for Sailor's Zoom nibs a while back -- everybody had to have one, but the majority of people realized after they'd bought the specialized nib that they couldn't handle it well. You won’t find any modern fountain-pen nibs that are genuinely flexible, no matter what their manufacturers and catalog-writers say.
Note the differences in ink intensity in these examples of superflex lines. The left one has a slower return than the one on the right; and you can see that when the nib is spread to its maximum, the ink lays slightly thicker toward the outside edge, near the tines. Also note the curlique outline at the end of the far-right example; as the nib was lifted, the tines sprang back together quickly enough to leave an instructive footprint. Left to right, Mabie Todd, Aikin Lambert, Fairchild, all dip pens from the late 19th and early 20th Centuries.
Superflex nibs
Waterman, Mabie Todd, and Wahl-Eversharp are about the only vintage firms that made superflex nibs, and they can be hard to find. After all, super-flexibility wasn’t something everyone wanted even when the pens were originally made. Some Parker and Conklin nibs from about 1910-1917 can fall into the superflex category, but they aren’t common. You’ll find this quality most often in dip pens from the mid 1800s onward; you won’t find it in any modern pen. Be sure, if you’re considering a superflex or even a flexible nib, that you have an opportunity to try it gently and see how quickly and widely the tines spread. A pen show is a perfect place to do so, with a vast array of nibs and a lot of people to help you choose (and test gently). If that’s not an option, members of pen-related lists and boards online are good sources of information, too, and again, some dip pens at your local art store can give you an inexpensive trial run.
The accompanying illustrations, which make no pretense as to beauty but are utilitarian only, should help you judge where on the flex spectrum a specific nib falls. Using superflex pens requires a delicate touch that does not come naturally to hands reared on ballpoints, rollerballs, and the like.
Flexible nibs part two discusses what flexible and italic nibs are supposed to do, with the goal of helping you decide whether you want one or are getting the most out of those you already have.
Reprinted from Stylophiles Magazine, January 2004. Pen images courtesty of Riepl Imaging.
This offset oblique pen is made especially for use with copperplate and Spencerian scripts. The nib holder is offset to allow the writer to hold the pen at a comfortable writing angle while putting nib to paper at a much sharper angle than would be possible (or comfortable) otherwise. Looks like a medieval torture device, doesn't it?
Chances are, if you’ve purchased a flexible-nibbed pen with the expectation that it would make your handwriting look fantastic, you were disappointed. Popular belief seems to be that merely using a flexible nib (or stub or italic, for that matter, but here we’re sticking to flex nibs) will automatically confer beauty on your handwriting. Unfortunately, it’s not so. This is what I not-so-fondly call the flexible-nib myth.
Oh, flex-nibbed pens will make your writing look different, all right, and that may be all most people want. But "different" isn’t necessarily beautiful or better —- or even more legible.
For instance, I have a correspondent who has small handwriting, but believes that a broad italic nib makes his writing better and a flexible nib makes it beautiful. What those tools actually do is close up every a, e, and o so they’re indistinguishable, and each d and b looks just like every h. I won’t even talk about m, n, u, v, and w. Suffice it to say that reading his letters is sometimes a bit of a strain!
Another correspondent likes to use flexible nibs exclusively, but she’s never wanted to learn a copperplate or Spencerian hand. This is fine; flex nibs can, if used properly, "dress up" regular handwriting. But while she makes nice thick/thin lines and some pretty swirls, no two letters have the same axis and the baseline has a scalloped shape, not the straight baseline our eyes need to read easily.
Sorry to bring the bad news, but truly beautiful handwriting comes from disciplined practice and the application of specific skills. Without those, a flexible or italic nib may be fun, but it won’t be used to its greatest advantage. The truth is, flexible (and italic) nibs are intended to do specific things. To get the most out of them, you have to learn the appropriate techniques -— just as you wouldn’t blindly smack a hammer against a wall and expect it to hit nails without guidance, you can’t expect a pen to form beautiful or even legible writing without some direction -— some technique, if you will —- from your hand and arm.
Training and practice
These days, neither our eyes nor our hands know how to distinguish beautiful scripts done correctly from those executed poorly. Let’s say someone -— we’ll call him Bob, though we mean no offense to any thusly named readers -— has spent a little time learning the shapes of copperplate. He often expresses elation at the lovely letters he can now make. Because his untrained eye is unable to discern the subtle differences between the shapes he’s made and those he’s trying to replicate, Bob is stuck between the proverbial rock and hard place.
He can probably see that a professional’s script looks "better" than his, but can't determine why, and knowing why is vital to improvement.
Two characteristics are critical to good scripts: pressure and control. As mentioned briefly in part one of "The Joy of Flex," it’s not the breadth of the broadest part of a letter that’s the mark of a good calligrapher, but the delicacy and consistency of the finest line. To achieve that delicacy, Bob must consistently be able to control the pressure of nib against paper. And smooth, consistent control involves the use of shoulder and arm muscles (the shoulder girdle -— the use of the large shoulder, chest, and arm muscles to provide smooth power and endurance, while the wrist, hand, and fingers perform more delicate guidance functions) as well as the hand. It’s not difficult to learn, but it does take time and effort to master the skill.
Unfortunately, the only way I know to develop this technique is to practice. This means that, like a grade-schooler of a couple of generations back, Bob’s going to make a lot of mistakes, ugly letters, and probably many blobs and blotches. Most adults, having become accustomed to being competent at most things they do, have a difficult time going back to that "beginner" attitude and allowing themselves to make mistakes.
I’ve no intention of trying to explain in this brief space how to wield a flex nib with flair and skill. I do hope to illustrate a few of the things Bob’s new flex nib will do, if handled properly, and what to look for both when using one and viewing other people’s writing.
Basic do’s and don’ts
First, any good script should have a straight baseline —- all the letters should "sit" on the same line. All the strokes should be at the same angle. All the "x" heights —- the main body of the letter -— should be the same and you should be able to draw a straight line across the tops of the ascenders and descenders (e.g., top of h and bottom of p, respectively). And all the lines drawn across all those separate parts should be parallel. (Unless you’re doing flourishes, which allow you to exceed those upper and lower limits.)
Figure 1: When done properly, Spencerian strokes are parallel, of even width from top to bottom, at the same angle, on the same straight baseline, and executed with the same pressure.
Figure 2: Poorly executed strokes are at different angles, none of which is quite correct (the two on the right are closest). Angles don't match, baseline is crooked, pressure varies from top to bottom, and other details are wrong (see text).
We all have different writing angles, but for formal copperplate, one of the scripts for which flexible nibs were made, that should be at about 30-35° from vertical, or about a 55-60° angle to the baseline -— an angle steep enough to make writing feel awkward, which is why the offset nib holder was developed. Thus, letters should be written at about this angle and vertical strokes should look something like Fig. 1, not Fig. 2. This is where most of us first go wrong. We aren’t taught any longer (particularly those of us who learned to write after the early 1960s) to write consistently, even with ordinary printing or cursive, so we don’t know how to look at our writing analytically and recognize our inconsistencies and mistakes.
If you note those details, you’ll see that the strokes in Fig. 2 are at different angles, only two of which approximate the 35° slope. Rather than being of even width throughout, the poor strokes show that, left to right, pressure is applied inconsistently after the stroke has begun; pressure is applied slightly after the stroke has begun and increases, widening the stroke throughout its length; pressure is uneven and the stroke wobbles; and pressure is released before the end of the stroke. The base- and top lines aren’t straight, either.
Next comes the pressure-and-control part. In properly done script, the thins are consistent and clean, the transitions to and from thick strokes are smooth, and the transitions occur at the same place for each letter. The last is, in my opinion and observation, the most difficult thing for modern students to get correctly -— there are so many ways to do it wrong! In the examples below, note the baselines and X heights and carefully compare the tops and bottoms of the strokes and the spot where the thick-thin transition occurs. In the first, the strokes are fairly good —- parallel going up and down, and with the transitions occurring just past midpoint on the downstroke or upstroke.
These strokes are done correctly for copperplate or Spencerian. The thick/thin transitions are consistent, as are angles, curves, pressure, and other details (see text).
Here, we have a beginner's attempt at the above strokes. It's easy to see, when comparing them to the correct examples, where and how they go wrong, but it can be devilishly difficult to see those things in our own writing. See text for detailed explanation.
In the group above, we have some common problems, which have been exaggerated for effect. Again, left to right, strokes are fairly parallel but pressure doesn’t start until after the downstroke has begun; strokes aren’t parallel, though the downstroke pressure begins at closer to the right spot; the o is too round and pressure isn’t released before the upstroke begins; the strokes are close to parallel but crooked, showing uneven pressure, and additional pressure comes on the upstroke just after it starts upward (a good way to break a delicate tine); strokes aren’t parallel and pressure stays on past the beginning of the upstroke. And just look at that baseline!
This is a beginner's attempt at writing with an offset oblique nib. Line-width variation definitely exists, but not in any consistent fashion, and compared to the better example (green, below), it’s. . . well, pretty sad. Fortunately, the person who committed this atrocity also thinks it’s pretty sad, so we can make fun of it.
Here, we've added a green line to show how the baseline rises, dips, and curves, more like a mountain range than a written line of words.
Above, the familiar phrase executed by a more experienced hand. Much easier to read, soothing to the eye, even, cleanly executed, legible -- and beautiful.
If copperplate is starting to look and sound a little more complicated than just picking up a flexible nib and writing . . . well, it kinda is. It’s not so much difficult as it is exacting, and it requires great attention to the tiniest details we’re not accustomed to worrying about, and then there’s that pressure-and-control thing . . .
You aren’t going to be able to pick up a flex pen and learn copperplate from these brief examples. (If you can, we’ll all want your stock-market tips, too!) This would take a lot more information, and more time, dedication, and practice than most of us want to put in. But they should give you a sense of what your flexible nib was meant to do, what it can do in the right hands, and equally important, what good copperplate ought to look like, so you won’t be overly impressed with less-than-prime examples.
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Above are two examples of writers who frequently use flexible nibs in their everyday worlds. Neither has Spencerian pretensions, but both are reasonably legible and smooth. In the red example, you can see thicks and thins and a couple of graceful transitions; but this nib is too wide for the writer's normal handwriting. In the green example, there's less line-width variation and the writer depends more on flourishes than letterforms to gain distinctiveness. These are ordinary flexible nibs, not intended for Spencerian hands; they'll give lovely line variation but it’s difficult to do proper copperplate with them because of the extreme forward angle required.
A final note: Always, using your pens should be fun. If learning this kind of thing is just more effort than you want to put into it, don’t. Enjoy what your flex nibs will do within the sphere of your own interest and writing abilities. Just watch those baselines and angles, and try to make sure that your writing is legible.
Just in case you wanted to see what the whole offset oblique pen looks like, I threw this in. Sorry, but yes, you have to master the art of dipping pens to use them.
Reprinted from Stylophiles Magazine, February 2004. Pen images courtesty of Riepl Imaging.
Wanna try calligraphy now? Take a deep breath. Don’t even think about ornate gothic styles! And don’t try it ’til you’re comfortable with the shoulder-motion, wrist-and-forearm-make-the-letters writing you’ve been working on. If you wait, you’ll be much more successful with calligraphy.
Don't drool over this Gothic style (often called Old English, top), because it’s not for beginners. You can draw them, but that's not the goal, is it? The goal is flowing letterforms. A simple, flowing, attractive italic (bottom) is a much more sensible (and readable!) objective.
For calligraphy, you’ll want a chisel-point (italic) pen for the thick-and-thin strokes that make attractive letterforms. Platignum makes a nice one; so does Osmiroid; I have a Sheaffer with three or four interchangeable nibs. They’re cartridge pens and much easier for a beginner than dip pens. Parker has a Vector calligraphy set, Sheaffer a Prelude, and Rotring, Pelikan, and others have theirs. Filcao makes a nice set that comes with a regular fine nib as well as the chisel-shaped calligraphy nibs.
These graceful, ornate copperplate styles require the use of an offset oblique nib (see "Joy of Flex," part two) to execute them correctly (and without tearing your wrist from its moorings).
A quick note about italics and stubs: Italic nibs have sharp edges to give a clean, crisp transition from thin to thick to thin. Stub nibs have the same square, chopped-off look when viewed straight on, but if you look at them from the side, you can see that tipping material has been added so the point appears much thicker. This will still give you line-width variation, but the transitions will be softer and less crisp than if you’re using a regular italic nib.
However, regular italic nibs can be difficult for beginners to use. Because their edges are sharp, it’s easy for beginners to catch the corners or edges in the paper and yank or tear. Very frustrating (for the pen, too, I would imagine!). Most of the brands listed above have taken this into account, so that their calligraphy pens have some softening on the edges to help you get over this hump.
Another popular nib shape is often called "cursive italic." This is an italic grind, but with the outside corners smoothed off so that, if you press it quickly to paper at exactly 90°, you’ll get an oblong footprint. If you did this with a calligraphy italic nib, you’d get a rectangular footprint. This makes it easier for people to use for regular cursive writing.
Many pen experts recommend testing a nib for flexibility by pressing it gently against your fingernail. The more quickly the tines spread and the lighter the pressure, the more flexible the nib. This nib, on a 1920s Conklin, is fairly flexible, spreading significantly with little pressure.
If you’re a leftie, you’ll probably want to try oblique nibs -- they’re cut on a slant to accommodate the awkward angles lefties must use to write from left to right. It’s easier for underwriters than hook-over writers to do this, too. Their hands don’t drag over the just-inked words. If nothing else, use cheapie throw-away markers for practice. You can approximate an oblique cut on a marker with a sharp razor blade or X-acto knife. (There’s a book for lefties from Dover Publications, address at end: Left-handed Calligraphy, by Vance Studley. Marie Angel [also at end] addresses southpaws, too.)
Oblique nibs seem to have developed popularity, but I look at this pretty skeptically. Like the fad for Zoom and flexible nibs, I think it's largely a "me too" thing because frankly, not too many people either need or can use oblique nibs. If you’re right handed and trying to use a left oblique nib (the majority of oblique nibs), you have to cock your wrist at an unnatural angle to get the nib to contact the paper fully. If you hold your wrist more comfortably, only part of the nib will touch. Try putting the nib to paper (making a footprint, for example) while holding it in your fist. You'll see the odd angle at which it meets paper. The vast majority of people I"ve observed using oblique nibs don't use them correctly.
These two italic styles show that within a given style many, many variations can exist. Once you've developed your skill, you'll find that your italic looks slightly different from anyone else’s -- you'll have truly unique handwriting!
Most people first want to learn an italic style. Many "stroke charts" (charts that show which way to make what strokes and how to combine them to form the letters) exist; about my favorite overall is the trusty and inexpensive Speedball booklet. It has a good variety of styles, samples and examples, the letters are formed well (not always the case with instruction books, particularly those that come with calligraphy sets), and the charts are clear and self-explanatory. Should be available at any art store and most stationers. Practice combining the strokes, which will be similar to the ones you’ve been practicing, to form the letters.
They’ll probably look awful at first. They’ll become more refined with practice. Above all, don’t give in to the temptation to let your fingers form the letters! It’ll look better at first if you do, but will undo all the hard work you’ve done so far. Long-term, it’s counterproductive. Be patient and keep at it, just like you did the loops and circles.
Soon, if you’ve laid all the groundwork, you should be whizzing along and writing better, if not beautifully; and if you can move into calligraphy, then you'll eventually be able to add "beautifully" to that, too.
Many calligraphy books are available from Dover Books, which seems to be virtually unknown except among teachers. Many of Dover’s books are republished; all are reasonably priced. I’ve liked all the calligraphy books I’ve bought from the company.
Now they do:. Tell them you want their calligraphy-book catalog. You’ll never get one if you wait to show up on their mailing list -— they only send stuff to people who ask for it. Dover also has the classic Writing & Illuminating & Lettering, by Edward Johnston, which everyone should read just because. Some of my favorites are on the resources page.کد:http://store.doverpublications.com
By Dyas A. Lawson
You’ve decided, you want to improve your handwriting and you’re probably hoping a fountain pen will do the trick -- maybe a friend told you it would. Maybe you’re just adventurous and you want to try your hand at calligraphy (or you might, once your handwriting improves). Good for you!
A fountain pen may make your writing look a bit better, but if your writing looks as if frenzied chickens got loose on the page, chances are this won’t be enough. Most likely, you’ll need to retrain your arm and hand.
After coaching handwriting and teaching calligraphy over the years, I’ve learned to see the characteristics of those who’ll be able to pick up the necessary motions quickly from those who’ll have to work a bit harder.
Crampy, uneven letters are often the result of drawing the letters with the fingers rather than using the whole arm to write.
People who inevitably have trouble with handwriting and calligraphy write with their fingers. They "draw" the letters. A finger-writer puts the full weight of his/her hand on the paper, his fingers form the letters, and he picks his hand up repeatedly to move it across the paper as he writes.
If you use the right muscle groups, your writing will have a smooth, easy flow and not look tortured.
People for whom writing comes more easily may rest their hands fairly heavily on the paper, but their forearms and shoulders move as they write. Their writing has a cadence that shows they’re using at least some of the right muscle groups. They don’t draw the letters with their fingers; the fingers serve more as guides.
This exercise may help you determine which category is yours: Sit down and write a paragraph. Doesn’t matter what. Pay attention to the muscles you use to form your letters. Do you draw each letter with your fingers? Pick your hand up repeatedly to move it? Have an unrecognizable scrawl? Does your forearm move? Chances are, if you learned to write after 1955-60 (depending on where you went to grade school), you write with your fingers.
My goal isn’t to make you into a model Palmer-method writer or a 14th Century scribe. If you can compromise between the "right" methods and the way you write now and improve your handwriting so you’re happier with it, then I’m happy, too.
A few people hold the pen between first and middle fingers, which feels really awkward to me, but I’ve seen it work.
It will take time to re-train muscles and learn new habits. Finger-writing isn’t fatal, but it is slow and often painful (if you have to write much). The first thing you must have (beg, buy, borrow or steal it) is patience and gentleness with yourself. The second requirement is determination.
If you finger-write, that is the first, most important thing you must un-learn: Do not draw your letters! Do not write with your fingers! Put up signs everywhere to remind you. Write it in the butter, on the shaving mirror, stick notes in the cereal boxes. But learn it!
I hesitate to include this, because it sounds much more difficult than it is . . . but . . . let’s look at the most basic things: holding the pen and positioning the hand.
Fig. 1. This is the most common pen-holding position, with pen between first and middle fingers, held in place by the thumb.
Most of us hold the pen between the thumb and index finger, resting the barrel on the middle finger (fig. 1). This works better than holding it between the thumb and the index and middle fingers, with the whole assembly resting on the ring finger (fig. 2). If you do it the first way, you’re off to a good start. If the second, you’ll be okay. In both, the remaining fingers are curled under the hand.
Fig. 2. The two-fingers-on-top method for holding the pen while writing.
Pick up your pen and look at your hand. You’ll have better control and a better writing angle if your pen rests over or just forward of the bottom knuckle on your index finger, not between thumb and index finger (see fig. 3). (I hold my fountain pens in the latter position, but when I pick up a calligraphy pen, it drops obediently right over that big knuckle--go figure!)
Fig. 3. Note that with this position, usually used for calligraphy (or among really disciplined writers), causes the pen to rest atop the knuckle of the forefinger.
For handwriting, the pen position is less important than for calligraphy. I recommend working in your familiar position unless it’s really bad. What’s essential is that you be comfortable, the pen feel balanced and you have no tension in your hand. Rest the heel of your hand and the angle of your curled-up little finger on the paper.
Hold the pen lightly; don’t squeeze it. Pretend the barrel is soft rubber and squeezing will get you a big, fat blot. (If you were using a quill, you’d hold it so lightly that the actual act of drawing the quill along the paper would create the proper contact.)
Many books recommend you write with your table at a 45-degree angle, but that’s impractical for most of us. If you can prop up a board or write with one on your lap, that’s a good place to start, but a flat surface is fine. Once you try an angled surface, you’re likely not to want to quit, so be careful-- here goes a whole new budget’s worth of art supplies!
Sit up straight, but not stiffly; don’t sit hunched over or slumped. Don’t worry too much about this position stuff; the important thing is what makes you feel relaxed and comfortable. Your writing arm needs to be free to move, so squished into the La-Z-Boy probably won’t be productive.
Hold your fingers fairly straight and write slightly above and just between your thumb and index finger, right where you’re holding the pen. Don’t curl your hand over and write to the left of your palm; that’s a crampy, miserable position. More lefties do this than righties.
Commonly called the "hook" position, this is often seen in left-handers. It makes it harder, but not impossible, for them to use a fountain pen, because their hands tend to drag over the wet ink.
When you’re practicing and you reach the level on the paper at which it becomes uncomfortable to continue to move your hand down the paper to write, move the paper up. Once you recognize your "writing level," the paper should move up at that spot rather than your hand moving down the paper. (This isn’t critical. If you notice it and it bothers you, that’s what you do about it. If it doesn’t bother you, skip it.)
I’ve found only one reference to using the right muscle groups to write, and this is critical. I can’t be the only person who knows this; I’m neither that smart nor that good. Calligraphy instruction books address hand position, desk position, lighting, paper, you name it--but for some reason, not using the right muscles.
As you’ve probably surmised, the "right muscles" are not those in the fingers. You must use the shoulder-girdle and forearm muscles. This muscle group is capable of much more intricate action than you think and tires much less easily than fingers, besides giving a smooth, clean, sweeping look to the finished writing. Though it seems paradoxical, since we’re accustomed to thinking of small muscles having better control, the shoulder-girdle group, once trained, does the job better.
To get a feel for the proper muscles (and start training them correctly), hold your arm out in front of you, elbow bent, and write in the air. Write big. Use your arm and shoulder to shape letters; hold your forearm, wrist and fingers stationary and in writing position. You’ll feel your shoulder, arm, chest and some back muscles doing most of the work. That’s good. That’s what they’re supposed to do. Try to duplicate it each time you practice.
People always look puzzled when I mention the shoulder girdle. If you raise your hand in the air and make large circles, note the muscles you use in doing so (here, shown in darker pink). That’s the shoulder girdle.
Write in the air until it becomes as natural as breathing. It’ll be awkward and feel silly at first. If you have a little kid around, get him/her to do it with you. You’ll both have fun, you won’t feel so alone, and it’ll be good for the child’s handwriting, too. If you don’t have a kid, tell your co-workers you’re improving your financial karma or hexing your boss.
As you become comfortable, reduce the size of the air-letters you make. If you have access to a chalkboard or a stick and a fence (or even a finger and a wall), write on them. They’ll give you a feel for the muscles you need to use and writing on a vertical surface makes it virtually impossible to finger-write. (If you’re one of the people who can’t write on a blackboard because you keep wanting to shrink the writing down so your fingers can do it, this is really important for you.) If you keep wanting to hunch up close and put your hand on the chalkboard or wall to write, resist the urge! You’ll be indulging those dratted fingers.
Remember: Your fingers should move very little and your wrist even less. Your forearm does most of the guiding, while your shoulder provides the power.
At some point, you’ll want to try this with a pen. Hold it gently. Place it on the paper in an ordinary lined spiral notebook (the lines act as ready-made guidelines for size and spacing). If you can get hold of a first-grader’s Big Chief tablet, which offers big lines with a dotted line between two bold lines, use it. There’s a reason children start out writing big and the letters get smaller as they get older and more skilled—-that’s the easiest way to learn.
Start making Xs and ///s and \\\s and OOOOs and overlapped OOOs and spirals and |||||s. Do not draw these strokes and figures! Use the same shoulder-forearm muscles you’ve been practicing with. Make your lines, loops, circles and spirals freely. Work into a rhythm and make it a habit.
When you start making slashes and circles, they’ll be uneven. With practice, they’ll become more uniform, and uniformity is your objective.
Your goal is smooth, uniform, evenly spaced lines, loops, circles and spirals, without drawing them.
This is where you’re most likely to get discouraged. If you use a spiral notebook for practice, you can leaf back and see your progress. At first, your strokes and lines will be bad—over-running and under-running the lines, too small, too big, crooked, uneven, just ugly. Check your position; check your muscle groups; and try again. And again.
Concentrate on keeping wrist-hand-fingers largely stationary and in proper alignment. Let the big muscles do the work. It will be more tiring at first, because you’re using muscles that aren’t accustomed to that kind of work. It’ll be hard and frustrating, ’cause your body will want to do it the way it’s done it since first grade… even though that way is wrong. It may help to concentrate less on the accuracy of the shapes you’re making than on the muscles making them. Retraining your arm is the goal, not making pretty little circles and lines first time out.
Uniformity and consistency are your aim in all the exercises, whether loopy or slashy. Though it seems uncomfortable, these exercises will make a huge difference in your control and smoothness.
When you start putting the strokes and lines on paper, start out big. Three, four, even more lines in your notebook. (Big Chiefs are handy for this.) This helps ensure that you continue to use the shoulder girdle. Don’t try to make pretty letters at this stage. Do the exercises as much as you can—-shoot for every day. Ten or fifteen minutes a day should show results in a few weeks for most people. And note that both air-writing and paper exercises can be doodledduring meetings and while on holdwaiting for somebody!
Concentrate on that shoulder girdle. Let it do the work. Write big. Write words and sentences at the same time you’re doing strokes and exercises. You need both working together to succeed.
Gradually, as your control increases, make your strokes and letters smaller until they’re the size you normally write. You’ll know when you get there. By this time, you probably won’t have to make extra effort to incorporate this stuff into your writing; it’ll be automatic. And your writing should look much better (and be easier and feel better, to boot).
A brief History and early background of Handwriting Analysis
The interest in handwriting as an indicator of personality has its origins far back in history. Over 2000 years ago, Aristotle noticed the correlation between handwriting and personality while the Chinese independently also made the observation that there was a connection between character and writing.
It was however, only in 1622 that an Italian physician and professor of philosophy at the University of Bologna, published a book describing the analysis of character through the study of handwriting.
In the late 1800's, Abbe Michon who was the headmaster of a school in Paris and a respected intellectual, wrote several books on the subject and coined the name of "graphology". Later, his successor, Crepieux Jamin, classified the many features of graphology into a comprehensive system.
Meanwhile, during the 1890's in Germany, Dr Ludwig Klages, a philosopher and graphologist, applied gestalt theory to graphology, advanced his theories of rhythm and "form level" and significantly broadened the scope of graphology.
Max Pulver, a Swiss professor who lectured in Graphology at the University of Zurich used psychoanalysis for the first time in the interpretation of graphology. This line of investigation was also followed by Ania Teillard, who worked closely with C.G. Jung for 20 years and applied his typological theories (extrovert and introvert etc.) to the theory of graphology.
Alfred Binet, the renowned psychologist who founded the present method of I.Q. Testing for intelligence was a firm supporter of handwriting analysis. He confirmed that certain character traits are reflected in handwriting.
As a method of personality assessment, handwriting analysis has been validated by research using both empirical and clinical procedures. (see Research)
Handwriting as a personal trademark
Handwriting is a very personal and individual trademark of personality. As no two people have exactly the same handwriting, signatures have for hundreds of years been regarded as legally binding on documents of all types. A person's handwriting is his own private trademark or seal which cannot be reproduced by any other individual.
This was firmly believed by no less a personality than Sir William Herschel who founded the system of identification through fingerprints. He accepted that handwriting revealed character in the same way that fingerprints reveal identity.
Alfred Binet, the renowned psychologist who founded the modern method of I.Q. Testing for intelligence was a firm supporter of handwriting analysis and confirmed that certain handwriting traits revealed actual character traits.
The French psychologist, Pierre Janet (1859-1947) referred to handwriting analysis as a "science of the future" and described handwriting itself as; "an act which leaves a printout. It is the film record of the writer's sensibilities."
The "printout" left by handwriting is a description of the individual's character in psychological code. The graphologist, by using scientifically validated graphological techniques in combination with psychological theory is able to decipher that code and to translate it into a meaningful description of the writer's character
"Discover the real secrets about the Hidden Meaning of Handwriting!"
Fine words on a page say one thing, but the real message behind the words reveals a very different story!
Take a look at the following handwriting sample:
If you received a note like this what would you be able to tell about the writer? The words are friendly enough!
If you look a little closer you will see that there are a number of conflicting signs.
Can you see the danger signals? There are red flags popping up all over the place
An understanding of handwriting analysis will quickly show you that this writer is dogmatic and dictatorial, emotionally unstable, bad tempered and possibly even violent!
The signs are clear to see.
It's even possible to find the underlying reasons for the danger signals and to understand why the writer has so much personal conflict in his life.
You'll be surprised to discover how much detail can be extracted from just a single page of handwriting.
Of course, to be able to read these signs yourself, you will need to have some understanding of handwriting analysis first.
And the good news is that you can!
The Hidden Meaning of Handwriting is a fascinating guide that will introduce you to the world of handwriting analysis. It will open new doors for you!
It will help you to develop and expand your own special insight and give you a new understanding of what makes people tick. You will learn how to delve into the secrets of personality.
As you learn how to access the deeper message behind the handwriting you will marvel at your new-found understanding of people.
The Hidden Meaning of Handwriting is the first part of an exciting and well-illustrated course in handwriting analysis.
You will be shown step by step how to use a special and reliable method of analyzing that will give you excellent and accurate results time and time again.
This is no guessing game - the information that you will receive is based on sound principles.
Get the book right away and start to learn how to read the hidden message behind any handwriting yourself.
You will be shown how to:
Gain new understanding of your own personality and find new confidence [ برای مشاهده لینک ، با نام کاربری خود وارد شوید یا ثبت نام کنید ]
Understand even the most difficult of people. You can apply this knowledge to anyone. [ برای مشاهده لینک ، با نام کاربری خود وارد شوید یا ثبت نام کنید ]
Understand hidden feelings and emotions straight off the page! [ برای مشاهده لینک ، با نام کاربری خود وارد شوید یا ثبت نام کنید ]
Uncover signs of conflict and tension in yourself and in others [ برای مشاهده لینک ، با نام کاربری خود وارد شوید یا ثبت نام کنید ]
Get to know the real character, nature and sincerity of the person who wrote to you. This is info that you will use again and again. [ برای مشاهده لینک ، با نام کاربری خود وارد شوید یا ثبت نام کنید ]
Know where your rivals are coming from so that you can never be taken by surprise. [ برای مشاهده لینک ، با نام کاربری خود وارد شوید یا ثبت نام کنید ]
See generosity and gentleness where you least expected it. Sometimes there really is a heart of gold in the crustiest of exteriors! You will be able to find it. [ برای مشاهده لینک ، با نام کاربری خود وارد شوید یا ثبت نام کنید ]
Recognize intelligence, aggression, confidence and more [ برای مشاهده لینک ، با نام کاربری خود وارد شوید یا ثبت نام کنید ]
Identify the signs of low self-esteem. Just this one insight alone will show you the cause of many a problem. [ برای مشاهده لینک ، با نام کاربری خود وارد شوید یا ثبت نام کنید ]
Identify selfishness, inhibition, vitality, energy and many other personality traits. [ برای مشاهده لینک ، با نام کاربری خود وارد شوید یا ثبت نام کنید ]
You will even be able to discover what your ancestors were really like! [ برای مشاهده لینک ، با نام کاربری خود وارد شوید یا ثبت نام کنید ]
These are important insights.
Your friends will find it totally fascinating. You'll astound them with your ability to see into their personalities.
All this and more will be possible when you own -
The Hidden Meaning of Handwriting
The Hidden Meaning of Handwriting is the stand-alone first part of a fascinating course on handwriting analysis.
It will inspire you and give you new insight into different people from all walks of life.
You will be shown special techniques that will enable you to interpret the meaning of handwriting with remarkable accuracy.
You will be given the tools and all the guidance you need to start analyzing handwriting on your own. But you will not find it overloaded with unnecessary detail.
All the information is specific, easy to understand and use.
Most importantly, it is presented in such a way that the principles can be easily applied to any sample of handwriting.
And you will be able to verify your new-found knowledge by testing it on the handwriting of people you know.
The course is liberally illustrated and includes samples of handwriting of some famous personalities. Each sample is carefully described and fully explained.
To give you an idea of the contents, here is just a small sampling of some of the many aspects covered:
CONTENTS OF THE COURSE
Analyzing signatures can be a minefield. But if you truly want to find out what your signature reveals about your secret self I’ll show you how to do it hassle-free.
Find out what your written letter "I" says about your self-esteem and confidence. Learn how to interpret this correctly and avoid throwing your whole profile out of focus.
Find out why 98% of people have the wrong idea about untidy handwriting. Discover how you can avoid falling into this trap so that you don’t end up with a prejudiced and misleading personality profile
Discover a sure-fire way to identify extroversion and introversion from any handwriting sample
Find out which signs to look for if you want to access the secrets of anyone’s temperament. Failure to master these simple but important steps will totally ruin your report.
Lower loops can be indicative of your libido. But ascribing lower loops purely to libido is one of the worst mistakes you can make in your personality report. Find out how to avoid this mistake and discover some really fascinating answers.
Learn the correct but rarely known facts about left-slanted or backhand writing if you want to avoid the mistakes made by 90% of handwriting “gurus”
Discover amazing insights about rhythm in handwriting that will breathe real vitality into your personality report and bring it alive!
If you’re having problems analyzing handwriting that is illegible you're probably looking at the wrong process. I’ll show you how to analyze any type of handwriting – legible or illegible.
How to discover amazing new insights about your social relationships and your place in society.
If you find it difficult to identify intelligence and mental attitude in handwriting you're probably looking at the wrong clues. I’ll show you how easy it is to press the right buttons in order to get the most revealing answers.
When you truly understand the meaning of pressure in handwriting the graphological lights go on. Find out how to get this one thing right, and you’ll be way ahead of the rest who will continue to battle with it.
There are a few simple things that you’ll need to know about i-dots and t-strokes in your handwriting. It’s very easy but few people apply this correctly. When you know how, you’ll be well in advance of most other students of handwriting.
And this is only the beginning!
"The Hidden Meaning of Handwriting" will put you in touch with the real essence of personality!
All the handwriting samples are displayed exactly where you need them so you'll see the whole analysis process come alive as you read.
You'll find it fascinating and exciting to see a complete personality unfold before your eyes.
Years of research have gone into this course. I know that it will give you great value and that very special insight into personality that others only dream of.
I have no doubt you will have as much inspiration and enjoyment from analyzing handwriting as I had in writing this course.
Sincerely,
Sandra Fisher
Thompson’s History of English Handwriting charts the development of the distinctive, and often very beautiful, English scripts, beginning with the introduction of half uncials by Irish monks in the seventh century. Although manuscripts from Rome and elsewhere on the Continent influenced English handwriting, it displayed unique characteristics which even the Norman Conquest did not completely obliterate.
The basis of this book is a paper delivered to the Bibliographical Society in 1899 and printed in the Society’s Transactions the following year. It has been revised by Gerrish Gray who has taken the opportunity to increase the number of illustrations from eighteen to forty-eight. Transcriptions have been added to eight of these, making the book a useful introduction to English palaeography. Sources of illustrations include Bibles, psalters, chronicles, charters and literary manuscripts.
Sir Edward Maunde Thompson (1840–1929) was educated at Rugby and University College, Oxford. Lack of money forced him to leave the University without taking a degree, and in 1861 he found employment at the British Museum as assistant to Sir Anthony Panizzi, the Principal Librarian. He transferred to the Department of Manuscripts in 1862, being made Assistant Keeper in 1871. He was made Keeper of Manuscripts in 1878 and Principal Librarian in 1888. His highly-regarded Introduction to Greek and Latin Palaeography was first published in 1893 and revised in 1912.
:Important Information
Graphology is the study and analysis of handwriting. This can effectively assess the writer’s traits/personality. Scientific Handwriting Analysis is used primarily for authenticating a document or signature and has little to do with that person’s make-up or personality.
Before the analysis, if not performed face-to-face, the responsible graphologist is required to know the writer’s age, --- and nationality – none of which will be revealed in the writing.
Graphology can effectively determine that individual’s personality and myriad of unique traits, including his/her strengths and weaknesses. We all write differently. That is because we are all different. The slant of the letters, their pressure, size, breadth, height and spacing between the letters along with a myriad of other signs, represent the different aspects of the writer’s personality.
:Historical Background
It may surprise you to know that Graphology dates its genesis back to 1622 and perhaps even earlier.
Throughout history, scientists, philosophers, artists and others have been interested in the relationship between the handwriting and the writer. This interest appeared as early as 1622. Efforts at handwriting analysis began in 1872, with the work of the French abbe, Hypolite Michon, who gave graphology its name. Michon and his compatriot, Jules Crepieux-Jamin developed the school of isolated signs. This attempted to relate specific handwriting elements to specific human traits.
It took a while. In 1910, Milton Newman Bunker, a shorthand teacher, in Kansas, let his curiosity get the better of him. He wanted to know why, as a penmanship student, he had put wide spaces between his letters and long finals on his words. He began to study the graphology that began in Europe and realized that it was a “hit” or “miss” environment with major contradictions stated by various authors.
In 1915, Bunker made his unique discovery. He recognized that each of his students formed shorthand strokes in a unique manner. He suddenly and clearly realized that it was not the letter which had a trait meaning but the strokes – the shape of the formations within the letter. Graphology suggested that an O with an open top – that is a space opening, indicated a person who would speak very openly and often. He checked and found this to be true. He thought, however, that logically, other letters with the same circle formation (a,g,d & q) should have the same meaning and after checking carefully, he found that they did.
After traveling thousands of miles, and interviewing thousands of people and examining more than half a million handwriting specimens in his lifetime, the copyrighted American System of handwriting analysis – Graphoanalysis was born.
PURPOSE
Reading old German records requires a knowledge of basic German genealogical terms and familiarity with German handwriting. Difficulty in reading a record may not result from a record keeper’s poor penmanship but rather the use of a different style of handwriting. As most early German documents were written in some form of Gothic handwriting or printing, familiarity with this style of writing will aid in deciphering early German records. This guide introduces common Gothic letters, type, and handwriting used in German records.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Two major styles of writing emerged in Europe: Gothic, which has been used since the ninth century, and Roman, also known as Antigua or Latin. Roman eventually became the standard throughout most of western Europe, Canada, and the United States, but the Gothic style prevailed in Germany until 1941, in the Czech Republic through the 1700s, and in Scandinavia and the Baltic countries through the nineteenth century.
You may find Gothic or Latin handwriting styles used alone or together in the same German record. For example, names and headings may be written in one style and the text of the document in another.
The chart included with this guide lists both the standard printed and handwritten Gothic forms of the German alphabet and their Roman counterparts. Since handwriting varies from person to person, the handwriting in your record may vary from the forms shown on the chart.
You may also find variations of Gothic script. In various regions of the German Empire, slight variations of Gothic handwriting and type developed. Variants included “Schwabacher” and the more formal “German Fraktur.”
When printing by moveable type was invented, typefaces were based on the handwriting styles of the time. Two major styles emerged corresponding to the two handwriting styles: Gothic, with pointed, heavy-bodied letters, and Roman, with lighter, more simple letters.
GERMAN ALPHABET
German has all 26 letters used in the English alphabet, plus a few additional letters: umlauted vowels—ن, ِ, and ü—and an Eszett, ك. Specific information about these additional letters is given later.
There is often no distinction made between the capital I (I) and the capital J (I). They may be represented by the same letter whether printed or handwritten and may be also indexed as the same letter. When followed by a vowel the letter is a consonant, J and when followed by a consonant, it is a vowel, I. For example:
Juli (Juli) = July
der Junge (der Junge) = boy
die Idee (die Idee) = the idea
die Insel (die Insel = the island)
PRINTED GOTHIC
Books or forms published with Gothic typeset can be difficult for someone to read. Some of the Gothic letters are similar to Roman style print, but others are quite different. The following letters will probably seem unfamiliar at first: k (k) , x (x), G (G), H (H), S (S), ك (ك), and T (T). In addition, as several of the letters are very similar, you will also need to pay particular attention to the small distinguishing characteristics to be able to read typed Gothic. These include the letters:
A and U (A and U),
s and f (s and f)
B, V, and ك (B, V, and ك)
b and v (b and v)
C and E (Cand E)
k and t (k and t)
G and S (G and S)
n and u (n and u)
K and R (K and R)
r and x (r and x)
N and R (N and R)
v and y (v and y)
There are some tricks that will help you recognize Gothic letters. Note which letters extend below the line of writing and which extend above. Some letters extend both above and below. Some letters extend neither above nor below, such as the letter a.
Gothic print also has ligatures (multiple letters printed as one letter) and diacritics (accent notations added to a letter) not found in English. In German certain consonant combinations are common. The early designers of Gothic type used one type piece to print both consonants. The most common ligatures are:
- ck < sz , ك - sz } - tz [ , ك - ssThe Umlaut (sound shift) is commonly used with three vowels: a, o, and u. It appears as two dots placed over the vowel and indicates a change in the sound of the vowel. These sound shifts are often written without the diacritic marks:
ؤ ن = Ae ae = ؤ ن = Ae و
ض ِ = Oe oe = ض ِ = Oe œ
ـ ü = Ue ue = ـ ü = Ue ue
Occasionally two dots were also used over the y (ے, ے) and over an e as in Noël (Noël) and Michaël (Michaël). In these instances, there is no change in pronunciation of the letter beneath. The dots over the y are carried over from Latin when the double i at the end of a word was written, ‘ij’. (Latin did not have the letter j or y). The dots over the e indicate that the e is pronounced with its own value (it is not part of an umlaut).
Another marking found over letters is the U- bogen, or u-hook. This was a marking like a curved dash placed over a u to distinguish it from an n. This is not to be confused with a straight line placed over an m or n which was used as a shorthand abbreviation for a double letter or leaving out additional letters, as in Joha for Johann or Joes for Joannes (Latin form of Johannes).
German has an additional letter not found in English, called an Eszett (ك). It looks like a Roman script capital B with a tail on top (ك). It is pronounced and sometimes rewritten as a double ss. It is never found at the beginning of a word.
HANDWRITTEN GOTHIC
With handwritten documents, it is not always easy to tell where one letter ends and the next one begins. Many of the letters also have similar shapes making it difficult to tell one letter from another. Practice writing your name and other words in the Gothic alphabet until you can develop a feel for the flow of the letters. This will help you read documents more easily.
When reading German records, you may experience three common problems:
•Gothic letters may look like those you are used to in Roman script, and you will think they are the Roman letters. For example, the v may resemble a w and a w might resemble an m.
•Some Gothic letters may look like other Gothic letters. For example, the following letters may appear very similar to each other in Gothic script and must be carefully distinguished:
e, n, u g, p, q s, h, f, j B, C, L r, v
•Some Gothic letters may be entirely new to you. For example, the Gothic lowercase letters e, h, and s and the Gothic capital letters B, C, H, and S are quite different from the Roman letters.
With practice you will learn to recognize Gothic letters. By studying particular letters, you will be able to read the Gothic handwriting much more accurately. Learning key German genealogical terms will also help.
When a letter cannot be identified in a document, look for the same letter or word in another part of the document. It may be clearer, or the context may make it easier to figure out. Also look for an index. Indexes to German records were often made much later than the original documents and may include the names in a style of handwriting which is easier to read.
Since every individual’s handwriting is distinct, you may wish to prepare a handwriting chart with the alphabet for the particular style used by the scribe who wrote the records you are researching. In particular, note letters that are different than those you are used to.
HOW TO USE THE CHART FOR GERMAN RESEARCH
The following chart shows Roman letters with typed and handwritten German Gothic equivalents. To learn this style, practice writing it. This will help you develop a feel for the way letters are written and distinguish the letters when they are written differently
Dozensof guides and handbooks have been written to assist people in reading German Gothic script. Studying these books will help you to see variations of the script. Most guides for genealogists include examples of names, occupations, and genealogical terms showing how they look in both Roman and Gothic handwriting.
The following is an excellent introductory guide to reading names and genealogical records. It was produced to help people who are unfamiliar with Gothic script:
German Records Extraction—Script Exercises. Salt Lake City, Utah: Family History Library, 1980. (FHL book 943 D27gs; film 1224522 item 1.)
Other helpful guides include the following:
Bentz, Edna M. If I Can, You Can: Deciphering Germanic Records. San Diego, Calif.: Edna M. Bentz, 1982. (FHL book 943 G3b; computer number 0170537.)
Mashey, Anne B. A Guide to Olde German Handwriting of the Mid-1800s for Genealogists, Researchers, Antiquers. Wexford, Pa.: Anne B. Mashey, 1982. (FHL book 943 G37n no.2; computer number 0205085.)
Storrer, Norman J., and Larry O. Jensen. A Genealogical and Demographic Handbook of German Handwriting, 17th–19th Centuries. Pleasant Grove, Utah: Norman J. Storrer, 1977. (FHL book 943 G3sj; computer number 0246694.)
Verdenhalven, Fritz. Die deutsche Schrift—The German Script: Ein ـbungsbuch [an exercise book]. Neustadt an der Aisch: Verlag Degener & Co., 1991. (FHL book 943 G37v; computer number 0651425.)
©1998, 2001 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. No part of this document may be reprinted, posted on-line, or reproduced in any form for any purpose without the prior written permission of the copyright holder. FamilySearch is a trademark of Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
On the eve of a conference on identities, we take a look at the evolving cuisine of British Asians, the rise of Scouse and handwriting analysis
Jane Caplan explores the history of script in Europe at the turn of the 19th century
Anyone who has ever puzzled over an exam script in an attempt to exhume whatever content is interred in the candidate's illegible scrawl will understand the importance of handwriting. But there is more to it than legibility, as any palaeographer or forensic scientist can tell you. In a culture dependent on handwriting - and this is still the case today, despite all things electronic - its recognition and verification assume great importance in everyday transactions. Today, the signature on a forged cheque or other legal document is probably the most common type of disputed handwriting. But in the past, when entire documents were handwritten, forgery lurked menacingly in the shadows of every legal system inthe increasingly documentary culture of modern Europe.
The detection of disputed handwriting has a long history in Europe, and the profession of handwriting expert - still with us - is several centuries old. The first organised corps of handwriting experts, distinct from the scribes and clerks who wrote the documents, emerged in 16th-century France, where laws regulating the use of official writing were becoming increasingly strict. Although practitioners achieved official recognition in the courts, the profession's claims to expert knowledge and legal standing were repeatedly contested by dubious scribes and lawyers.
Claims that individual handwriting could be reliably verified were re-engaged in the late 19th century on a pan-European scale, when - as my research so far suggests - the new sciences of criminalistics and psychology converged to foster renewed interest in handwriting interpretation. This had a dual face: handwriting expertise, the forensic examination of forged or fraudulent hands; and graphology, the interpretation of character from handwriting.
Although we might think of graphology as a typical 19th-century pseudo-science, and therefore might expect the handwriting experts to want to distinguish their forensic expertise from the more florid claims of graphologists, there was actually a good deal of overlap between the two.
True, in 1899, a sceptical French student of the subject declared dismissively that "there is no such thing as graphology, only graphologists". But Hans Schneickert, a big figure in the small world of forensic science, devoted considerable attention in a 1906 treatise to the "unconscious transference of the soul" enacted by handwriting: by which he meant that the act of writing out words, character by character, revealed an unintentional "graphic image" of the writer's individuality, if not exactly his psychology.
In fact, graphologists such as Ludwig Klages, the 19th-century founder of modern graphology, were probably more dismissive of the allegedly mechanistic vision of handwriting experts than vice versa.
Graphologists pointed out that writing is a cultural practice, and writing style indents itself through all kinds of processes that are subject to physical, social and psychological influences. This was what Schneickert and his colleagues recognised, if on rather different terms. But it helped to explain why the superficial comparison of morphological resemblances was incapable of revealing whether two specimens of writing came from the same hand - an issue handwriting experts had been arguing about since the 17th century. Deviations from the norm, whether cultural or personal, crept in unintentionally but inevitably.
Handwriting experts were well aware of the paradox that a reliable clue to a forged hand, especially a signature, was that it too closely resembled an exemplar from which it had been too painstakingly copied: in this case, identity would be evidence of falsity.
This is why I have been prompted to explore the history of handwriting in Europe at the turn of the 19th century. Just as the experts argued that handwriting was an accidental messenger of the unconscious, so I would also contend that the discourse of these experts, when probed carefully, will communicate unintended lessons about the social and cultural assumptions and practices of identity and identification.
Jane Caplan is a fellow of St Antony's College, Oxford University. She is writing a history of individual identification as an official practice.
29 June 2007
Jane Caplan
It is obvious to many people that we are moving through a sea change in the relationship of church and society, clergy and the people of God
As Jack Shea points out in his article on Models of Priesthood (p.10), there is massive conflict coming as laity and priests are heading in different directions. The retrogressive move by church authorities towards a strongly cultic model, a move which has been prevalent under this 25-year pontificate has no resonance among young people today. This is perhaps the reason that many men recently ordained, are finding themselves in treatment centres. Few parishioners are buying their ecclesiology
A Rubicon was crossed at Vatican Il which redefined the church as the "people of God," lay and clergy together, the priest moving with the people into the holy muck and mire of the world. The church would be incarnated in the world as the healing sacrament of prophetic engagement and ultimate reconciliation. It was based on the belief that the signs of the times, potent with God's grace were not movements to be feared
Generous young people, many of whom would have chosen religious life in decades past are now assuming dramatic and idealistic roles in the "secular" world. Energized and validated by the call to universal holiness at Vatican 11, the best educated generation of Catholics have intuited Lord Acton's observation in the 19th century: "God's handwriting exists in history independent of the church."
The Kielburger brothers (p. 14) are typical of the many selfless young people in touch with the pulsating call of the Holy Spirit in history. We encounter legions of these young people in the great social movements of our time but, sadly, to many of them, the church has the odour of embalming fluid. The institution is the worse off
One should only look at the lack of energy in parishes today. Staffed by aging priests and surrounded by people of similar age, not of progressive mindset, they are not players in the major issues of the day. One senses a low-level depression, people shuffling through lifeless liturgies, only to repeat them the following week
There is no sense that the gospel is the great adventure, the leaven in the loaf or the light on the hill. A new Babylonian captivity of suburban predictability, periodic charity and numbing normality represents a badly truncated gospel
On the other hand, few parishes are in trouble for taking strong stands on behalf of the voiceless. So few are these, the God who energizes seems to have left the building. In other secular communities who are attempting to alleviate human suffering, the young are meeting the Holy Mystery
In many ways the genie is out of the bottle. What appears to be ecclesial chaos and diminished church attendance is in reality the people of God finding their voice and, as Mary Rice suggests in her article, (P.16), their baptismal legs. Like the Markan story of the paralytic (Mk 2:1-12) they are heeding the voice of their Lord "Stand up, take your mat and go to your home."
The parishioners of Martin of Tours (CNT Sept 26 and p. 6) are doing this. Faced with an institution where lay people are merely tolerated and often patronized, they leave. Dawn Bazely's letter on page 2 is typical of the women of this generation. Too many have picked up their mats with the values the Church gave them and moved on. A patriarchal church is the loser: as one United church minister told us, her parish is filled with ex-Roman Catholics
John's gospel reminds us that "the Spirit blows where it wills" (3:8), As we sat around our editorial table recently, we described the signs of life we saw. One member who went to Fr. Thomas Keating's recent seminal- on Christian meditation discovered a vibrant lay movement, well-organized and non-hierarchical. Another person pointed out that Bishop John Shelby Spong attracted 600 people to a United Church in Peterborough with his prescient warning that Christianity must change or die. Moreover, hundreds of believers came out to the launching of a book challenging corporate globalization
.In an ice age, there is so much to be grateful for, the unquenchable Spirit
2004 .Catholic New Times, Inc
2004 Gale Group
.Many people do not know that 'Cursive' just means 'Joined-up'. It is not the name of any particular style
.by Christopher Jarman M Ed, Dip Ed, Cert Ed
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".These rules apply to all Western handwriting regardless of the so-called copybook style"
1. Good writing is based on a pattern of ovals and parallel lines
2. All small letters start at the top
3. All the downstrokes are parallel
4. All similar letters are the same height
5. All downstrokes are equidistant
6. The space between words is the width of the small letter o
7. Ascenders and descenders are no more than twice the height of small letters, preferably less
8. Capital letters are no higher than the ascenders, preferably less
9. Lines of writing are far enough apart for ascenders and descenders not to touch
10. Letters which finish at the top join horizontally
11. Letters which finish at the bottom join diagonally
12. Letters which finish on a stroke moving left, are best left unjoined
[ [ برای مشاهده لینک ، با نام کاربری خود وارد شوید یا ثبت نام کنید ] [ برای مشاهده لینک ، با نام کاربری خود وارد شوید یا ثبت نام کنید ]
This comprehensive book for teachers has been used in UK schools since 1979 and has never been bettered
First published by Blackwells of Oxford
It contains 150 pages of resources on the history of handwriting, things to do, and interesting facts about the subject
.There are 51 photocopiable copy pages
The Development of Handwriting Skills set consists of
One. A Resource book for Teachers
Two. Six copy books
Three. Six photocopiable work books
by Christopher Jarman DipEd, MEd
Hi my dear
thank you so much for this useful topic
It was so intersting
thank you a lot
Instructions
Step 1 First gather a variety of different types of pens from around the office or home. Try each pen out on piece of paper by signing your name, to determine which type of pen you write better with. You may be amazed that just by changing to a different pen, your handwriting may be improved two folds
Step 2 Practice holding your pen different ways. Do not just do what feels right, because that is just old habits coming back to play. Try to hold the pen light and do not squeeze hard. Write your name a couple of times to get a feel on which way a pen is held to get the best results for you
Step 3 Use your chosen pen to write capital O's on the lined paper. Fill all the lines. Be aware of what you are writing, it will not help you as much if you just put a lot of sloppy O's on a paper
.Step 4 Do this as often as possible. Remember, practice makes perfect. Take weeks or months if you need to
.Step 5 After you are confident in your O's, do the same thing with your initials to your name. Use cursive
.Step 6 As your handwriting shows improvements go ahead and do the same thing by writing signature
.Step 7 Practice, practice, practice
There are three components to handwriting, whether a child is learning to print or write in cursive: correct letter formation, uniform letter size, and uniform slant. Children should focus on one objective at a time-first, correct formation, then size, then slant. Have them work on several, but not all, letters, forming letters and then words. Once assigned letters are formed correctly, emphasize uniform size-lower case letters consistently half the size of upper case letters, but continue to require correct formation. Then add uniform slant, again, while continuing to require children to maintain the correct form and size already accomplished. Follow this procedure as you add new letters, words, and sentences. When practicing single letters, require the same even spacing as you do between whole words. It helps young children to use a Popsicle stick or some other tool that can be placed on the paper for uniform spacing. (Using one or two fingers is often suggested.) Check slant by drawing a straight line through center of each letter-top to bottom (not left to right). All those lines should be parallel if slant is uniform. Printing may not require this check if letters are formed correctly. Cursive writing, however, often appears sloppy simply because all letters do not slant uniformly. The lines you draw through the letter should look like this
. / \ or slant a bit more to the right, but not be a mix: / l / / / /
Oversee practice so children don't fill a page with improper work simply to finish quickly. Praise letters and words written well and have the student erase and rewrite anything unacceptable. While this may seem time consuming, remember that it will actually take more time to undo bad habits.
Young children should use large writing or painting tools for better control. Don't be concerned about letter size at first, instead, emphasize form, letting them draw on blank paper with easy-to-hold "fat" markers, crayons, or paintbrushes which allow less pressure to be used in drawing a solid looking line. Be sure the children use the same grip required later for paper and pencil work. For those children that insist on using adult pens and pencils, add a finger grip (available at many educational supply and office supply stores).
Begin with lines and shapes, encouraging children to draw all vertical lines from the top to the bottom. All circular shapes should begin at the 2 o'clock position, moving up, left, and around-like the letter c. (Kids tend to start at the top and make egg shapes.) Shapes using straight lines-triangles, rectangles, and squares, should always use individual lines that meet, not a single stroke with an attempt to make "pointy" corners. Every line should be drawn left to right or top to bottom. Vertical lines are drawn first, left side, then right side, and then the connecting horizontal lines. The horizontal lines on top are first, and all horizontal lines should begin at the left. Kids have their own short cuts, so these basics do need to be taught.
Next, teach a few lower-case letters and short words. Many children want to learn to write their own name before anything else. That's fine as long as you are careful to show them the correct form for drawing each letter, only use a capital letter at the beginning, and then give him samples to trace.
Once letter formation is acceptable, children should practice on paper with wide guide lines in order to learn to control size as well as to develop uniformity in size. There should be solid lines at the top and bottom, a dotted line in the middle, and space before the next guide lines. This is typical primary handwriting paper, available at many local education or business supply stores. Whether printing or writing in cursive, begin with paper that has a dotted middle line rather than using traditional notebook paper. The center line serves as an important guide and aids in faster achievement of uniformity of size. Handwriting paper is available with lines in a variety of widths. Have the student write something on blank paper so that you can see the size he is most comfortable writing, then use that as your guide, rather than age, to select the most appropriate paper for practice. Write the letter or word on the paper a few times for the students to trace and then copy.
For best results, handwriting practice should be scheduled every day. It is better to take several days off after practicing consistently for a week or so, then to practice erratically. It is also more effective to have two short practices a day then one long practice if the child becomes quickly fatigued when writing. Fine motor skills develop more slowly, especially in boys, then gross motor skills. Often boys fuss about paper and pencil work simply because their hands get tired. Be sure to have students sitting in a proper writing position. The flat surface on which their arms can rest comfortably should not be too high or too low, and their feet should be supported on the floor or on a box, rather than dangling. Improper table height, a slouching or straining body position or dangling feet all sap strength, increasing fatigue.
Handwriting practice consists of copying, not creating, letters, words and sentences. Separate composition from handwriting by allowing children to dictate or type compositions, turn in work with handwriting that is less than perfect, or copy final drafts during regularly scheduled handwriting practice instead of the usual handwriting lesson. Remember that composition requires students to focus on content and organization, and, during the editing process, on spelling and punctuation skills. If handwriting perfection is also required, students who are fatigued by handwriting or who have difficulty with neatness are likely to look for ways to avoid composition assignments. At the very least they will compose extremely short works simply to avoid as much handwriting as possible.
It is also acceptable to allow students to answer workbook questions orally, avoiding handwriting to fill in blanks. During handwriting practice focus on adjusting size or any other difficulties that make attempts to fill in blanks sloppy, illegible, or tediously slow. Increase the total daily time spent on handwriting as an isolated lesson as necessary rather than pressuring the student with handwriting expectations he is not yet able to meet while he is working in other subjects. As maturity and motor skills allow, you may require readable written answers that fit the allotted space. Once you know that the student is capable of neat work done at a reasonable speed, all final written work (not rough drafts) can be required to meet the standard you have set.
Ultimately, students should be able to take phone messages, write letters, and complete applications with writing that is legible, neat, and fits into the space allotted. Teach older students who have great difficulty with cursive writing to sign their names with a mature looking cursive form, and then focus on printing letters that are neat and small enough for filling out forms. They can use their typing skills for everything else. The college bound student will also need to print or write in cursive neatly and with enough speed to complete essay tests. Speed is also required for taking notes, although in that case neatness is required only to the extent that they can read their own writing. Otherwise, they, too, can rely on typing skills for reports and compositions.
Handwriting does not have to be a battleground. By targeting specific and narrow objectives, praising efforts that are well-done as well as pointing out errors to be corrected, and scheduling regular, supervised practice, progress can be made much more rapidly than if children are left on their own to complete handwriting workbooks. Young children want to write well, but are often frustrated by their own lack of coordination and discouraged because it requires so much more effort to please either the teacher or themselves than they thought it would. Older students often rush to complete assignments and argue that neatness is irrelevant. In either case, the teacher must be patient, choose reasonable objectives, and stand firm. Legible handwriting is a worthy cause!
.Kathryn L. Stout, B.S.Ed., M.Ed
Published: November 1998
Thank you
I' save this part for myself
thank u again my dear
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Cursive: Lowercase - Alphabet Animation
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IN an ancient Assyrian document, which was written during the reign of Sardanapalus V., it is said that the god Nebo revealed to the ancestors of the King the cuneiform characters of their language. This account of the sacred origin of their writings was universally believed by the people. To many persons, trained in the customs and modes of thought peculiar to our age, it seems quite incredible that this idea was over seriously entertained; but, according to statements of reliable historians, such a belief was universal.
Nearly every nation of antiquity has, at some period of its history, attributed the origin of letters to the beneficence of the god in which it trusted. This appears not only from statements of the writers, but from the nature and signification of their words. In the Egyptian language, the term writing signified, according to Lenormant, "Writing heavenly words." This meaning is not only beautiful but essentially true, for whatever may be the origin of letters, no gift or invention has been as useful, nor contributed so much to the civilization of mankind, as the ART OF WRITING.
That a people like the Assyrians, for the most part uneducated, having but little intercourse with other nations, should believe that none but the gods could see meaning in the wedge-like forms of their language is not strange; but it seems extraordinary that such an enlightened people as the Egyptians should have attributed anything supernatural to their hieroglyphics.
The true origin of the art of writing could not well be understood by a person confining his observations to any one language or time. To the student of philology, however, it is not a surprising fact that writing was not invented by a single man, but gradually worked out by the contributions of numerous generations. The invention of written characters is due to the genius of man working through ages, and proving, indeed, that "art is long."
Under these circumstances, it is natural that the accounts of the origin of writing should be somewhat varied, but there is a very general agreement that the first developments of written language are to be found among the Egyptians. It might have been expected that the three great classes of kindred languages, the Aryan, the Semitic, and the Turanian, would give us the source of our written characters; but the connection between thought and the symbols of thought has not proved strong enough to decipher the ancient characters without a key or alphabet. Owing, therefore, to our limited knowledge, we can only trace three principal sources from which the various nations have derived their letters--the Chinese, the Assyrian and the Egyptian. It is claimed, moreover, that the Assyrian ought not to be classed as a source at all, as that language is manifestly the product of long experience with more simple forms.
All writing has been divided into two classes--Ideographic and Phonetic.
IDEOGRAPHIC writing is the art of expressing ideas by means of images or pictures, and is the natural language of children and primitive men everywhere. The most perfect examples of this writing have been found in Egypt, and have been known as the hieroglyphs. The Egyptians developed four languages, which, by their resemblances and variations, enable us to trace, with considerable certainty, the course of linguistic evolution. The oldest of these languages is the HIEROGLYPHIC, in which the pictorial element prevails to the largest extent. This language was in use more than three thousand years before the Christian era, but it was confined to the priests; it was chiefly employed in religious services, and in the rituals for the dead. The second of these languages of Egypt, and that which was by far the most useful to the world, was the HIERATIC. This language was in use twenty centuries before the close of the old era, and was the medium of the best thought of Egyptian literature. To this also we must look for the source from which the nations of Europe have principally derived their letters. This language, though ideographic, was rather symbolical than pictorial; it had so far departed from the original forms that it may be considered a cursive writing; and it is probably the first example known among men. The other two languages found, among the Egyptians were the DEMOTIC and COPTIC, but their influence was far less than the hieratic.
The characters of the HIERATIC language, which the Phoenicians had adopted, were soon taken from the service of ideographic writing, and became the basis of another system called the PHONETIC, in which the characters represent sounds. Of the phonetic languages there are two classes: the syllabic, in which each character represents a combination of sounds, and the alphabetical, in which each character is the symbol of a single sound. It required a long experience to bring into use the system of phonetic writing now employed by the most enlightened nations of the world. Time and experience, however, developed our present art of writing, for which no price was too great to pay.
The difficulties which men have encountered in the development of this art can scarcely be understood unless we study the materials which men have employed in the attempt to express their ideas in written forms. The laborious chiseling upon stone, the slow tracing of the iron style upon the palm leaf, the papyrus and the wooden blocks, and the separate process of filling or rubbing into the lines the chosen pigment, involved difficulties which the writers of our day would not willingly undertake. If persons of to-day were compelled to use those modes for a short time, they would return to our present methods with the consciousness of exalted privilege and blessing.
The study of the writings of the different nations shows us that there were generally two motives that guided their course of progress. The more important was the desire to save work; the other motive was the love of beauty. It is hard to believe that men have always been moved by these causes, when we see some of the ugly characters which they have used; yet there are very few systems in which we do not find (even from our own peculiar standpoint) many illustrations of the aesthetic and economic qualities of men. As an example of the latter, we note the cuneiform inscriptions of the Assyrians. These are supposed to have been developed from the linear style of cutting in stone. Experience showed that the wedge could be cut much more quickly than the angle formed by two narrow lines.
The desire for beauty was especially predominant among the peoples of northern and western Europe from the close of the twelfth to the sixteenth century. During this time the Gothic script prevailed, and it still has a representation in the characters of the German language. These were the characters used in the famous "Black Letter Books," as the first books published in Germany imitated the heavy lines of the Gothic script in use with the people at that time. But the Gothic characters do not seem to have been very satisfactory. The French modified them, and gave to their forms the name "letters de somme." The Italians rejected them altogether, and produced the forms now known as the ROMAN. These appeared in an edition of Pliny's Natural History, published in Venice in the year 1469. It is a circumstance worthy of note that the ornamental Gothic letters, which were rejected by most of the European nations so many years ago, are now beginning to lose favor even among the Germans themselves, and there are very many who long to see them exchanged for the simpler form of the Roman.
It is impossible to foresee the changes which are in store for the written languages of today; but it is certain they are not fixed. Some changes will undoubtedly take place. There is work enough of an excellent kind for those who will undertake it. Many persons look upon writing as something which anybody may accomplish, and think it does not matter very much how it is done. They like to see individuality in writing. But we must remember that writing is an art; that while there is a certain scope for the individuality of each one who writes, there are also inexorable laws. Whatever improvement we have made in the expression of thought by means of script, we have made by discovering and obeying the laws of this Art. So long as writing consisted only in imitating a copy without regard to principles of letter construction, and without care for the position of the body, or for the movements of the arm and hand, it depended for interest solely upon its utility in conveying intelligence and preserving to men the important events of history. But when men began to study the subject more carefully, they found there were more things in this Art of Writing than were dreamed of in the old philosophies. Observation taught them that mere imitation could never give the best results. The process of writing involved a series of movements of the arm and hand, the laws of which could not be ignored without serious loss in time and in the skill of execution. A few persons may be skillful artists without formulated rules, but only those who are gifted with superior powers of imagination and elegance of taste can ever attain great skill by any other means than practical familiarity with rules. But the study of this Art has done more than to reveal the fact of a loss in time and skill; it has demonstrated another fact of the utmost importance to writers, book-keepers and copyists, that the use of the pen, even for long periods of time, is not unhealthful nor greatly exhausting, when the method is natural and physiological.
While, on the other hand, there is no occupation more tedious, and none that makes a more severe draft upon the energies of man, than the use of the pen by improper methods. Diseases of the hand and ruin of the whole nervous system are often the result. Many men and women, whose health has broken under the task of writing, have failed and suffered, not so much from the difficulty of their work as from the attempt to do it in an unnatural way. It is of no use to fight against Nature, and whoever attempts it must suffer. It is inexcusable to shut your eyes to the light of science, and employ a method which is condemned by the plainest laws of your own body. Penmanship may now be justly termed a science. The knowledge pertaining to it has been classified, and the rules of a natural method have been made so complete, that any one who will follow them carefully for a few months will be rewarded by a power of easy and rapid execution which could never be attained under the old method of learning to write. In the development of every art there is a tendency to adornment. Indeed, there are few things which man attempts in which you will not find evidence of his aesthetic nature, consciously or unconsciously expressed. Even in so practical an art as writing this has appeared, and has brought discredit to some extent upon the schools. But this has been simply from a misunderstanding of the uses of the ornamental style. Apart from its peculiar use in decoration, it is of the highest service in training the muscles of the arm and hand, and in allaying, when properly employed, all unnatural excitement of the nerves. Viewed in this light, the development of the ornamental style is to be regarded as an important part of the advances in the art of writing. Whoever has used the method of training, in which the ornamental style has been employed as a means of giving the best control over the muscles, will need no other evidence to convince him of its great utility. But if any examples were needed, it may justly be said that those institutions, which have employed it most carefully, have been most successful in sending forth pupils expert in the use of the pen, and possessed of a ready and legible handwriting
Penmanship: A Practical System
With penmanship, persons who desire to acquire a good handwriting cannot pay too much attention to the assumption of a CORRECT POSITION, of which there are three, the FRONT, the RIGHT side, and the LEFT side. The Front Position is most commonly used, and we always recommend it, especially to students learning to write. In this position sit square with the desk, but not in contact with it; keep the body erect, the feet level on the floor; place the paper in front of the body, in an oblique position, and square with the right arm; rest the left arm on the desk, with the hand on the paper to the left, above the right hand, and forming a right angle with it
Right Side Position. Sit with the right side to the desk without touching it; let the paper lie square with the edge of desk; place the right arm on the desk parallel to edge, and the left hand above the writing, so that the arms form right angles with each other; body and feet are relatively the same as in front position
Left Side Position
Sit with the left side to the desk; body erect; left arm parallel to edge of desk with the hand on the paper above the writing; paper square with desk; and right arm at a right angle with the left. This position is recommended especially in the counting-house where large books are used, that have to be placed at right angles to the edge of the desk. The right arm should always be parallel to the sides of the paper or book
Penmanship: the Movements
IN writing, three MOVEMENTS are necessary, viz: FINGER movement, MUSCULAR or FORE-ARM movement, and OFF HAND or WHOLE ARM movement
Finger Movement
Let the arm touch the table on the muscles only, about three inches from elbow; hold the wrist clear from the table and square, so that a pencil laid on the back of wrist would be in a horizontal position; hold the pen between the thumb and first and second fingers; keep the second finger nearly straight and about three quarters of an inch from point of pen, resting the holder halfway between the end of finger and first joint; the forefinger, which is also nearly straight, rests over the holder; and the thumb, slightly bent with its end against the holder opposite the first joint of the forefinger, keeps the holder in its proper position. Guard against letting the holder drop in the hollow between the forefinger and thumb. The upward strokes are made by extending the first two fingers and thumb, and the downward strokes by contracting them; let the hand glide over the paper on the nails of the third and fourth fingers, keeping them closed above the second joints
Muscular or Fore-arm Movement
The same position of arm and hand is used in this movement as in the finger movement, but instead of forming the letters by the extension and contraction of the fingers, they are formed by moving the hand and wrist with the pen, letting the arm roll on the muscle near the elbow, and sliding the hand over the paper on the nails of the third and fourth fingers. This is the proper movement for business writing, and beginners will acquire a good business hand much sooner by constantly practicing it
Off Hand or Whole Arm Movement
In this movement raise the elbow from the desk, and move the whole arm from the shoulder with the pen, letting the hand slide on the nails of the third and fourth fingers. This movement is only used in making large Capitals
Formation is the manner in which letters are made. All letters are formed with straight lines and curves called principles. The straight lines are all parallel and of the same slant. Curves are of three kinds, convex, concave, and compound
Slant
All straight lines in the formation of letters should be at an angle of fifty-three degrees (53 deg), and all curved lines in small letters connecting straight lines should be at an angle of thirty-two degrees (32 deg); when the space between letters is diminished this angle is increased, but in all cases the main slant should remain the same. The above engraving shows the MAIN SLANT (53 deg) and the CONNECTING SLANT (32 deg)
Space
The line on which the writing rests is called the BASE line, that at the head of the small letters the HEAD line; and the line to which the Capitals extend, the TOP line. A space in small letters is the width of the letter u and height of i, excepting the loop letters that have the height of capitals; d, p and t, that are two spaces above the base line; and f, g, j, p, q, y and z, that are two spaces below the base line
Shading
It is better that students in learning to write should make all small letters withoutshading except the letters d, p, and t; and in shading Capitals there should be but one shade in a single letter. After one has learned the formation of small letters, shading may be practiced, making two or three in a word of eight or nine letters
Cursive Letters: Analysis and Construction
With regards to cursive letters, nothing is of greater importance in learning to write than that the student should acquire a thorough knowledge of the analysis and construction of all the letters of the alphabet. Many persons fail to acquire a good handwriting, because they have never taken the trouble to inform themselves in this respect, and merely imitate the general characteristics of a letter without the slightest knowledge of its regular construction. Some individuals even boast of their ignorance, and pride themselves on the legibility or individuality of their style of writing. Educated people, however, consider a knowledge of the formation of letters essential to those who wish to acquire a graceful or genteel handwriting. After this has been accomplished, individuality will develop itself, and by constant practice you will gradually work out a peculiar style of your own; but without a knowledge of the fundamental laws of penmanship you can no more learn to write properly, than you could draw a fine picture unless you had first mastered certain rules relating to the art of drawing.
HOW SMALL CURSIVE LETTERS ARE FORMED
The three PRINCIPLES given below are those employed in the formation of all letters. They should be thoroughly understood before attempting to construct either small letters or capitals, as one, two, or all three of these principles are used in every case.
I. The first principle of small letters is a convex curve, commencing at base line, and ascending to head line at an angle of thirty-two degrees (32 deg).
II. The second principle is a concave curve, commencing at base line, and ascending to head line at an angle of thirty two degrees (32 deg).
III. The third principle is a straight line, commencing at head line and descending to base at an angle of fifty-three degrees (53 deg).
Begin on base line, and ascend with convex curve to head line; retrace one-half space, and finish the movement with convex curve to base line; turn to the right and ascend with concave curve to head line, forming a pointed oval; descend with a straight line on main slant to base; turn to right, and finish with concave curve. -- PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
Begin on base line, and ascend with convex curve to top line; turn to the left, and descend with straight line to base, crossing upward movement at head line; turn to the right on base line, and ascend with concave curve to head line; finish with a horizontal concave curve to the right, one-half space in length.--PRINCIPLES 2 and 3.
Begin on base line, and ascend with concave curve, leaving space enough between its highest point and the head line for the passage of another curve; unite angularly, and descend with straight line on main slant one-fourth space; make a short turn to the right, and ascend with concave curve; turn to the left over the upward curve, touching the head line; descend to base with straight line on main slant, and finish as in a.--PRINCIPLES 2 and 3.
Form the pointed oval as in a; continue the second principle one space above the head line; retrace to head line, and continue with straight line to base; turn to the right, and finish as in a; shade at top above the head line.--PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
Begin on base line with concave curve, and ascend to head line; make a turn to the left and descend with a straight line on main slant to base; turn to the right, and finish as in a.--PRINCIPLES 2 and 3.
Begin as in h with the upward and downward movement, crossing at head line; continue the straight line two spaces below the base; turn to the right, and ascend with concave curve, touching straight line at base; unite angularly, and finish with the concave curve to the right.--PRINCIPLES 2 and 3.
First, second and third movement same as in a; uniting angularly with a straight line on main slant, and finishing as in j.--PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
Begin on base line, and ascend with concave curve three spaces; turn to the left, and descend with straight line to base, crossing curve at head line; unite angularly, and ascend with convex curve to head line; turn to the right, and descend with a straight line on main slant to base; finish as in a.--PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
Begin at base line; ascend with concave curve to head line; unite angularly, and descend with straight line on main slant to base; finish same as in a; dot one space above third principle, on same slant.--PRINCIPLES 2 and 3.
Begin as in i; continue straight line on main slant two spaces below the base line, and finish as in g.--PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
Form loop as in h; ascend with convex curve one and one-fourth spaces above base line; turn short, and move toward the left with a concave curve; form loop on first principle at the head line, and finish as in i.--PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
Commence with convex curve; ascend two spaces; form loop as in h; turn short to the right, and finish as in i.--PRINCIPLES 2 and 3.
Begin with convex curve on base line; ascend to head line; turn, and descend with straight line on main slant to base; unite angularly; ascend to head line, repeating the above, and finish as in i. Width of m, two spaces.--PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
Commence and finish same as m. Width, one space.--PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
Begin on base line, and ascend with concave curve to head line; unite angularly, and descend with convex curve to base; turn short, and ascend with concave curve, forming an oval; finish with horizontal concave curve. Width of o, one-half space.--PRINCIPLES 1 and 2.
Begin on base line, and ascend with concave curve two spaces; unite angularly, and descend with straight line on main slant two spaces below base line; retrace to base line; complete us in n; shade below the base.--PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
Form pointed oval as in a; unite angularly, and descend with straight line on main slant two spaces below base line; turn short to the right, and ascend with convex curve to head line.--PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
Begin on base line, and ascend with concave curve one and one-fourth spaces; descend with a vertical curve to head line; turn short, and descend with a vertical curve to head line; turn short, and descend with straight line to base; turn short to the right, and finish same as i. Width, one-half space.--PRINCIPLES 2 and 3.
First movement as in r; descend with concave curve on main slant to base line; turn to the left, terminating with a dot on first curve, one-third space from base; retrace to base line, and finish with concave curve. Width, one-half space.--PRINCIPLE 2.
Begin on base line, and ascend with concave curve two spaces; descend with straight line to base; turn to the right, and end as in i. Shade above head line; cross with a straight line horizontally one-half space from top.--PRINCIPLES 2 and 3.
Commence with concave curve, ascending to head line; unite angularly with straight line on main slant, and descend to base; turn, repeat the same thing, and finish as in i. Width, one space.--PRINCIPLES 2 and 3.
Begin at base line, and ascend with convex curve to head line; turn to the right, and descend with straight line on main slant to base; turn to the right, and ascend with concave curve to head line one-half space from top of second movement, and finish with a horizontal curve to the right. Width of letter, one-half space.--PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
The first two movements are the same as in n; turn to the right, and ascend with concave curve to head line; unite angularly, with a straight line on main slant, and finish with the last movement of v. Width, one and one-half spaces.--PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
First two movements same as in n; the third movement begins at the head line, and, descending, traces the second movement one-third of its length; continue to the base line; turn to the right, and finish with the concave curve.--PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
Begin on base line, and ascend with convex curve to head line; turn, and descend with a straight line on main slant to base; turn to the right, and ascend with concave curve to head line; unite angularly with a straight line on main slant, and finish as in j.--PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
Three first movements as in r; unite angularly with a convex curve; ascend slightly, then turn to the right, and descend with a concave curve two spaces below base line; turn to the left, and finish as in j.--PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
CONSTRUCTION OF CAPITALS
We first present the three principles of the capitals, which a student should practice before writing the letters. They are formed by the convex and concave curve, which are the first and second principles of writing.
Capital Stem. -- Formed with principles 1 and 2. Height, three spaces; finished with an oval one-half its height.
The Oval. -- Formed with principles 1 and 2. Height, three spaces. Width, one-half its height.
The Inverted Oval.--Formed with principles 1 and 2. Begin one and one-half spaces from base line, ascend to top line, making an oval two-thirds its height. With this principle the letters Q, U, V, W, X, Y and Z are made.
Begin with capital stem; from its top descend with a straight line on main slant to base line; begin a slight curve to the left on the straight line, one and one-fourth spaces from base line, and descend one-half space; cross straight line, and ascend with a concave curve to head line. Commence shade on the stem, one-fourth space above head line, and finish on base line. PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
Begin two and one-half spaces from base line, and descend with capital stem on main slant; make an oval turn to the left, and ascend to top line; make an oval turn to the right, and descend to one and one-half spaces from base line; cross the capital stem, and form a loop pointing upward; then descend with a right curve to base line; turn, and ascend one space. PRINCIPLES 1 and 2.
Begin on base line and ascend to top line with concave curve; turn to left, and descend to base line, forming loop as in l; finish with oval one-half the full height. PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
Begin two and one-fourth spaces from base line, and descend with compound curve to base line; form a horizontal loop, and touch the base at the right of crossing; ascend with convex curve to head line, crossing compound curve two spaces from base line; finish with oval extending downward two and one-half spaces from head line. PRINCIPLES 1 and 2.
Begin near the top line; after forming a small oval, descend one space from top line; form a small loop pointing downward, and finish with an oval two spaces touching the base. PRINCIPLES 1 and 2.
Begin F with convex curve (same as small letter n) one-half space from top line; ascend to top line; turn to the right, and descend with a straight line one-third of a space; form a horizontal compound curve to the right, one space; form loop pointing upward at top line, and descend with capital stem same as in the capital letter A; cross capital stem one and one-half spaces from base line. The capital T is formed in the same manner as F, without the crossing on the stem. PRINCIPLES 1 and 2.
Begin as in small letter l; after forming loop, make an oval turn, which should be three-fourths of a space from base line; ascend to a point one and one-half spaces from base line; unite angularly, and finish with lower part of capital stem. Position of loop should be such that a straight line, drawn from its top to the centre of oval of the stem on base line, would be on main slant. PRINCIPLES 1 and 2.
Begin on base line, and ascend with concave curve three spaces; unite angularly, and complete with capital stem; begin second part at top line, one space to the right of stem; descend to base line with a slight convex curve; finish as in A. PRINCIPLES 1 and 2.
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Begin I one space from base line, and ascend one-half space with convex curve; carry it well toward the right, and form a broad loop pointing downward one space from base line; ascend with convex curve to top line on main slant; make a short turn, and finish with capital stem, passing downward through the centre of loop. PRINCIPLES 1 and 2. Capital J.--Begin as in I; after passing through the loop, descend with a straight line on main slant two spaces below the base line; make a left turn, and ascend with a convex curve, crossing downward movement at base line and ending one space above. PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
Form the first part as in H; begin second section at a point on top line one space to the right of stem, and descend with a compound curve one space from top line; form a loop across capital stem, pointing upward; descend with a straight line on main slant to base line, turning to the right; finish with concave curve. PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
Ascend from base line with the concave curve to top line; turn short to the left, and descend with capital stem to base line, crossing the concave curve: one and one half spaces from base line; form horizontal loop touching base line to the right of crossing; finish with concave curve. PRINCIPLES 1 and 2.
Begin as in A with capitalstem; begin second downward movement at top line connecting with top of capital stem; descend to base in a straight line, touching one space from the point on base line touched by oval of capital stem; from base line ascend with concave curve to top line to a point one space to the right of capital stem; unite angularly, and descend with concave curve to base line; finish with an oval one and one half spaces from base line. PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
Begin with the capital stem; unite at top with a downward straight line as in A; finish with a short turn, and concave curve, one and one half spaces from base line. PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
Same as oval or second principle of capital letters. Width: one half its height. Last downward movement should be parallel to the first, and finish at one half space above base line. PRINCIPLES 1 and 2.
Begin with capital stem, and finish in the same manner as B, as far as the crossing loop. PRINCIPLES 1 and 2.
Begin with inverted oval, or third principle of capital letters; the oval should be two spaces from top line; form a horizontal loop on base line, touching the base at the right of crossing; finish with concave curve. PRINCIPLES 1 and 2.
Form R with capital stem the same as B, as far as crossing loop; descend to base with a straight line, touching one space from that point touched by the turn in stem; make a turn to the right, and finish with concave curve. PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
Begin at base line with the concave curve, and ascend to top line; make a turn as in L, and descend with convex curve: one and one half spaces from top line; cross upward curve, and finish with lower part of capital stem. PRINCIPLES 1 and 2.
[The letter T will be found in diagram with letter F.]
Begin with inverted oval (the third capital principle); oval should be two spaces from top line; make a turn on base line, and ascend with concave curve two and one half spaces; unite angularly, and descend with straight line to base; make a turn to the right, and finish with the concave curve. Width of U in centre one space. PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
Form V with inverted oval: same as U to base line; make a turn to the right, ascend with a concave curve two spaces, and finish with a short horizontal concave curve to the right. PRINCIPLES 1 and 2.
Commence with inverted oval, and continue to base line; unite angularly, and ascend with concave curve nearly three spaces; unite angularly, and descend with straight line to base, one space from first section; unite angularly, and ascend with convex curve one and one half spaces. PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
Commence with inverted oval, and continue to base line same as in W; begin second section at the top line, and with the convex curve descend, touching first section at the centre, or one and one half spaces above base line; make a broad turn to the right on base line, and finish with oval, which should be one and one half spaces in height. PRINCIPLES 1 and 2.
Commence, as in U, with the inverted oval; make a turn at base line, and ascend with the concave curve to top line; turn to the left as in l, and descend with a straight line two spaces below the base line; turn to the left, and with the convex curve ascend, crossing downward movement at base line; and finish same as in J. PRINCIPLES 1, 2 and 3.
Commence with inverted oval, and continue to base line, same as first section of X; form a loop pointing downward, and after crossing the downward movement, descend with concave curve two spaces below base line; and finish as in Y. PRINCIPLES 1 and 2.
Cursive Writing and The Art of Flourishing
Flourishing in cursive writing is the art of delineating figures by means of a rapid, whole-arm movement of the pen. This species of the penman's art has been practiced from time immemorial; not only as a distinctive feature of penmanship in the production of designs representing birds, animals, fishes, and fanciful designs, but also for the embellishment of writing and lettering. In former times, flourishing was of greater practical value and more highly esteemed than it is today
Before the discovery of printing, when the books of the world were written and illuminated by the pen, and during the centuries immediately following the discovery of printing, the art of flourishing was extensively practiced. It was greatly prized, and considered a valuable accomplishment for professional teachers of artistic pen-work
The exercise of the hand in flourishing tends to give ease and dexterity in the execution of practical writing. The plates connected with this subject present a series of exercises adapted for the practice of learners in this fascinating department of the penman's art
POSITIONS IN FLOURISHING
The first cut on this page represents the correct attitude of the body, as well as the position of the hand and pen, while in the act of flourishing
It will be observed that the hand and pen are reversed, so as to impart the shade to the upward or outward stroke of the pen, instead of the downward or inward stroke, as in the direct or ordinary position, while writing
Sit square at the desk, as close as is practicable without touching it, the left hand resting upon and holding the paper in the proper position, which must be always in harmony with the position of the hand and pen. The penholder is held between the thumb and first and forefingers, the thumb pressing upon the holder about two inches from the point of the pen. The first finger is bent at the centre joint, forming nearly a right angle, and is held considerably back of the second finger, which rests upon the under side of the holder, about midway between the thumb and the point of the pen. The third finger rests upon the fourth; the nail of the latter rests lightly upon the paper about one and a half inches from the pen, in a straight line from its point, parallel with the arm
Another position of the hands, which is used and advocated by some penmen and authors, is: rest the arm upon the ball of the hand instead of the finger nail. The latter method is preferable in the execution of work requiring large sweeps of the pen, as in the former the fingers are liable to strike into the ink lines and mar the work. In the ornamentation of lettering and the execution of small designs--in short, most kinds of off-hand pen-work--the position described in the previous paragraph is the best
The movement employed in all flourishing is that of the whole arm, which is obtained by raising the entire arm free from the table, resting the hand lightly upon the nail of the fourth finger, all motion of the arm being from the shoulder, which gives the greatest freedom and scope to the movements of the pen. This same movement is used in striking whole-arm capitals. What dancing is for imparting grace and case of movement to the body, flourishing is to one's handwriting Its practice is thus of double importance, as a discipline to the hand, and as a separate accomplishment
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Material used with permission of Zaner-Bloser, Inc., Columbus, Ohio
ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading, English, and Communication Digest #124
Educators involved with young children who are just beginning to write have a very important job. As with all emerging skills, what is learned right from the start will shape lifelong habits and abilities. Writing is a skill used to express thoughts and communicate. A fundamental part of writing is the learning and forming of letters.
With the teaching of any skill there are choices to be made regarding the method(s) of instruction used. When teaching handwriting, is it better to teach using the vertical manuscript letterforms, such as the Zaner-Bloser method of handwriting, or is it better to use a slanted alphabet, such a D'Nealian. What ware the differences between the methods and how do those differences affect children who are learning to write?
How educators answer these questions and the course of action they take regarding handwriting instruction may, indeed, affect their students for life. So it would be wise for educators to think carefully, examine all their options, and be certain their choice of handwriting instruction is based upon the most current research (Dobbie & Askov, 1995)
Vertical vs. Slanted: A Historical Perspective
Manuscript writing was brought to the U.S. from England in the early 1920s by Marjorie Wise, a specialist in teaching handwriting. Manuscript caught on as an initial writing style because the letters are formed from simple strokes that are easy for young children to understand and write. The discussion of vertical vs. slanted handwriting instruction commenced in 1968, when the first slanted alphabet was created--the debate has been ongoing ever since.
Seen as a bridge between manuscript and cursive, the slanted alphabet uses unconnected letterforms like the traditional, vertical manuscript, but its letterforms are slanted like cursive. Thus, the slanted alphabet seems easier to write than cursive, yet is similar enough to cursive that children don't have to learn 2 completely different alphabets.
Using this logic, teaching a slanted alphabet to young students seems a good idea. However, after several years of use in some schools, research has found surprising answers to some key questions in the ongoing debate of vertical vs. slanted.
1. Which alphabet is developmentally appropriate?
Farris (1997) maintains, "By age 3, children produce drawings that are composed of the same basic lines that constitute manuscript letters: (1) vertical lines, (2) horizontal lines, (3) circles... Because of such early experience, most 6-and 7-year-olds can create these vertical and horizontal lines more easily than the relatively complicated connections associated with D'Nealian manuscript or cursive handwriting. Because vertical lines are made with a straight up-and-down motion and horizontal lines by a left-to-right motion, they rely predominantly on already acquired gross motor skills."
On the other hand, modified italic letters use very complicated strokes for young children. When examined closely, slanted letters are actually cursive letters without beginning and, in most cases, ending strokes. Graham (1992) states that "The writing hand has to change direction more often when writing the [slanted] alphabet, do more retracing of lines, and make more strokes that occur later in children's development."
2. Which Alphabet Is Easier to Write?
The popularity of the vertical manuscript alphabet is a direct result of its being an easily learned system that relates closely to initial learning. Because there are only 4 simple strokes that make up the vertical manuscript alphabet, writing the letterforms is quickly mastered by young children.
Slanted manuscript, however, was created to be similar to cursive. Because of this, children must learn 12 different strokes. Educational researchers who tested the legibility of slanted manuscript found that children writing vertical manuscript "performed significantly better" than those writing slanted manuscript. The writers of the slanted alphabet "produced more misshapen letters, were more likely to extend their strokes above and below the guidelines, and had greater difficulty maintaining consistency in letter size" (Graham, 1992(
3. Which Alphabet Is Easier to Read?
Vertical manuscript letterforms are more easily read than other styles of writing. This is why highway signs and other public signs are most often printed in vertical letter styles. Newspapers, novels, textbooks, computers, and television also make use of vertical manuscript letters because people must be able to read the messages quickly and without confusion. Indeed, advertisers and designers who use type for visual communication favor manuscript and avoid italic because italic is difficult to read. Wherever readability is important, manuscript letters are used.
Because italic writing is more difficult to read, it interferes with comprehension and speed. In a classic study, Tinker (1955) found that italic print was read 4.2% to 6.3% more slowly in 30 minutes of reading. This is why most literature, especially literature for beginning readers, is published using vertical type
4. Which Alphabet Is More Easily Integrated?
Handwriting is not an isolated part of the language arts. Young children who are learning to write are also learning to read and spell. Letter recognition is the first step, and when the letters children are learning to write are similar to those they use in reading and spelling, success in all 3 skills comes more easily. Kuhl and Dewitz (1994) state that "Since letter recognition is one of the most critical skills for early readers' success, having difficulty with this skill can have a damaging impact on early reading achievement."
Modified italic letterforms are not consistent with the letters used in reading and spelling books; therefore, children must learn to write using one set of symbols and to read and spell using a different set of symbols. Barbe and Johnson (1984) state that the introduction of a style of letters unlike the vertical print found in children's books is likely to confuse the child and may in fact hamper reading ability, especially when the unfamiliar symbols are introduced too early. Kuhl (1994) cites her own classroom experience: "As my kindergarten students began to learn the alphabet and learned to write [using a slanted D'Nealian manuscript adopted by the school], I noticed problems they had [when] learning to recognize letters. They consistently had difficulty identifying several letters, often making the same erroneous response to the same letter. As I recorded all responses in an attempt to analyze what they were doing, I began to notice patterns from child to child. D'Nealian manuscript appeared to be harder to learn."
Upon making this discovery, Kuhl and Dewitz (1994) went on to examine the research to find out why this confusion was happening. They found that letter symbols are learned upon repeated exposure to predictable, distinctive, and constant features. In other words, children experience success when learning to read and spell because the features (shape, angle, etc.) of the letters they are learning do not change significantly from one situation to the next. As children learn to write using the slanted D'Nealian manuscript, they are also reading traditional manuscript letterforms in books and environmental print. The difference in the letterforms between what they are learning to read and what they are learning to write is often substantial, causing great confusion for some children. Children who learn to write using vertical manuscript avoid this confusion. They are learning to read, write, and spell based on the same, constant model.
Hildreth (1963), in a study on early writing as an aid to reading, also pointed out the relationship of manuscript writing to beginning reading and suggested that these areas should not be separated but are in fact mutually reinforced. It is logical to teach children to write letters that are similar to the letters they are learning to read.
5. Which Alphabet Is Easier to Teach
Graham (1992) states: "Before starting school, many children learn how to write traditional [vertical] manuscript letters from their parents or preschool teachers. Learning a special alphabet such as [slanted] means that these children will have to relearn many of the letters they can already write." The vertical manuscript alphabet is easy to teach because there is no reteaching involved. Children are already familiar with vertical letterforms--they have learned them at home.
6. Does Slanted Manuscript Help with Students' Transition to Cursive?
Proponents of modified italic letterforms say that initial instruction in their alphabets will facilitate the transition from manuscript to cursive writing, but there is no research available to support this claim. In fact, in an extensive study of the available research, Graham (1992) finds no evidence substantiating claims that using a slanted manuscript alphabet enhances the transition to writing with cursive letters.
Conclusion
After examining the available research and answering the most common questions in the ongoing debate of vertical vs. slanted handwriting instruction, educators are left with one final question: Which alphabet will I teach my students? There are 2 choices: The vertical alphabet which, according to research, is more developmentally appropriate, easier to read, and easier to write for young children as well as being easier for educators to integrate and teach; or, the slanted alphabet, which was originally designed with the good intention of moving children more quickly and easily into cursive, but has been shown by research and experience to not only have fallen short of its original goal, but also to have created some problems for young children. The alphabet teachers choose should aid the teaching and learning process, not cause unnecessary difficulty, now or later. After all, in the final analysis there is one true measurement of whether a skill has been mastered or not--student success.
References
Barbe, Walter B. et al. (1983). "Manuscript Is the 'Write' Start" Academic Therapy, 18(4), 397- 405. [EJ 289 876]
Dobbie, Linda, and Eunice N. Askov (1995). "Progress of Handwriting Research in the 1980s and Future Prospects." Journal of Educational Research, 88(6), 339-51. [EJ 519 072]
Farris, P.J. (1997). Language Arts Process, Product, and Assessment (2nd edition). Madison, WI: Brown & Benchmark.
Graham, Steve (1992). "Issues in Handwriting Instruction. Focus on Exceptional Children, 25(2), 1-4. [EJ 455 780]
Hackney, Clinton S. (1991). Standard Manuscript or Modified Italic? A Critical Evaluation of Letter Forms for Initial Handwriting Instruction. Columbus, OH: Zaner-Bloser, Inc
Hildreth, G. (1963). "Early Writing as an Aid to Reading." Elementary English, 40, 15-2
Kuhl, D., and P. Dewitz (1994). "The Effect of Handwriting Style on Alphabet Recognition." Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association Meeting (New Orleans)
Tinker, M.A. (1955). "Prolonged Reading Tasks in Visual Research." Journal of Applied Psychology, 39, 444-445
Digest #124 is EDO-CS-97-05 and was published in June 1997 by the ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading, English and Communication, 2805 E 10th Street, Bloomington, IN 47408-2698, Telephone (812) 855-5847 or (800) 759-4723. ERIC Digests are in the public domain and may be freely reproduced. Additional copies may be ordered by contacting the ERIC Document Reproduction Service at (800) 443-3742.
This project has been funded at least in part with Federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education under contract number RR93002011. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Education nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government
The Clearinghouse on Reading, English, and Communication is an information repository of the Indiana University School of Education
Dr. Carl B. Smith, Professor
Before the invention of movable type systems, all text had to be carved, brushed, or written by hand. The downside to handwritten text -- especially my own -- is that achieving a uniformity of letterforms, alignment, and spacing can be frustrating. And as a result of these challenges, handwritten text can be very difficult to read. Yet the wonderful thing about handwriting is that it acts as a symbol of humanity, and gives a tangible personality to the text it represents. Just look at the text in Figure 4.18. Each line was written to represent the personality of the font in which it is written.
Handwritten fonts provide personality without the human error factor. The lettering and alignment in a handwritten font will be consistent, and if the font is well designed, the spacing should be good, too. As with any font, you cannot rely on site visitors to have your selected handwritten fonts installed, so to use them on the Web, you'll need to convert your handwritten text to images, or use some type of replacement technique, such as sIFR.
Here's a partial character map for february handwritten font. This is for quick reference only and may not constitute the entire character set provided in the font
When I see this font, I want to use it to write a lovely handwritten style invitation. Maybe a baby shower, or wedding shower. Ideas abound.
A lively, brush-style script font, named after a dear friend of the designer. Contains an alternate character for the lowercase 'r' as well special 'Th','Fl' and 'rr' ligatures.
I have aimed at putting together some information on handwriting analysis that will show you that much of it is common sense. What I claim, and it is confirmed by my own experiences and observations, is that knowing these basics and applying them every so often to better understand someone who I am dealing with has greatly enriched my life, made me more confident in dealing with others, and increased my understanding of my fellow man. I believe that if you apply these basics you will see the same results. That is why I have developed this website to assist you.
With Handwriting Insights you learn handwriting analysis by doing handwriting analysis, and you open the door to getting people to talk about themselves.
Anyone who has studied handwriting analysis can tell you that there is a lot to remember. I studied it for five years, taking four correspondence courses and reading dozens of books. It was an overwhelming amount of information. I created a 40-page spread-sheet to help me do analyses. Using this spread sheet by the time I finished analyzing the handwriting I no longer cared - it was just too much work. But if I didn't use it, I just couldn't remember what the different traits meant.
And so I just quit. Though I could see how useful handwriting analysis would be for me, and how people were always interested in my analyzing their handwriting, I was so frustrated by my long spreadsheet and my poor memory that I decided not to do it any more.
Then the most remarkable thing happened
At work one day (I did mediation) a person came in to see me (I'll call her Mary) to complain about her boss. At one point, she thrust down on my desk a document that had been signed by her boss and herself.
Mary's handwriting was large, bold, and flamboyant; it revealed someone who is not given to details (large size), has broad perspectives (large size), and has strong emotions (strong right slant). Her boss's writing revealed someone who was detail oriented (small size), regimented (rigid, overly straight baseline), and and used firm judgement (rigid). The two handwriting samples gave me a clue about how to approach the problem. I asked Mary if she had trouble with meeting schedules and I learned that indeed this was a source of contention between her and her boss. Mary felt that Darren micromanaged her.
Hmmmm, handwriting was sure helpful to me!
I became determined to find a simple way to analyze handwriting that did not require remembering so much information. After all, I didn't want to be a professional analyst. I just wanted to use it every now and then.
A core set of traits
Paula Sassi, a professional graphologist of 20+ years, and I developed a set of 11 handwriting traits, each trait having between three and ten variations. We put these together in a deck with a rivet at the corner, added a pad of paper where you could log the results, and the Handwriting Insights Kit was born.
*****
Are you wondering if you can learn something by looking at someone's handwriting? Lets take a look at a couple of writing samples from an old autograph book dating from the 1860's. It belonged to Lawrence, who was attending Bloomfield Academy.
The following entry was written by Bessie, a classmate of Laurence. It is reflective of the more elaborate formal writing of the time.
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The last page of the book is autographed by Laurence's wife, Ann.
Does looking at Ann's handwriting raise questions in you mind? What is it about her handwriting that you notice? What picture of Ann is coming into your mind?
Let's see if we can agree on some things.
1. In 1868 Ann was probably either very young or had very little education
2. Bessie was probably older and had some formal education, as did Lawrence
3. You already do pay some attention to handwriting.
Even after people are departed from this world, their handwriting - their movement on paper - tells us about them
This information is from Handwriting Fundamentals, a course written by Paula Sassi and Eldene Whiting, and from the book , by Eldene Whiting, and is included here with their permission. Traitsmatch discusses using handwriting analysis to determine which type of work is a good match for someone, so you will find job suggestions along with the explanation of the terms
One. ZONES
We will divide the individual letters into three zones to better understand how the writer makes specific use of theirmind(UZ), theiremotions(MZ) and thephysical elements in their environment(LZ).
In the English alphabet, which is also used for most European languages, including French, German and Italian, a part of every letter is found in the middle zone. The upper zone has six bizonal letters: b, d, h, k, 1 and t. The lower zone has six bizonal letters: g,j, p, q,y and z. The middle zone has thirteen single zone letters, the five vowels, a. e, i, o, u, plus c, m,n, r, s, v, w and x. The letter "f" is the only trizonal letter in the alphabet.
Wherever you find extra emphasis of size, embellishment, width, simplicity, force or meagerness, this is the zone the writer is expressing most strongly at that moment of writing. This is why we need more than one sample of writing for a full, in-depth analysis; it eliminates a "mood-of-the-moment" interpretation.
Examples and what to look for are in the Handwriting Insights deck.
Two. Connections
In American schools, writing is usually first learned by using the manuscript printed form. As the writer matures he learns the more sophisticated method of joining letter forms called cursive writing.
The four most common connective forms are garlands, arcades, angles and thread. You will learn to recognize each type of form and how to interpret its use within the writing. None of us uses one connective exclusively. One form usually dominates and an another is secondary. The other two forms of connectives may also be present to a lesser degree. Combinations of writing form reveal the personality in each writing, but only in part. You still must take into consideration the arrangement of the writing and the symbolism of margins, zones, spacing and slant.
GARLANDS: The most common form of connective between letters is the cup shape of the garland, curved at the bottom and open at the top. It can be found in all three zones, between letters, within letters, even at the beginnings and endings of words.
The garland is a soft, easily stroked connective depicting the writer who is receptive, compliant and easy going. He may be warm and sympathetic, empathetic and sentimental. He is open and responsive to the people and the environment around him. The writer who uses many garlands is often said to be "people oriented". He feels before he thinks.
ARCADES: The arcade, or inverted garland, is shaped like an arch, curved on top and open at the bottom. M's, n,s and h's are the most obvious arcade formations in the alphabet. You may also find arcades between letters especially in the connection between o, v and w and the letter which follows them.
Usually mixed with other connectives, the arcade is used by the creative personality. This writer is a constructive thinker, one who deliberates before making up his mind. He may use this slow and deliberate action as a form of cautious contrcl and self protection. There is a certain dignity and formality in the writer who uses arcades to a dominant degree.
ANGLES: The speed and energy used by many writers often produces abrupt changes of direction which create an angle at the baseline and sometimes at the top of the letter. This sudden change of direction must also make a pause before the writing can proceed. An angle interrupts smooth flow of thought and action, and an abrupt manner is often the result. The writer who habitually uses angles is often analytical, tense and self disciplined. He usually can see more than one approach to a problem and therefore often has some degree of executive ability. He uses will power to direct and control his actions.
THREAD: Thread is the least used of the connectives, and sometimes is the hardest to recognize. There are three general types of thread.
A. THE THINNING OF THE STROKE ITSELF. You may need to use your magnifying glass to be sure you are looking at thread. It looks like a piece of thread that has been broken rather than cut cleanly. It "feathers" out with lessening pressure of the pen. Look for it between letters at the end of a word, and especially in i dots and t crosses that are made with speed.
Interpretation of Type 1 Thread indicates a writer who is in too much of a hurry to do a precise bit of work. He may complete the essentials of a job, but he evades responsibility by neglecting the finishing details. He loses interest quickly and goes on to the next thing. Impatience is a part of this writer's personality.
B.THE DIMINISHING SIZE OF LETTERS WITHIN A WORD. As Type I thins out the individual stroke, Type 2 thins down the letters in a word. When a whole word or part of a word "threads" the first letters are larger than each successive letter, and MZ size progressively diminishes in a regular pattern.
This type of thread is associated with a diplomatic personali-ty, one who is capable of seeing the whole, broad picture of a situation. He elects to lessen the force of his personality as he evaluates the situation, and he uses tact and diplomacy to do so. He may even point out a different direction of thinking as his method of evading the present crisis.
C. THE SINUOUS STROKE.This third type looks like a spool of unraveled thread. You can see the undulations of the strand as it frees itself. This is a quick, fluid motion of writing combining alternate garl.and and arcade formations. It can be found in al 1 three zones but is most apparent in the MZ. Paul uses it in the MZ and UZ.
Interpretation of Type 3 Thread shows a real evasion expert. The sinuous strokes of his pen are as devious as the snake that slithers around obstacles. This writer seldom faces an issue, but rather misdirects or eludes the reality with clever language, slight of hand or a downright refusal to face facts.
Three. The SLANT of the writing indicates the Emotional Response.
Letter slant can best be seen in letters containing upper loops: the b, d, h, 1, k, and t. The more the letter slant leans toward the right, the more emotional response can be expected.
Most people write with a slight right slant (B). This shows a willingness to comply with company rules, an ability to get along with co-workers, and put up with the boss's idiosyncracies. Writers with an extreme right slant can function well on the job, but might become hysterical under sudden emotional stress. Extreme left-slanted writers are sometimes antisocial, non-communicative, even defiant at times.
Four. Baseline Slant = Goal Directiveness
Writing "uphill" reveals the applicant worthy of further Trait-match evaluation. He's optimistic, ambitious and cheerful. This is a good start, and, if the other traits bear up well under your scrutiny, a welcome addition to any office force or gang crew. Writing ''downhill" may be caused by a temporary depression, ill health, or physical fatigue. If this applicant has special skills necessary in your business, it would be wise to have him return on another day and obtain another sample of his writing. The first downslanted sample could be just a temporary discouragement from job-hunting. If the second sample has the same downslanted appearance, it is a warning of an ingrained pessimism which keeps this applicant on the job-seeking circuit.
The writer of a firm, straight, even baseline controls his moods, allowing him to go directly toward his goals without getting side-tracked.
While a very slight wave in the baseline is a common sign, an unusual up-and-down fluctuation identifies the moody individual. A ruler placed under the first and last letters in a line of writing is an excellent way to determine an uneven baseline. Be sure you need this person's talents desperately before hiring him. He may be a go-getter on his ''up" days, but if he's in a ''downer" mood, he probably won't even show up for work.
Five. Spacing
Spaces in writing are just as important to the Traitmatch analyst as the writing itself. Spaces are found around the whole page of writing (the margin); in the amount of room that the letters take up (the letter size); in the generous or compressed usage of space between letters, lines, and words. All offer many clues to detect the occupational personality. A general rule-of-thumb is that the way in which a person uses space when writing indicates his use of space in his work. Check the application form. How did the prospect use the spaces within the blanks, boxes, or fill-ins? If he crowded the
letters to the left, he's fearful of his future. If he pushed all the letters to the right, he's ambitious and eager for the job. If he couldn't contain his writing within the spaces provided, he's not a good judge of time and space.
Six. Margin = Attitude Toward Environment
The position of the writing on a page within a margin frame shows how the potential employee regards his position or I space" within the company framework.
=(PICTURE FRAME MARGIN (even, well-defined
=(WIDE LEFT MARGIN (narrow right margin
=(NARROW LEFT MARGIN (wide right margin
Seven. Letter Size = Ego
Every letter takes up space, too. Some letters extend into the upper area of the writing and are referred to as upper-zone letters: b, d, h, k, /, and t. The lower-zone letters are the g, j, p, q, y, and z. Most letters are found in the middle zone of writing. The size of the middle zone is the major factor considered in handwriting analysis. Almost all other signs are compared to it.
f is the only letter that reaches all three zones
Large writing and small writing refers to the middle-zone size, and are both easy to spot. Most people's script falls somewhere in between, however. This ''average size" of writing is found in the sample of applicants who can fit into almost any kind of job situation for which they are qualified. Their uniqueness will be revealed in other writing features. Large writing indicates a person who will need plenty of space in which to operate. Don't try to put him behind a desk or in any small confining area.
=(Eight. LARGE MIDDLE ZONE (large writing
demand for attention
need for elbow room
Small writing reveals the individual willing to work behind the scenes. This writer can also stick with a detailed job for long periods of time.
Nine. SMALL MIDDLE ZONE(small writing) = reserved
intelligent
modest, unassuming
ability to concentrate
non-spotlight job
Ten. Upper-Zone Extensions = Philosophy of Life
The upper zone of writing holds the philosophy of life. It contains the writer's thought patterns including his ability to utilize abstract thinking in his daily routine. Most people push their letters to a moderate height into the upper zone showing their ability to think clearly about practical things. This writer fits nicely into a job where concrete ideas are required, as long as they are not too technical.
TALL UPPER-ZONE EXTENSIONS =
abstract thinker
intellect
philosophical mind
Short upper-zone extensions are made by the writer who has
short term goals, and is not idea-oriented.
SHORT UPPER-ZONE EXTENSIONS =
practical, down-to-earth
mechanical
short-term goals
Lower-Zone Extensions = Physical and Sexual Drives
The prospective employee's interest in physical activity is the primary interest of many companies. The lower-zone extensionsreflect the applicant's physical and sexual activity, as well as his concern for money and food. Large, full lower loops, especially when they extend far below the baseline, are made by the person who wants to live life to the fullest.
LARGE LOWER LOOPS =
extreme physical drive
sensual
hungry
active
Long lower loops disclose the person needing plenty of physical space.
LONG LOWER LOOPS = strong physical drive
Short lower loops expose the individual entirely disinterested in physical activity.
disinterested in physical
possible laziness
sedentary
(NON-LOOPS" (lower-zone extensions resembling sticks"
stoicism
simple tastes
gets the job done
Eleven. Extreme Expansion= Self-Expansion
Expansion is the horizontal extension of letters and space, presenting a stretched appearance.
EXTREME EXPANSION =
need for room
generosity
freedom from supervision
(works best alone)
entrepreneur
Extreme Compression = Self-Limitation.
Compression is the squeezing of letters, words and spaces.
introversion
ability to work in small spaces
the office "tightwad''
Twelve. Spaces Between Lines = Capacity For Thought Organization.
LINES SEPARATED, EVENLY SPACED =
clear thought
able to organize work
LINES CROWDED TOGETHER, OVERLAPPING LOOPS
confused thinking
poor organization of time and space
overly familiar
Spacing Between Words
Spacing between words should be about the same width as the middle-zone letters. If spacing is consistent, it adds to the possibility of the writer being consistent. It is a positive trait for any job.
Thirteen.PRESSURE
Pressure measures the degree of intensity the employee will put into his work as well as his physical vitality and stamina. For instance, poets, speakers, politicians and ministers often have heavier writing pressure because they put emotion into what they have to say. The type of pen used will have some effect on the pressure. The soft-tipped pen can conceal the light-pressured writer. The Traltmatch analyst can tell this by turning the paper over and running his fingers over the back of the writing surface. If you feel or see the embossing caused by pressure from the pen, you are assured that the writer was using a ball point, not a soft- tipped pen and the pressure is genuine.
Pressure takes a certain amount of physical exertion, and the soft-tipped pen user enjoys the easy flow of ink over the page. Soft-tipped pens are a cop-out for physical labor. However, they are also used by artists and sensual people. Check with other Traitmatch signs to determine if the writer is lazy.
HEAVY PRESSURE =
MEDIUM PRESSURE =
perceptive
good memory
conservative
LIGHT PRESSURE =
gentle, cultural
avoids confrontation
sedentary
prefers intellectual approach
Fourteen. SPEED
Speed is found in the flow of the writing and indicates speed of thought, action and perception. Additionally, writing that has few or no beginning strokes shows the stripping away of unnecessary details contributing to the applicant's efficiency in getting the job done. Note the T-crosses. If the cross is longer on the right side of the stem than on the left side, the writer is hurrying to complete his simple task of crossing the t. 1-dots which fall to the right of the stem also indicate speed.
FASTWRITING =
alertness
perceptiveness
flexibility
maturity
rapid thinker
SLOWWRITING =
slow thinker
delibrate
cautious thinker
precision
Fifteen. CLARITY
Clarity involves all of the basic factors of handwriting analysis
in a positive way. It's a good idea to keep in mind that when
clarity in a written sample is combined with-
* A slight, right slant = interest in communicating with others;
* Medium size writing = willingness to contact others physically and mentally
*Balanced expansion = reaching out to become involved.
*Even margins = good sense of self-identity within the environment.
*Good spacing between letters = generosity of time, money energy.
*Good spacing between words = interest in social contacts.
*Good space between lines = ability to think clearly and separate ideas.
* Clear formation of letters = wish to impart information and consideration for others.
Illegible writing, whether scribbled by a world-wise scientist or by your inexperienced job applicant, indicates the individual who doesn't have the time or inclination to communicate. Someone once mentioned that the less legible the writing, the more intelligent the writer. Ever since then, some people have hidden their laziness and inconsideration behind that remark.
One secretary complained, ''My boss is such a terrible writer I can hardly make out what he means. Last week he didn't read over a letter before he signed it and I had typed something all wrong. I got bawled out. I think it was his fault, don't you?''
You bet! But secretaries aren't the only ones who suffer. Ask your local pharmacist, for instance.
Illegible script is the curse of good communication, and writing is-first and foremost -communication.
Many bosses have an executive type of mind; sharp, alert, quick. But the employer who doesn't take the time or effort to make his written thoughts clear enough to be translated by a secretary or anyone else is both inconsiderate and lacking in common sense.
Speed is the prime offender. We think faster than our fingers can move. Unless control is exercised over both thoughts and fingers, the results are usually unreadable.
There are, however, other reasons for illegibility in handwriting. It may be caused by emotional stress or an illness resulting in muscular impairment or hysteria. Also, a dishonest person hides his intentions behind poor writing.
Illegibility maybe caused by more serious reasons than speed or inconsideration. When the physical or mental vitality of a writer is impaired through the use of drugs or alcohol, illegible writing is often a result. The uneven baseline is usually the first clue, signaling the lack of motor control. Letters not clearly formed due to speed may occur in everywriting at anytime, but when a sequence of letters fails to make sense, there is more than speed or inconsistency at work. If this is repeated on a page or two of writing, drop that application in the round file. You don't need the problems that can be brought to your workplace by this kind of employee.
III health often shows up in illegible writing especially if the writing also has weak pressure. There just is not enough vitality there for the writer to get through a good day's work. However, we all have our off days. If all other factors are favorable, and you might like to have him on your work team, suggest he comeback another time to repeat his writing sample.