Writing by hand may seem an outdated habit in our modern world; some even argue that teaching cursive in schools is "outdated" and a "waste of time". But there may always be the need to write on paper, at least every now and then, and a beautiful handwriting is not only easier to read, but leaves a better impression than the indecipherable "chicken handwriting". Whether it's just wanting to improve your normal writing, wanting to learn (or relearn) how to write in cursive or with artistic letters, there are several simple steps you can take to have more beautiful writing.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Improve Basic Calligraphy
Step 1. Choose the right tools
Some people prefer the pen, others the pencil. Some work best with larger instruments, others smaller. The important thing is to find the one that fits your hand well.
- Choose a pen or pencil that has a soft grip, especially if you tend to have a too tight grip.
- Use lined paper for practice and take the sturdier one if you need to keep the document.
Step 2. Sit up straight but comfortably
Your mother was right when she told you that posture is important! If you bend over the paper, after a while you will experience pain in the neck and back pain, consequently you will have to limit the movement of the arm thus subjecting the hand and wrist to additional strain during writing.
If you can sit perfectly upright and feel comfortable, this is the ideal solution. However, try not to be too stiff and uncomfortable. The art of beautiful writing does not have to be a painful task
Step 3. Hold the pen with a relaxed grip
Grab it without tightening it too much (it is said that a good craftsman never blames his tools). If you find a skin indentation or a red finger when you finish writing, you are holding the pen too vigorously. A looser grip allows you a greater range of motion and letters can flow more freely.
- There are many "right" ways to hold a pen or pencil. Some require it to rest against the middle finger, between the index and thumb, while others allow you to grasp the instrument with the tips of all three fingers. Finally, there are those who teach to leave the back of the pen resting on the base of the index knuckle, while others teach on the cartilage between the index finger and the thumb.
- Instead of wasting time forcing yourself to use a new grip, stick with the one you're comfortable with - unless you find it's really uncomfortable and negatively affecting the quality of your writing. As long as you use your thumb, index and middle finger, it should still be a good position.
Step 4. Beautify your content
Sure, it's okay to use abbreviations, symbols, incomplete sentences, and so on when taking notes, but, especially in circumstances where your writing needs to be read by other people, you need to take the time to write correctly. A shiny and clean car which, however, lacks two wheels and the hood is certainly not as beautiful as a complete one.
- Make sure you respect the appropriate punctuation marks and capitalization.
- Don't use abbreviations like you do in text messages or on the internet. If you are writing something that will be read by other people, do not use terms like: xk, qnt, cmq, xò, etc.
Step 5. Find a source of inspiration
Do you know someone who has beautiful handwriting? Look at his writing and get some pointers. You can also look at the different fonts in the Word writing program to find ideas on letter shapes.
Don't be ashamed to do your research in textbooks and writing classes for elementary schools. If you have children, you can practice with them and make a good moment of family bonding also an occasion in which everyone improves their writing
Method 2 of 3: Write Better in Italics
Step 1. Study the cursive alphabet
You have most likely forgotten since elementary school what some cursive letters look like. Get one of the many cursive writing workbooks that have lined pages to practice on.
- Obviously there is more than one cursive style; this allows you to customize your writing, as long as it remains legible. But it's probably best to start by copying an existing style.
- Look for websites where you can find exercises and practice on printable sheets. Some also include animated images to show the path that the pen must perform to make each letter.
Step 2. Practice using your whole arm to write
Most people write by moving their fingers only, what some call "drawing" letters. Handwriting artists use their arms and shoulders as they write, so as to make the movement smoother and therefore create less angular and fickle letters.
- Try "writing in the air". You may feel silly doing it, but this exercise helps to re-train your muscles. Pretend you're writing big letters on a chalkboard (actually, you might as well practice actually writing on a chalkboard). This allows you to naturally use shoulder rotation and forearm motion to create letters.
- As you improve your writing in the air, you can reduce the size of the virtual letters and take the correct position for writing on paper. But keep focusing on using your shoulder and arm, not your fingers.
Step 3. Practice the basic lines of italics
The two fundamental movements of this writing are the horizontal curved movements and the vertical arched movements, with which you must begin to become familiar before writing the complete letters.
- You have to focus on these movements and then learn to space the letters evenly between them, so lined papers are really useful in this learning phase. If, on the other hand, you write on a simple white sheet of paper, create light and evenly spaced pencil lines with a ruler and erase them once you have traced the letters.
- To practice vertical arcs, place the pen just above the base line, make a mark by moving down and forward in the direction of writing, then back up in a curved motion and ending with a straight (slightly inclined) line) to reach the middle of the line and the top line.
- Practice horizontal curves by making marks similar to a lowercase "c". Start just below the midline, make an upward sign and again make an almost full circular motion counterclockwise, angled a little forward to make it rather oval (taller than wide), skimming the midline and that base, then stopping about 3/4 of the way from the starting point.
- As you continue to practice the complete letters and combinations, don't forget the bonds. In cursive writing, these are the "spaces" between the different pen marks when you lift it as you write. Correct joins between letters make your cursive writing not only more beautiful, but also faster.
Step 4. Start slowly
Cursive writing is about writing faster, reducing the moments in which the pen detaches from the paper; however, start practicing writing the letters and the links between them in a conscious and precise way. Accelerate the pace only when you can master the form, you have to think of cursive writing as an art, because basically it is.
Method 3 of 3: Learn the Basics of Artistic Handwriting
Step 1. Get the right tools
To make sure you make fine and neat artistic letter strokes with thick and thin lines, you need to make sure you have the right pen, paper, and ink.
- The best tools for writing artistic letters are those that allow you to draw a wide range of lines such as markers, fountain pens, brushes, feather pens or those custom pens in which the nibs are inserted.
- Make sure that the sheets you want to write on do not absorb too much ink until it shows through on the back side. Normal note paper is fine, but you need to be sure that the ink does not stain the underlying side. Most stationeries sell paper that is suitable for this type of writing.
- If you plan to use ink, however, avoid Indian ink, which is more suitable for drawings, because the paint contained tends to clog the pen and rust the nib. It is best to use a water soluble ink.
Step 2. Position the sheet correctly
This means figuring out where the pen strokes go so that the letters have a uniform appearance.
- The best thing is to choose lined paper to practice. You can take paper with pre-drawn lines, put the sheet on top of another with dark lines to follow the direction, or you can draw parallel lines on the sheet yourself using a ruler and pencil.
- Evaluate the height of the lines. This is closely related to the size of the nib you use, measured at the widest point. This dimension is the unit of measurement for this operation. The standard height to be respected for each line is 5 times that of the nib.
- The guidelines are the baseline, the center line, and the ascending and descending lines.
- The baseline is the one on which all the letters rest.
- The central one is located above the base line and varies according to the height of the letter (in this case, 5 nibs above the base).
- The ascending line marks the height of all ascending letters (such as lowercase "h" or uppercase "L") and is located 5 nibs above the centerline (or whatever measurement criteria you are using).
- The descending line is the lower limit where the descending letters (such as the lowercase "g" or "p") rest under the base one. In this example, it is 5 nibs below the baseline.
Step 3. Get into the correct posture and grab the pen the right way
As recommended to enhance any writing style, you should sit with your feet flat on the floor and your back straight (but you shouldn't feel discomfort or keep it stiff). At the same time, hold the pen so that you have it under control, but don't squeeze it too tightly, otherwise you will cause hand cramps.
To write art letters you need to hold the nib at a 45 ° angle. To make sure you are holding it correctly, draw a right angle (90 °) with a pencil. Draw a line upwards from the edge of the corner, so as to cut it in half. If you draw a thin line, it means that you are holding the pen correctly
Step 4. Practice the main strokes
In this style of writing, it is the signs that descend vertically, those traced with a "pulling" and "pushing" movement of the nib, and circular ones.
- For signs that run vertically, practice drawing thick, straight lines that run from the ascending line to the base line and from the center line to the base line. Begin tilting them forward slightly when you have achieved some practice. To complete, you should add the "tail" (a thin, short stroke) at the beginning and end of the drawn line, but save this step for when you are more experienced later.
- For those strokes that need to be "dragged" or "pushed", make short, thick horizontal lines along the center line. These signs allow you to create the upper part of the lowercase letters "a", "g", the intersection of the "t" and others. You can eventually add a slight curve and / or "tail", but the first few times stick to the simple straight line.
- For curved signs, draw a curved line that protrudes a little forward, starting from the base line up to the ascending and central one. This movement is suitable for writing the lowercase letters "n" and "v", for example. Practice starting with a thick stroke, ending with a thin line and vice versa - you will need to learn to do both signs.
- As you improve in these strokes, start making shapes like squares, triangles and ovals before moving on to actual letter shapes. Pay particular attention to maintaining the 45 ° angle.
Step 5. Take your time
Unlike cursive, in this writing technique each letter requires one or more vertical strokes of the pen. As you practice improving letters, focus on each stroke you make to complete a letter. Learn to form “each piece of the puzzle” and then assemble that letter.
Step 6. Consider signing up for a course
If you are seriously interested in learning this technique, you may want to consider taking an arts literature course at an art school or even a recreation center. It is truly an art form and, rightly so, guided training can be very useful for beginners, although self-study can be just as good and allows you to improve your writing style in general.
Advice
- The important thing is to take your time. If you write quickly, you risk getting a messy-looking result.
- Try copying a writing style that looks good to you. It may be difficult and requires a lot of concentration and practice, but it will definitely be worth it.
- Remember that practice makes perfect!
- When you start improving your technique, try to increase your speed a little.
- Text structure can be important in making it clear - don't worry if it takes up a lot of space; possibly skip the lines or paragraphs and make sure there is enough space between the words.
- Keep the layout of your text in a professional and clear style. If you make it too elaborate, you risk diverting attention from the work and the message.
- If you want to write on white paper, to keep writing straight put a lined paper under it so you can see the lines.
- When you write, keep the pencil in your dominant hand and avoid any form of noises or sounds, so that you can concentrate better.
- Purchase and use a calligraphy book. That's all.
- If it is difficult for you to learn beautiful writing, ask someone for help.
- Don't shy away from writing even if you have a hard time doing it right - the best thing is to keep practicing.
- For some people it may be easier to write with mechanical pencils (not wooden).
