What's your opinion of your own penmanship?

[Andy]

You consider that to be poor handwriting? Wow!

Still do, it has improved considerably since starting but it is not where I would like it to be.
The italic nib hides most of the problems.

[gearchow]

poor. 30+ years working on computers and not much writing when not working. It's a struggle for me as I want to write as fast as I type and I can't. When I practice, I really have to focus and keep in the moment. I'm certain that if I just spent 10 minutes a day, in a few months the results would be measurable.

-jim

[oc_in_fw]

poor. 30+ years working on computers and not much writing when not working. It's a struggle for me as I want to write as fast as I type and I can't. When I practice, I really have to focus and keep in the moment. I'm certain that if I just spent 10 minutes a day, in a few months the results would be measurable.

-jim

Start a journal. You can work and your writing and vent all at the same time.

[The Knize]

You consider that to be poor handwriting? Wow!

Roger that. I was going to vote that my handwriting was poor, but after looking at that sample mine is down to wretched!

[darkxshiki]

i think my print penmanship is below avg cause if i focus i can make it read about. cursive is pretty much dead to me other then my own signature . though i would like to see what future children's teachers will say when they get a sign paper less then 2 inches long. =/ i get issues sometimes when i sign up for place since they want last name minimum 3 letters long and my last shorter then that.

[mdevine]

I print as even I have trouble reading my cursive. My printing is neat and easy to read, so I stick with it. My profession requires me to write quite a bit, so I've learned to print quickly. Many of my fountain pens last only one day on a refill.

[cwnidog]

Depends, am I writing a quick note to myself, or something I expect someone else to read? In the first case horrible, but it's not important, in the second case quite good. So I'd say it's good enough.

[miatapaul]

mine used to be completely illegible. it has changed much for the better since getting into fountain pens. I have recently got some complements, so I think it is improving.

[Unkas]

My handwriting is wretched for sure! Would a better pen improve my penmanship? I've never really used any higher quality pens at all, let alone a fountain pen.
What pens are good and modestly priced and is there any way I can get better handwriting without going back to school? I even have bad print and my cursive is non-existent

[strop]

My handwriting is wretched for sure! Would a better pen improve my penmanship? I've never really used any higher quality pens at all, let alone a fountain pen.
What pens are good and modestly priced and is there any way I can get better handwriting without going back to school? I even have bad print and my cursive is non-existent

A Fountain Pen won't magically make you an expert in Spencerian penmanship, but it's a step in the write direction. Only practice will do that. Writing with a FP will definitely help however. Since the ink seems to almost jump from the nib to the paper, you only need a very light touch.

No more pushing down, like you do with a ball point. That process generally leads to a death grip on the pen and this contributes to fatigue of the hand and fingers. When printing rapidly as many of us do, myself included at times, the tendency is to form the letters just by moving the fingers. The wrist and arm stay motionless.

With cursive writing the motion occurs mostly at the shoulder and elbow, while the wrist and fingers stay very relaxed and stable. Basically on is writing with the big muscles of the arm and shoulder, instead of the little muscles of the hand. Even doing cursive with a ball point, leads to some fatigue since you have to push harder to get the ink onto the paper.

Of course, a similar effect can be had with a roller ball or gel pen, but that's not nearly as classy as sitting at your desk writing with a FP when the boss come into your office!

[Unkas]

A Fountain Pen won't magically make you an expert in Spencerian penmanship, but it's a step in the write direction. Only practice will do that. Writing with a FP will definitely help however. Since the ink seems to almost jump from the nib to the paper, you only need a very light touch.

No more pushing down, like you do with a ball point. That process generally leads to a death grip on the pen and this contributes to fatigue of the hand and fingers. When printing rapidly as many of us do, myself included at times, the tendency is to form the letters just by moving the fingers. The wrist and arm stay motionless.

With cursive writing the motion occurs mostly at the shoulder and elbow, while the wrist and fingers stay very relaxed and stable. Basically on is writing with the big muscles of the arm and shoulder, instead of the little muscles of the hand. Even doing cursive with a ball point, leads to some fatigue since you have to push harder to get the ink onto the paper.

Of course, a similar effect can be had with a roller ball or gel pen, but that's not nearly as classy as sitting at your desk writing with a FP when the boss come into your office!

Everything you say actually makes sense! Especially the part of forming the letters with fingers and pressing down hard.

I now have a couple of questions.. How do fountain pens actually work? How well suited are they for being somewhat mobile as in bringing to classes and such? What's a good cheap one, preferrably with a little bit of heft to it as I hate pens that are really really light and whats a good ink?

[strop]

Sorry I didn't reply sooner. Since FP ink is water based, instead of oil based ball point ink, FPs essentially work by capillary action. just touching the nib to paper, without pushing down or moving it, will yield an ever increasing size dot as long as you hold it there. That is why no pressure is needed.

There are a number of students here that use them all the time. I find they are good for note taking since they help prevent hand fatigue. They are not indestructible, though. If you drop it nib down, it will likely bend the nib. Carrying it in your back pocket could be a disaster.

A lot of the inexpensive starter pens are somewhat light. There are some Chines pens that are reportedly heavier though I don't have first hand experience. The Preppies have a surprisingly good nib for the price, and can give you a good idea what FPs are like. I've not had good experience with the Noodler's pens, but others have had no issues at all. Lamy's are good starters as well.

[Doc4]

How well suited are they for being somewhat mobile as in bringing to classes and such? What's a good cheap one, preferrably with a little bit of heft to it as I hate pens that are really really light and whats a good ink?

Carrying a fountain pen around is no problem, as long as you can avoid significant jolts/bumps/shakes/drops. (I could throw a capped ballpoint across the room and who cares; it's fine. If I throw a capped FP across the room, I know that when I open the cap there's going to be ink everywhere.) Not that you have to baby it like a faberge egg, but just treat it decently and not throw it around or sit on it.

For cheap pens, you are usually trading quality and heft ... the heavy cheap ones are not as good as the light cheap ones. So it's a trade-off.

Probably either a Lamy Al-star or Platinum Plaisir ... both aluminum rather than plastic ... are a good bet. These guys list the weight of each pen in the details, so you can compare and find something you like, heft-wise.

A good place to start with ink is Noodler's black ... excellent ink, and it's waterproof/bulletproof, so if your notes get rained on or coffee spilled &c, you don't lose any info.

[Slivovitz]

...whats a good ink?

...A good place to start with ink is Noodler's black ... excellent ink, and it's waterproof/bulletproof, so if your notes get rained on or coffee spilled &c, you don't lose any info.

Just adding a little to that last thought, I was amazed the first time I did my own water resistance test on some fountain pen ink, and saw all of it wash right off the page. Noodlers makes a lot of truly water resistant inks that are labeled as water resistant. I've found other inks that do a good job without that claim, but I always do my own tests to be sure before I use them for anything that has to last.

[rickcharles606]

I said that my handwriting is excellent, but only because I've been told that for years. I personally think my handwriting is marginal at best, but when I slow down and really pay attention it can be much nicer. Before I picked up a fountain pen, I printed everything in capital letters in a sort of drafting style. Now I try to write everything in cursive as I don't want to "forget" how to do it. I know that the style of writing isn't textbook, but it's mine, lol.

this thread prompted a quick journal entry tonight. I've missed a few weeks and it felt good to throw down a couple pages. Even if I caught myself making a spelling error, lol.

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

I write letters to friends and coworkers as a journal entry. It helps me get things off my chest and helps with my handwriting. Plus people enjoy reading the letters and I don't have journals or lots of paper cluttering up my house. I have friends writing me back now as well.

Their handwriting has improved since starting!

[cryhavoc]

My handwriting is horrendous. I have forgotten how to write in cursive because I print all the time. However as much as others complain, I have no trouble reading my handwriting.