Improving my handwriting

Handwriting: the way a person writes

When I was little, probably around 10 years old, I was obsessed with handwriting. I remember filling pages over pages during the summer break, practicing the alphabet. If I look back at my school notebooks, sometimes I can't recognise my own handwriting.....I had so many different styles, and I would change it at the start of each school year. Even my signature has changed considerably over the years. I remember once, the clerk at the bank ask me to 'copy' one of my old signatures, because the way I was signing now was different from the way I had signed only few months back. My handwriting kept changing over the years, and despite the obsession, I couldn't find a nice set of letters to stick to that would satisfy me entirely.

I stopped caring about my handwriting up until last year, before I started writing down my daughter's record book. I wanted it to be perfectly written, so I started practising a bit again!

First thing I did, was to have a look at other people’s handwriting. I always admire people who can write neatly and elegantly even if they are compiling a shopping list. One of these person is my mum; she was a primary school teacher so she had a lot of practice! 

I also love people who can complement their drawings with nice handwritten notes. Love Cathy Johnson sketches and the way she collects info and thoughts about the subject. 

And what about the botanical sketchbooks of Mary Ann Scott…it’s my dream to create one of those! 

Or Kal Bartesky writing art 

And while browsing to find some inspiration I came across Austin Kleon’s blog and his article on how to improve your handwriting! 

What a relief knowing that I’m not the only one obsessed with handwriting.

So pen in hand I started practicing….

And practicing…

I tried different pens, different papers, different ways of holding a pen and different ways of holding the paper (try writing on a vertical board using your arm and shoulder rather than your fingers or wrist, you’ll be amazed at how the strokes can become smoother)…

And I began writing down the alphabet again…

The picture above was my first attempt to make my own font using this online tool...it was kinda cool to have a preview of how my own handwriting would look like in the digital world.

I’m still not 100% happy with my writing, but it’s getting better and, most of all, I’m enjoying the overall process. It brings back some happy memories and it helps me to release the tension.

I'm always on the lookout for pretty handwriting and thinking of taking a calligraphy course and maybe this BRUSH SCRIPT workshop.

 

Note: All the pictures above were taken with my phone, with the exclusion of those linked to the web.