How To Improve Your Handwriting (Heart Handmade uk)

I found out recently that this particular post, that I had written back in 2012, got itself lost in the internet time continuum so I decided to repost! Back then I discovered a great post on a charming occasion blog, and while I haven’t utilised these tips myself I think the advice is golden! If you haven’t been following my blog for long; back in January (2012) I decided my handwriting was like the scrawl of a 4-year-old and decided to do something drastic. I actually retrained my handwriting arm as I had terrible habits of writing from my wrist and not my shoulder. It hurt and it took a lot of practice. I did go to google and download free handwriting practice sheets and I practiced and practiced and practiced! I also took some lettering classes when I decided to get fancy.

I am not talking about fancy schmancy calligraphy…. I’m talking about plain old, regular handwriting and my tips for training yourself not to write like you’re sitting in a moving car as the ink flows.

Get a dedicated notebook for practice

Get a notebook or sketchbook for practicing your lettering. I have used a grid notebook, 1 cm squares I think so I can really define the shapes without having to rule lines every time I want to create a letter.
The image above is probably the most recent page from my typography practice notebook. It’s a big A4 pip studio notebook and it is full of practice shapes. Pages and pages of A’s and O’s to get my arm used to the movement. My advice – definitely get a grid notebook if you really want to practice your handwriting because it will help you practice your spacing which is essential.

PRACTICE!

This is what I used as a guide for practising arm movements. Trying to improve my penmanship was helped greatly by doing these exercises. With the grid pages on my notebook it also meant I wasn’t just creating random stupid squiggles everywhere. It could be quite sore at times but I just carried on because I love lettering and happy mail ^_^

The Pen’s The Thing!

I’ve discovered that the right pen makes a HUGE difference to my handwriting. I love a thin nib.My perfect materials are -

A mechanical pencil 0.3. I chose 0.3 because it’s lightweight and if you need to erase it, it comes away easier than a HB or 0.5.
A pentel retractable eraser
A guided ruler
A good sharpener
Black Ink pens ranging from 0.2 to 0.8 in size.

Find Typefaces You Want To Copy

When you get comfortable with creating shapes of letters and you can create different styles you will find it way easier to emulate the inspiration that you find. This helps you with shapes and seeing how your own hand responds to what you see. It can take a lot of practice. Good luck

This is fabulous typography that has definitely inspired me in journalling ^_^

Experiment with different styles!

These little nuggets are from Lost Coast Post where there is a 5 post section on writing.. perfect for journalling!
Practice makes perfect! Seriously.