Books on Calligraphy and Penmanship

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

Originally Posted by Seabound

For those who would like to indulge more in the "lost art of handwriting," I highly recommend acquiring a good-quality fountain pen. Good ones can be had inexpensively these days. Even permanent ink is available (Noodlers). Writing with a fountain pen is one of the finer joys, and a fountain pen is made for cursive writing. Some authors still write first drafts of complete novels using a fountain pen.

I switched to using a fountain pen for most things a couple of years ago, including daily stuff at work (even though I work in IT there are still times when pen and paper beats electronic communication. )

The problem with this is that pen collecting can become addictive... I currently have 4 fountain pens (which I know isn't all that many, but is at least one more than I can easily justify...) - two at work, one in my bag, and one at home. I keep meaning to get a couple more for home so I can have them filled up with different colour inks! If I do, I might go for some more of the not too pricey Watermans Audace range - very different looking pens.

This whole thread makes it appear like learning cursive handwriting is very difficult. I really don't think it is all that difficult.

If I can improve my cursive/joined up handwriting, anyone can! Actually, it improved a lot just by using a fountain pen.

[Patricia]

I prefer a propelling pencil with a fairly soft lead: 2b or 3b.

[Seabound]

Originally Posted by ShortNCuddlyAm

The problem with this is that pen collecting can become addictive... I currently have 4 fountain pens (which I know isn't all that many, but is at least one more than I can easily justify...) - two at work, one in my bag, and one at home. I keep meaning to get a couple more for home so I can have them filled up with different colour inks!

Uhuh. Not to mention buying something to write on.

If I can improve my cursive/joined up handwriting, anyone can! Actually, it improved a lot just by using a fountain pen.

Yes, I think it is often said that switching to a fountain pen can help improve one's handwriting.

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

Originally Posted by Seabound

Uhuh. Not to mention buying something to write on.

Can we agree definitely not to mention that? I keep buying different brands of journal "to test the paper", and to see what the different sizes and covers are like...

And then I discover I like them too much to spoil with my writing so they sit on a shelf gathering dust, but looking pretty. Actually, I am getting over that now, and forcing myself to use the books I have before I buy (too many more) new ones.

[Seabound]

Originally Posted by ShortNCuddlyAm

Can we agree definitely not to mention that? I keep buying different brands of journal "to test the paper", and to see what the different sizes and covers are like...

And then I discover I like them too much to spoil with my writing so they sit on a shelf gathering dust, but looking pretty. Actually, I am getting over that now, and forcing myself to use the books I have before I buy (too many more) new ones.

Okay we won't mention it. All I know is that a good fountain pen hates bad paper. And different combinations of fountain pen, ink, and paper have quite different results. I hope you get to fill up those journals. Maybe you should become a writer and write a novel. You know those writers always carry a notebook around to record their precious fleeting thoughts before they vanish forever. It would be an efficient way to go through those journals.

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by ShortNCuddlyAm

Can we agree definitely not to mention that? I keep buying different brands of journal "to test the paper", and to see what the different sizes and covers are like...

And then I discover I like them too much to spoil with my writing so they sit on a shelf gathering dust, but looking pretty. Actually, I am getting over that now, and forcing myself to use the books I have before I buy (too many more) new ones.

there's a trick to getting over notebook intimidation.

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

there's a trick to getting over notebook intimidation.

Thank you for pointing that post out!

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

Originally Posted by Seabound

Okay we won't mention it. All I know is that a good fountain pen hates bad paper. And different combinations of fountain pen, ink, and paper have quite different results. I hope you get to fill up those journals. Maybe you should become a writer and write a novel. You know those writers always carry a notebook around to record their precious fleeting thoughts before they vanish forever. It would be an efficient way to go through those journals.

That's not such a bad idea, in that it might get me to actually finish some of the stories I've started. Or at least make more progress on them.

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by ShortNCuddlyAm

Thank you for pointing that post out!

i recommend you read the entire thread. i think you'll like it.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

If the same information can be conveyed in print as in cursive, then why is cursive important?

Cursive is faster. That is why it was invented in the first place. No need to lift the pen from the page. My grandkids (in California) are being taught to print in a kind of cursive instead of traditional printing. This is supposed to permit them to smoothly move to cursive. However, it means they really don't print properly. Not all changes are good IMHO.

Dale

[Seabound]

Originally Posted by Patricia

I prefer a propelling pencil with a fairly soft lead: 2b or 3b.

You sure do call things funny. I thought that was a pencil that propelled itself and wrote words with minimal human intervention, and that I had missed out on a magical invention. When I googled it, I realized it was what I know as a mechanical pencil. It's very handy.

[Seabound]

Originally Posted by ShortNCuddlyAm

That's not such a bad idea, in that it might get me to actually finish some of the stories I've started. Or at least make more progress on them.

That sounds wonderful. A fountain pen is also excellent for sketching.

[Seabound]

Not too long ago, entries from George Orwell's diaries started to get posted online, one post per day, so that each journal entry is posted exactly 70 years after Orwell originally wrote them. Seventy years ago, on this day, George Orwell made the following journal entry:

"Two eggs."

http://orwelldiaries.wordpress.com/

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

Originally Posted by Seabound

That sounds wonderful. A fountain pen is also excellent for sketching.

Oddly enough, I've not tried that; although I have used mapping pens. do carry around a rather nice 4b mechanical pencil though, which I've started to use in one of the books

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

i recommend you read the entire thread. i think you'll like it.

I'll be back in 28 pages or so...

Edited to add - I did and I did

I've also just had occasion to pass on that trick