Peacock pens

Today is National Handwriting Day! Did you forget this or don’t you really care about it? No problem, I also saw it by chance on my insta where, within the fountain pen community, people give each other a happy fountain pen day. Oh, our community is so great!

If you want some background information about the National Handwriting Day, I suggest you to check this link.

While we’re on the subject of handwriting, I would have liked to explain my handwriting experiences. My school days are long behind me, so the period in which my handwriting developed, at school, was from 1979 to 1995 (born in 1973). I’ve always been a lefty. I have not experienced the horrible stories that teachers slapped the hands of the left-handed writers so that they would write with their right hand, but I was afraid. I never really had a nice handwriting during the school period. My parents called it ‘cat writing'(I don’t know the correct term in English).

What I always paid attention to is that I kept my hand in a normal writing position, no hooked or arched hand. Writing in books or covers with a ring was usually a disaster because your hand would be forced to go around these obstacles. During that period, I usually wrote with a fountain pen, my favorite writing instrument, even today. As a student, I didn’t care much about my handwriting at that time. And yes, smudging words happened more than I wanted it to be.

It was actually only from the end of 2019, at the start of my fountain pen collecting hobby, that I started to get interested in handwriting. I started looking to improve my handwriting, write more consistently and italic. The Spencerian script (based on Copperplate script) was my example, but I didn’t copy it completely. I sometimes use it for slightly more official occasions, it looks quite elegant.

In addition, I also use a kind of print handwriting, where the letters are not connected. My letters are really angular. I have let this manuscript evolve into what it is today. This print handwriting is probably the one I use the most. I also have a third more fantasy handwriting, the Wakanda Font. I sometimes use this for a title or just to do something special. So with my 3 forms of handwriting I have enough to indulge myself on paper.

I have to admit that nowadays I pay more attention to handwriting, not only in myself, but also in the way others write. It is often the case that a handwriting says something about the person. What is disappointing is how young people have a hard time reading handwriting, perhaps the emphasis is placed differently at school?

To conclude, I would like to refer you to the WP blog of Gray Summers. If you take a look at his blog, you will regularly find photos of his handwriting. I have to admit that this is one of the most special I’ve ever came across, really great! So I can really understand that people make handwriting their hobby, it’s a fascinating experience. Now, I already have enough hobbies, but who knows, maybe it will give you ideas.

Happy Handwriting Day!