Italics for Beginners
Improve Your Handwriting in a few Simple Steps
Michael Dirda recently wrote a review for the Washington Post on the new book [Washington Post, February 1, 2009] Script and Scribble: The Rise and Fall of Handwriting, by Kelly Burns Florey. Lets revive this lost art with italics, a handwriting technique that combines the flourish of cursive with the simplicity of print. Even beginners can learn italics in a few easy steps.
Bad Handwriting
Nowadays, bad handwriting isn't just limited to doctors scribbling on prescription pads. If you have ever found yourself squinting at a piece of paper you wrote on to decipher your own words - it is time to revisit handwriting.
Dirda says that the computer age has impacted our handwriting significantly. He writes, "For the most part, young people born into the computer age can, by focusing hard, just about sign their names in longhand, but otherwise they rely almost entirely on printing or, more and more often, keyboarding."
Origins of Italics
So now we know how our handwriting went from art form to scribble. But what are italics and where did they come from?
The origin of italic writing can be traced through the name. Italics sounds a lot like Italy. Author Fredrick Hamilton (aka Fredrick William), wrote a text on the origins of italic writing in his book, The Uses of Italic: A Primer of Information Regarding the Origins and Uses of Italic Letters [Published by the Committee on Education United Typothetae of America, 1918].
In a nutshell, italic handwriting is print with a slant and a flourish. If you where to take a piece of paper, slant it at an angle (45-90 degrees) and add tails to your letters, you would be pretty close to learning italics.
Simple Steps to Learn Italics
Of course, learning a new handwriting style takes some patience and some time. To get you started, follow these simple steps:
- Invest in an italics writing pad: These lined sheets are slanted at the write angle and provide example letters for you to learn both upper and lower case italics. You can even find writing sheets to print out at home.
- Lose that grip: Today more than even, writers tend to tighten their grip on a writing instrument. Loosen it up a bit. A good rule of thumb is that someone should be able to sneak up behind you and grab your pen or pencil out of your hand without meeting resistance.
- Make it fun: If you are having a difficult time learning italics, make it a fun and artistic experience. Many book and stationary stores carry fine writing paper, which you can purchase by the page. Additionally, look for calligraphy pens or fine tipped ballpoint pens. Turn a task into a pleasurable experience.
- Don't give up: Perfecting italics can be tricky, especially getting a handle on that angle. To improve your writing, don't give up. Practice for a few minutes a day and when you get frustrated or your hands get tired, stop. Easy does it.
- Practice italics in everyday settings: Use your new italic handwriting skills to write checks and write your signature. Equate italics with everyday use to build better muscle memory.
Revive a Lost Tradition
Mastering italic handwriting is pretty simple. But the results are impressive. You may be surprised to find your friends, family and even complete strangers asking how you learned to write so well. When you reach your comfort level in writing don't let it end at that point. Take italics to the next level and revive the lost art of actual letter writing. You might start a trend.
Italics can be learned in a few easy steps. But keep practicing to improve your writing. Afterall, you don't want to revert to scribbles!
Handwriting a lost art?
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