Change your Handwriting?

When I first began calligraphy I was quite shocked that so many expert calligraphers have very ordinary, even "fat backward" "poor" handwriting. It's as though we are chameleons showing our colours selectively!
But did you know that adults can change their everyday handwriting? Speak to Monica Dengo or work through her book. It is a matter of application, the right tools and the right instruction.

Expressive semi-abstract  lettering by Monica Dengo

I believe that Monica's book "Free Handwriting" somehow cuts through to the heart of the matter.
In fact she makes me want to address my own daily cursive writing - my sort-of loosely-Italic, but sometimes illegible writing.

She looks at the lettering of the Great Italian masters c1500's then extracts a working method for the average person. Monica suggests using a 4B pencil and lined notebook. This is far more accessible than the usual array of calligraphic equipment and the lettering is monoline. Learning letter forms is alternated with playful exercises and it's all about form, rather than edged nibs and the correct pen angle. (See below).

The reader -or should I say the writer - is then taken through a carefully selected guided tour of Italic manuscripts from Venice and Perugia, many of which I have never seen before. I can't show you the selection on account of copyright. Fluency, joining and rhythm are prime elements and letterforms seems to follow logically especially given the ground work in "Lesson One" (above and below)

.After looking at different joining options, (above) 

the writer is given ideas on how to personalise their handwriting.

This book, Free Handwriting can be ordered via the website www.freehandwriting.net.

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