The lost art of Penmanship
When John Hancock signed the Declaration of Independence, he didn’t just write his name with blotches and crappy writing. He scripted it, elegantly, beautifully….. large.
Granted, most people learned cursive writing in third grade like I did. We were then forced to use it through the next two years of elementary school for every assignment barring math. We were taught one style, one way of making our “H” and were told that we were wrong if we went “off-book” with our writing. 
My grandfather would roll over in his grave if he saw my handwriting. For the most part I type everything now, but every now and then, I have that desire to see the letters flow from my fingers with fluid ink of various colors on the beauty that is parchment paper (okay, or at least something similar). The closest thing I have to true penmanship is my signature that was passed down three generations along with my name. It’s changed a little since my father, and even a little more since my grandfather, but the shape and feel is still there.
Calligraphy, we now call anything resembling John Hancock’s signature. Sure it’s an art too, but it seems we have lost the idea of beauty with our now shabby attempts at handwriting. So here’s my challenge to you for today, and this is a personal challenge that for the sake of embarrassment and personal stuff should remain that way.
Today, write a letter to someone you love or haven’t spoken to in awhile. Handwrite it. I know your grandparents would love to get something handwritten. It’s probably been awhile since you wrote someone something that wasn’t an email or a grocery list. I know it has been for me. Make it a love letter, a letter of thanks (since we are rapidly approaching that time of year) or just a personal memoir of an event for you to keep.
Tags: art project, india ink, ink, love, pen, penmanship, rare, writing
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POSTED IN: Brain Shavings, Projects
6 opinions for The lost art of Penmanship
Gray Miller
Oct 19, 2006 at 5:41 am
Your entry reminded me of the site Notebookism.com (and its sister, moleskinerie.com ). While penmanship may be waning, the ancient art of the printed page is making a comeback. I never really enjoyed cursive…but somehow your post makes me wish I did.
John
Nov 3, 2006 at 4:17 pm
I bought my first Moleskine earlier this week and I’m on a mission to improve my handwriting. It was never good and since I now type everything it’s attrocious!! My hand gets tired after a few lines because I never write.
William
Nov 3, 2006 at 5:30 pm
I’m one of those people who will write at the beginning and then slip into printing…. Stupid drafting classes! :P Are you looking at any particular script that you would like your own writing to look like or just trying to develop your own stylized script?
Chris
Nov 3, 2006 at 10:15 pm
This girl in my Spanish class is from Germany and she writes with absolutely perfect handwriting.
William
Nov 4, 2006 at 9:43 am
Maybe it’s just our American Culture? We don’t take pride in what we create as much as in other cultures.
John
Nov 5, 2006 at 8:16 pm
I once had a friend from Pakistan with the most beautiful handwriting in the world.
I agree with the American culture observation. I’ve long felt we’re a culture where we’re just trying to finish the job, reach an arbitrary milestone rather than putting any sort of pride in our work. I sometimes feel so rushed at work I just need to get stuff done, who cares what shape it’s in? :-)
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