On day 2 we wrote samples of our natural handwriting, then we stepped back to look at which shapes form each letter. Now, it’s time to combine those two exercises to refine our handwriting.

Let’s analyze our handwriting.

*video updated, 2017*

With a pencil we’re going to go back to our handwriting sample page and look for places where our letter forms get diminished. Circle the spots where individual letters start to lose their unique identity.

In order to comfortably push the limits of natural handwriting into creative lettering, we’ll want to have full confidence in our writing.

We’re not writing shorthand, we need to make sure we’re completing the whole letter. I noticed that sometimes when I’m writing fast, my ‘e’ can start to look like an ‘o’.

Do you mix print and cursive? I often do, but I noticed that when I combine the two styles, some of the letter joins start to resemble a different letter all together! This ‘ou’ combination actually starts to look like my cursive ‘r’.

The way I’ve connected this ‘r’ and ‘y’ looks like an ‘n’!

Other times my haste smooshes (yes, a very technical term) letters and leaves no ‘breathing’ room.

Now, let’s write another page of samples, this time taking our time and paying attention to the full form of each letter. Try to place one letter in each square (one of the reasons I love graph paper). Allow the miniscules (lower case) to fill the whole box, and let the ascenders (the b, d, f, h, k, l, t) and descenders (g, j, q, y) rise or dip from that box.

Don’t worry, we’ll get back to personal style and flair, but for today we’re looking at properly formed letters.

Yes, this will bring you back to penmanship practice from grade school.

Use the grid as guidelines for your ascenders and descenders.

I’m focusing on the miniscule letters, since those are the ones we have a greater tendency to allow them to run into each other and lose their form.

I also wrote a couple of sentences, taking time to give each letter its own space. I also added a bit of encouragement.

We need to learn the rules, so we can break them with FLAIR!

To practice cursive, I’m writing two of each letter so that I can watch how I connect the letters.

Then I also practiced a few different pairs of letters, since they join differently depending on the letters.

Then jot a couple of sentences.

Did you notice what I did? We’ll talk about combining styles and whimsy later in the month, but can you see how FLAIR in all printed capital letters looked great and added punch, but in all cursive capitals, not so great? It looks jumbled and clumsy.

This is why we learn rules… to break them well!

Practice these on a couple of pages if you find this helpful. Tomorrow we’ll be switching it up and bending these rules. Make sure to repeat the letters and combos that you found to be struggle spots from your original sample page.

Watch the video demonstration of how I write out the print and cursive alphabets:

How are you doing so far? Do you need more help with any of these?

Looking for printable guide sheets?

There is now a companion guide available for this portion of Love Your Lettering, if you feel more comfortable working through a printable guide:

I know you’re looking for today’s assignment, but we’ve had a lot of people join us over the past couple of days and they want to catch-up. Plus, the post I had scheduled for yesterday didn’t go live in time for your daily morning email and I was out at my brother’s wedding all day yesterday, so I couldn’t respond to all of your messages. I’m sorry to keep you all waiting.

As I mentioned in the series intro, it’s my intention to give you the weekends to catch-up and look for inspiration.

I know we’ve just begun, but today is a great day to browse the hashtag (#LoveYourLettering) and see how everyone is digging in to the challenge. I’ve loved reading different posts of why women are joining with us. You all are really a blessing to me. I’m excited to continue this series with you.

One of the advantages of connecting with you here as well as Periscope is that I can listen to your feedback and make small changes to our schedule to stay focused where we need to.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back on schedule with morning emails and a Periscope broadcast at night.

Thanks again for giving me some of your time each day. I love hearing from you!

Our Periscope chat-

To get creative with our lettering, first we have to understand the basics.

Yesterday we created samples of our natural handwriting. This serves two purposes, to give us a starting point to look back at, and to allow us to analyze our natural tendencies. I asked you to make your samples without over thinking or forcing your hand.

Today we get back to the very basic foundations.

All the letters are formed from similar shapes, combined in different order. We can pick out those pieces and practice them to refine our handwriting. This repetitive practice also helps to add rhythm to our penmanship.

On a new page I wrote out the alphabet down the left side. I noted which pen I was using at the top of the page. One letter in each square. Look down at each letter and you’ll see straight lines, curves, diagonals, circles, hills, and valleys.

We’re going to create a line of each shape or letter fragment.

It’s important to notice the direction of the stroke. It doesn’t show in ‘regular’ pen, but when we use other style pens later in the month, the direction of the stroke will matter a great deal, so lets practice it now. The proper stroke direction also helps create a fluid rhythm in you lettering.

I’ve included arrows in my sample for you to see which direction I was moving in.

If there is a line of shapes that seems tricky, repeat that line.

Fill the page, or use two. I know this seems like very basic, almost silly practice, but drills like this will also start to give you ideas for borders and dividing lines to use in lettered pieces, later on.

Here is my demonstration of this exercise:

Don’t worry if it doesn’t look perfect, it’s an exercise to build consistency and muscle memory.

Which stroke feels the most awkward? Did repeating it help it to feel more comfortable?

You all are doing great. I’ve been checking out the hashtag (#loveyourlettering) and I really enjoy peeking at your work!

There is now a companion guide available for this portion of Love Your Lettering, if you feel more comfortable working through a printable guide: