The Sad Decline of Cursive—Especially My Own – The Wall Street Journal
“Learn the Art of Beautiful Handwriting With the Palmer Penmanship Method”
Do you remember the days of practicing your handwriting in grade school? If you were fortunate enough to have been taught by the experienced Sisters of St. Joseph, you would have been exposed to the Palmer Penmanship Method – a technique that taught you how to write g’s with big, looping lines and s’s in the form of curlicues.
Aim to Achieve Calligraphic Handwriting
The Palmer Method was created by Alfred Austin Palmer in the late 19th century and is based on his belief that the art of beautiful handwriting could be achieved through carefully crafted instruction. The Sisters of St. Joseph taught their students the technique with a view to Mastering the Formation of Letters. With regular practice, you can make your f’s to look like fairy tale princesses with fancy hats, ready to burst into a noble dance.
How to Strengthen Your Writing Skills
If you wish to create artful letters like the ones taught by the Sisters so many decades ago, there are several ways in which you can strengthen your writing skills.
• Start by using the best materials – use fountain pens and a nice paper or journal.
• Take your time when you write – have an understanding that one hour of practice every day is more than enough
• Pay attention to details – try to create the perfect letter through the repetition of lines and dots
• Focus on the shape – each letter must reflect the character of the alphabet
• Have patience – it will take time for your skills to improve
Develop Artistic Writing With the Palmer Penmanship Method
This technique is as relevant today as it was in the past. The Palmer Penmanship Method is still widely used to teach the skill of artistic writing, and elements of its techniques have been incorporated in other forms of penmanship like calligraphy and brush writing. Therefore, if you want to brush up on your handwriting skills, it just takes some practice and patience!