Author Topic: Left-handed sidewriter  (Read 1202 times)

Offline Boots55

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Left-handed sidewriter
« on: January 12, 2022, 03:46:21 PM »
Left handed side writer. Man this is tough. I can do textbook copperplate with a pencil . I bought a really expensive flex-nib fountain pen and due to being a left-handed side writer (old dog new trick syndrome) I get pretty letters but the thick thin flow doesn’t work due to the pen nib orientation. HAS ANYONE ELSE OVERCOME or am I doomed to creating beautiful copperplate in pencil?

Offline AnasaziWrites

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Re: Left-handed sidewriter
« Reply #1 on: January 12, 2022, 05:43:10 PM »
Left handed side writer. Man this is tough. I can do textbook copperplate with a pencil . I bought a really expensive flex-nib fountain pen and due to being a left-handed side writer (old dog new trick syndrome) I get pretty letters but the thick thin flow doesn’t work due to the pen nib orientation. HAS ANYONE ELSE OVERCOME or am I doomed to creating beautiful copperplate in pencil?
@Boots55
You might find something of interest in the Tutorials section of the forum, tips for lefties, here:
https://theflourishforum.com/forum/index.php?board=41.0

Offline jeanwilson

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Re: Left-handed sidewriter
« Reply #2 on: January 15, 2022, 06:52:27 AM »
If you keep rotating the paper so that your nib is parallel to the slant lines on your exemplar, you will find the *direction* that you need for allowing the nib to perform properly.

I have had students who end up with the paper pretty close to upside-down - which seems like it's too radical a change to work -
but, when you start with the basic strokes and you start seeing the proper thicks and thins, you realize that you are putting shapes together.

Keep the exemplar in the same orientation - and eventually - it all comes together.
I've seen left handed people who write on paper that is turned 45-degrees and further - just for their regular penmanship.

Keep looking at the individual strokes and how they fit together to make letters -- and words.

Offline Boots55

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Re: Left-handed sidewriter
« Reply #3 on: February 01, 2022, 02:24:46 PM »
Thank you so much for taking the time to try and help me. I will try this metheod to see if Ican make any headway . Thanks again yer a sweety

Offline Gary

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Re: Left-handed sidewriter
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2022, 03:45:27 AM »
Hi,

I understand your frustration. Mitchell used to make a copperplate nib for lefti-handers with an elbow which will enable you to have a better angle of nib to paper. I don't know if they are still produced but it's worth checking out.

Don't give up.

Gary

Offline Erica McPhee

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Re: Left-handed sidewriter
« Reply #5 on: February 02, 2022, 11:36:56 AM »
In case you missed this, watch this video by John DeCollibus: https://theflourishforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=3630.0
Warm Regards,
Erica
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Offline Starlee

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Re: Left-handed sidewriter
« Reply #6 on: February 02, 2022, 04:53:07 PM »
I'm a lefty and it definitely has its challenges. I turn the page to about 5 o'clock from a standard upright page position. While this works for the most part and creates some interesting effects in its own way, I find no matter how hard I try, my shades tend to drop in different positions than what right-handers can do. I think it has to do with arm movement. Right handers move their arm left to right along a horizontal baseline. I have to move my arm almost up and down. The resistance is different and in a way I would rather not have. Also, it is hard seeing all my letterforms as I execute. I have a serious blindspot when it comes to making my ascender loops. I have learned to live with it and now go mostly by feel. I keep trying now and then to return to a more 'traditional' page orientation and it just doesn't feel right despite my fav position's disadvantages.
Star

Offline Boots55

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Re: Left-handed sidewriter
« Reply #7 on: March 10, 2022, 08:24:17 PM »
Really appreciated your comment star. i have produced many lovely quotes lately that look like traditional copperplate. The thing is I can only do them in pencil. I then print them out on my laser printer and they darken up. i bought an expensive flex-nib fountain pen but it is so unpleasantly foreign to write at an angle I have abandoned the process. Oh well ,at least I still have a way to turn out beautiful work!