Fundamental Difference in Movement for Business and Ornamental Penmanship

Ornamental Penmanship is the ultimate script for many of that love movement writing from the golden age of penmanship. I've started to focus more on Ornamental and I realized how different the rhythm of Ornamental is than Business Penmanship, which is a script I've spent so much time with the past 3 years. In this video I try to show the different in movement between these two scripts which looks subtle visually, but is dramatically different in execution and feeling.
Learn about the Palmer Method at thepalmermethod.com

[@DBMPenman]

The downstroke can also be done by contracting - very slightly - the bicep and tricep. The script is traditionally smaller in x-height so the movement does not need to be strenuous or forceful.

[@soporte1398]

Holy shit, thank you. Literally perfect description. Immediately became more accurate.

[@ironbark3103]

Great to see the Zanerian hand action demonstrated, thanks David.

[@jillybean2734]

Thanks for a fab video! I hope this isn’t a silly question, but is it the case that you draw the down stokes with your fingers rather than your wrist in the ornamental style?

[@PerfectBiscuits]

Jill Stewart yea that’s another way to put it

[@jillybean2734]

@@PerfectBiscuits Thank you :-) I've just given it a go and my goodness but that is a difficult combination of movements!

[@1920sman]

What is the book to which you refer? 1909 edition of what? And by whom? Great video - perhaps you had an earlier one that explained the ornamental penmanship book.

[@daviddigiovanni8287]

I'm talking about this book: archive.org/details/ZanerLessonsInOrnamentalPenmanship1909

[@1920sman]

@@daviddigiovanni8287 thank you

[@arthurphilip743]

What is your opinion on oblique holders for business penmanship?

[@PerfectBiscuits]

Doesn’t matter, works the same.

[@arthurphilip743]

@@PerfectBiscuits There must be a difference in feel and it must impact your movements in some way otherwise people wouldn't bother using them. I understand that tools don't make the artist, but there must be something to it right

[@PerfectBiscuits]

Arthur Philip o there is a big difference for shaded writing, you can make a lot bigger shades with cleaner edges. For unshaded writing like business penmanship, it just feels a little different.

[@thulegezelschap5884]

@@arthurphilip743 an oblique helps me keep the angle of the slant better, especially when using a lot of flex