1) Are you an over writer or an underwriter?
Left-handed writers fall into two general groups: over writers & underwriters. Over writers curl their hand around the pen while underwriters write with their wrist below the baseline. For pointed pen calligraphy, it is easiest to write from underneath the baseline, so if you are an over writer, you will want to try to retrain how you hold the pen for pointed-pen calligraphy. Otherwise, you can try for an adjusted modification and rotate your paper to the right as needed.
2) Make sure you are pointing your nib the right way
The tip of your nib should be pointing towards the top/top-right corner of your paper, so if it is too difficult for you to change the angle of how you write (which many left handed calligraphers have done, and I personally did as well as a right handed learner who didn’t know about oblique pens!),then you can rotate your paper instead.
3) Turn your paper
Some lefties turn their paper completely on its side – 90 degrees. You’ll want to adjust your paper as needed and see what works best for you.
4) Learn in person
One of the benefits of coming to our workshops is working with you individually to work through your natural angle of writing. It’s hard to know if you are doing it correctly, and we can make sure you are set up for success in your practice.
filed under: Calligraphy, Learn Calligraphy
Tips for Left-Handed Calligraphy Learners
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