How to Hold Your Pencil

[TromboneAl]

Seems like each time I see someone on TV writing, they are not holding the pen/pencil in the recommended way. That grip is superior to what I usually see, but I guess they don't teach this anymore.

I remember that at age 8 or so I held it the wrong way, but I was taught to do it correctly.

[cantlogin]

That’s among the reasons that I don’t watch television any more.

[Khan]

Sometimes I rest the pencil between index and middle finger, with the thumb, middle finger and ring finger holding the tip.

[CuppaJoe]

One of the great heros of my life was the guy who sat in front of me in 8th grade: he showed me how to hold the pencil. I had years of unnecessary Ds in penmanship and you wouldn't believe the writer's bumps in odd places.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khan Sometimes I rest the pencil between index and middle finger, with the thumb, middle finger and ring finger holding the tip.

I almost always do it this way, unless I'm only writing a signature. Seems more natural to me.

This thread wasnt what I thought it was going to be about.

[MikeD]

It's written down *and* on the Internet, so it has to be true:

Pencil test - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mike D.

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl Seems like each time I see someone on TV writing, they are not holding the pen/pencil in the recommended way. That grip is superior to what I usually see, but I guess they don't teach this anymore.

I spend far more time with my hands on a keyboard/mouse than a pen/pencil. My block printing is worse than it's ever been and I can no longer write cursive.

If I could spit Post-It Notes out of a printer then I'd never touch a pen/pencil again...

[Martha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl Seems like each time I see someone on TV writing, they are not holding the pen/pencil in the recommended way. That grip is superior to what I usually see, but I guess they don't teach this anymore. I remember that at age 8 or so I held it the wrong way, but I was taught to do it correctly.

You sound like a piano teacher.

[Khan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords I spend far more time with my hands on a keyboard/mouse than a pen/pencil. My block printing is worse than it's ever been and I can no longer write cursive. If I could spit Post-It Notes out of a printer then I'd never touch a pen/pencil again...

I rarely write anything anymore (have also gone to mainly block printing); my handwriting has always been bad and, with arthritis et al, keeps getting worse. The only time I do cursive is when I have to sign something, and I'm amazed that they're still accepting my crabbed scrawl.

[Texas Proud]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords I spend far more time with my hands on a keyboard/mouse than a pen/pencil. My block printing is worse than it's ever been and I can no longer write cursive. If I could spit Post-It Notes out of a printer then I'd never touch a pen/pencil again...

Funny.... I write good block.. but lost my cursive so many years ago it is not funny... I tried to write cursive a few months back.. and I could NOT...

And there was one legal document that they had put in my middle name... I do not use it to sign... but they insisted I needed to sign with my middle name... it looked like a 3rd grader with my 'nice' signature on both sides... hilarious...

[Payin-the-Toll]

I started block printing (in caps) in college because I couldn't read my cursive notes. Also worked well in business because eveybody was able to read my memos. Now I write BIG block when I send letters to elderly people and I'm sure they appreciate it. My step-father also taught me that you're supposed to hold a paint brush the same way you're supposed to hold a pencil, but if I'm painting big stuff my hand gets tired and I usually resort to just wrapping my paw around the end of the brush.

[TromboneAl]

Quote:

I spend far more time with my hands on a keyboard/mouse than a pen/pencil. My block printing is worse than it's ever been and I can no longer write cursive.

Right. Every year or so I need to write a paper check. Try writing "Two thousand eight hundred and fifty" in cursive. Embarrassing.

[unclemick]

Even as a lefty: you must hold the proper way.

True love - the trusty no. 2 Dixon Ticonderoga Woodgrain and the little block pencil sharpener in the right pocket. Better than an RC Cola and a Moon Pie.

Of course I held a mechanical with no. 2 lead in my pocketprotector in the 1960's at the aircraft plant - but the woodies were always my fav.

DeCaf this morning, snow on the ground, putting off any errands til it warms up above thirty - ER is good.

heh heh heh -

[vinnieg24]

hahah i hold my pencil the wrong way i have calices all over my hands lol

[Achiever51]

When I was a kid attending parochial school, the nuns made us practice our cursive writing every single day, and holding the pencil just right while we wrote on that wide ruled wood-chip paper was part of the practice.

To this day, I find myself idly practicing my cursive capitals and lower case letters when I'm chatting on the phone....and even studied calligraphy so I could hand letter my wedding invitations some 31 years ago! (Took me nearly two months to do them, by the way.)

If any of you guys need any help writing out those checks, just holler!

[HFWR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl Right. Every year or so I need to write a paper check. Try writing "Two thousand eight hundred and fifty" in cursive. Embarrassing.

I solve that by using block lettering for everytning except the signature.

[TargaDave]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords I spend far more time with my hands on a keyboard/mouse than a pen/pencil. My block printing is worse than it's ever been and I can no longer write cursive. If I could spit Post-It Notes out of a printer then I'd never touch a pen/pencil again...

Most valuable class I took in high school long before the PC revolution was typing (those IBM selectrics or something like that). I hardly know any men my age who 10 finger type.

Not only is my cursive gone and block printing almost illegable, as a lefty my pencil efforts are one big smeared mess. Always enjoyed watching my Israeli friends write backwards.

[Eagle43]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl Right. Every year or so I need to write a paper check. Try writing "Two thousand eight hundred and fifty" in cursive. Embarrassing.

If you'll make me the payee, you can write it anyway you like.

[TromboneAl]

Concerning typing, I remember a day in college when I felt that I was still peeking at the keys occasionally, despite being a self-taught touch typer. So, I used a hole punch to create little dots of tape, and covered the keys with them. Within three weeks I was cured, and typing faster. Side benefit was that no one asked to borrow my typewriter.

[flipstress]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Achiever51 When I was a kid attending parochial school, the nuns made us practice our cursive writing every single day, and holding the pencil just right while we wrote on that wide ruled wood-chip paper was part of the practice.

I have fond memories of cursive writing lessons from Catholic grade school, too. We'd practice loops and whorls and whatever other patterns there were.

I actually won third place in our penmanship contest in fourth grade. That was my most pleasing award in school.

It was downhill after that anyway--not very many awards afterwards.