How to: Holding the brush pen as a lefty | YouTober Day 6

Happy #youtober, Day 6!
Hey lefties!!! You have not been forgotten. (Never!) Even though I’m right-handed, I’ve taught quite a few lefties in my in-person workshops and online course. Thanks to this experience, I now have helpful tips I can share with you. Watch this video on how to hold the brush pen and be sure to stick around for more lefty tips.
Lefty inspiration:
Younghae Chung: logoscalligraphy
Traci Thompson: tmtcalligraphy
Jessie Chen: inkerellacards
(I'll add more soon!)
Pens:
Sakura Koi Coloring Brush Pen: store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/clink?...
Paper:
Rhodia Ice pad: amzn.to/2fEZ3vf
Learn how to rock at brush calligraphy!
Web: piecescalligraphy.com
Instagram: / piecescalligraphy
Facebook: / piecescalligraphy

[@sk-zy4tr]

Any lefty's? Or am I lonely! xD

[@moosedawg71]

Nope, I'm a lefty - underwriter to boost (google it if you don't know what a lefty underwriter is).

[@sk-zy4tr]

@The Aristocrat Bastard glad to see it 😌

[@daniflores653]

Mee

[@G3brenda]

THANK YOU!!!! I am a leftie and struggle at getting pens that don't smear or how to hold the pen

[@piecescalligraphy]

G3brenda - You'll definitely want to find pens that aren't so "juicy," meaning not so much ink that flows out. In general, brush pens dry much faster than pointed pen & watercolor, so I hope you have success with them!

[@Tippel3]

my one and only problem as a lefty is exactly what happens to you when you tried to go from a thick downstroke to a thin upstroke. Therefore the pen get's pushed, instead of dragged, it's really hard to make this transition going forward AND make a curve. With real brushes, that doesn't seem possibe for me. I wasn't able to figure out a way to do it except for writing backwards. With really firm felt tip brush pens it's not a big problem but otherwise it can be really hard. Just the point where rightys drag their brush to create a smooth transition from thick to thin, never struggled with anything else. Do you have tips for that?

[@willchesley2955]

Hey ! I'm a lefty as well, and what I do is rotate the paper clockwise instead of counterclockwise. This way you're pulling across the paper instead of pushing. Depending on your pen hold, you may end up having to rotate it more than you think, so getting used to the new angle of writing may be a challenge. Some left handers even find it easiest to write close to upside down, maybe give it a try (strange as it seems) ? Hope this helps :)

[@ruthannalston]

YES! I struggle with that too as a lefty. It’s also tearing up my brush pens because we aren’t able to drag it down through the transition but having to PUSH the pen forward through the transition. It’s really frustrating

[@Tippel3]

@@willchesley2955 sorry never saw your reply. well I actually write close to upside down even with my natural/ usual handwriting and with lettering too. Basically upside down then. But that still doesn't change a lot on that problem

[@daniflores653]

Im very heavy handed so it’s hard for me to write anything

[@CreativeCreatorCreates]

That’s my issue too. The bristle brush pens are such a challenge for me, especially.

[@ruthkezialauretta8479]

I've been trying to do calli using my dominant hand (left hand). Your video is my motivation 💖

[@piecescalligraphy]

Kezia - So happy to hear that, Kezia! 💖

[@nsstewpot]

Thank you, holding the pen perpendicular to the slant line, is the absolute best tip ever, Every other video I watched, just suggested trying out different angels, till you find one that works...

[@mcescher1957]

Why do so many people who are not left handed always assume that we drag our hands over our words? This drives me CRAZY!! I found, in school (and I am 62) that no one ever bothered to teach those of us who were left handed how to write properly. Just as the right handed person tilts their paper to the left, a lefty should tilt it to the right. I was blessed to have a father who was a lefty, and he took the time to teach me how to hold my pen, how to angle my paper so that my writing would not smear and smudge. Even today, I am appalled at how many people (artistic people that I see on YT) don't even know how to hold a pen or pencil correctly. My hand hurts just watching how some of these people scrunch up their fingers or hold their pen all the way at the bottom of their thumb...Please forgive my rant...I am praying to get some good advice from someone who appreciates the lefty - I have always just ended up drawing my letters if that makes any sense. It looks just great, but it takes so much time. Thank you for listening and for taking the time to make this video.

[@judithmorgan1718]

THANK YOU again. I have struggled with books, trying to mirror what i see from right to left, and in one sentence you cleared it: the angle of the pen is perpendicular to the ascent line...duh... apparently i fit the underwriter position, i never knew there was a term for it. i had to teach myself to write righty two years ago after a slip and fall accident. learning to brush my teeth righty was definitely a humbling experience...rewiring the brain is possible, so practice i will.

[@joya6414]

New subbie here! And left handed! Been practicing and struggling for weeks now, but this video and your website have really helped me turn a corner. I can't thank you enough!!!!!! You are amazing and so generous!

[@moosedawg71]

Thank you for FINALLY explaining how to hold the pen for a lefty. I always knew you wanted fat down strokes, but no one EVER explained about the pen position in relation to the slant, so THANKS!

[@jfaysal1971]

Hi Sharisse!!! Love that you love lefties!!! I took your course but have been so bad about completing everything!! I hope your daily videos will reinspire me to finish!!!

[@lindyk7132]

I just started calligraphy with watercolor yesterday - have in mind I started watercolor painting this month and I'm still getting the basics. So, for me, writing with water now is as tricky as can be, plus the fact I don't write much at all, even with regular pens. So I watched a bunch of videos with lots of "do it your way", "you can do it" and no real tips. Or, on the other hand, very odd positions and angles that made the whole experience even more difficult. Second day (just now): searched once again 🤞, found your video, watched it, tried it myself and ...voilà! That "a" type rounded and lovely (for a beginner, of course 😁), with thick and thin lines in place! Now I can go on. ✊❤️Thank you so, so much!!!🙌

[@janagayhart4857]

Yes! Thank you so so much! This video in combination with the Direction video from the day before are going to help so much! I never made the connection of the direction your pen is being held and moving is perpendicular to your slant line. That, and your tips for tweaking the paper and basically mirroring the same things that righties do. Thank you so much for seeing my comments and making it a point to create a video that responds and addresses the problems us lefties have. You are too awesome! ♥️ 🤗

[@hassanfidaa580]

You are a creative person. I have been watching your videos for the last hour and they are really helpful and enjoyable! Although for the last 3 videos or so, the topic was how to hold your brush pen(and I said: "Oh, there is an angle involved and I am a leftie! what should I do!) then I found this video that saved my life 😊 Really, Thank You ❤

[@janwyntoy20]

The tip about the angle of the pen tip in relation to the slant line was especially helpful. Other instructions I’ve heard talk more about the angle of the hand and pen to the paper, which wasn’t getting me the smoothness of lines that I wanted. Thanks!

[@violetarena995]

My mom used to scold me for being left handed because she always regarded it as the Devil’s hand. She’d always smack my hand for writing with it, but I always worked hard on my handwriting and your video inspires me :D!!!

[@bioforeverbl2403]

I'm ambidextrous and I discovered on April 2020 that I'm able to write with the left hand - it's a little hard, but the calligraphy from now it's very best if compared to the one of the last year 😂😂

[@EliseWongCreations]

Thank you so much! This helped and was quite an eye opener as a leftie. I really thought calligraphy was super hard for lefties. This is a relief! Thanks

[@abhishekchouhan7959]

Nice vidio, because I am lefty. I want learn calligraphy. Thankyou mam

[@breannegeaghan7392]

This was SUPER helpful!! First lefty brush lettering help that really made sense to me!! Thank you!!!

[@mollyecraterfield4100]

Omg! This is exactly what I was missing when I’ve been working on my angles ! Thank you!

[@edwinenriquez5041]

I have had my share of frustrations as a leftie. Tho I have managed to do some calligraphy exercises, your lesson here confirms what I had discovered while persistently trying. Thank you!!!

[@jlm517rocks]

Really helpful. The angle tip and shifting the paper made all the difference for both hands.

[@VirenderSingh-oz2df]

I'm lefty, this video is motivation for lefties 👍

[@amandapeterson6254]

Thank you. This one tip has helped me so much. This gives me a good starting point when I set down to practice.

[@helenoverstreet]

THANK YOU SO MUCH

[@johannaballou8887]

Ah, this does help! I just started learning, and have been struggling with the overturn basic stroke in particular. I tend to get a very inelegant “bump” when transitioning to the downward motion. This angle advice helps that a lot! This way the brush doesn’t do the weird swivel thing that was causing the “bump.” Thank you!! Now I have something specific to think about when I’m experimenting with the angle of the paper.

[@Linda-qq5mg]

Thank you so very much. Wow, this really helped me, as a lefty!

[@ritvikvaishnav3472]

YOU ARE A GODSEND thanks so much!

[@harumi44]

Hi ~ really nice to see that you try writing with a left hand for the demo coz many tutorials online don't really get what lefties faced when lettering and speaking from a right-handed's perspective without actual trying to write using left hand~ as a leftie i felt that the turns are not as smooth as it seems (which makes the pens fray easily) ~another thing is that some slanting form of lettering would be very unnatural to write for lefties due to the difference in angle when writing ~ anyway, love your videos ~ ❤️

[@fpurple9]

This was actually so useful! thank you! :)

[@rushnajamal2355]

That was so helpful.... 😘 I am a left hander n a beginner, n was having lot of problem seeing right handed people n trying

[@pamrigdon3146]

Thank you for this video. I'm struggling to learn by watching right handed people!

[@fernandabuzzo4254]

It was really helpful! Thank you!

[@defauwh105]

Thank you so much for this!!!!

[@reginaesl]

Aahhhh I needed this video thanks soo much

[@piecescalligraphy]

Yayyyy! Happy to have you here, Regina! xoxo

[@bonniestride6034]

Yes thank you!

[@Alex-zl5ht]

thank you. what style of cursive do you think is best for left handed people to learn?

[@fiona6561]

Lefties, as you know are quite rare. Being a female lefty, I believe is rarer. So here’s to us lefty girls! 😁👍🏻

[@instrumentalmusic13]

Thanks for the advice🙏👍(left hand emoji)

[@quinelly6801]

Thanks!

[@JonnieQuestsStars]

I’m looking for a leftie oblique dip pen, can you tell me a good one at a reasonable price? My penmanship and old English are intermediate but I have never used a pen for a leftie. Thanks for your time.

[@kellyfranca7355]

For using Computer a lot, I forgot how to hold the pen, now when I try It's so uncomfortable. 😟

[@piecescalligraphy]

Hi Kelly! That can be such a challenge. Take it one step at a time. It’s a slow process that is totally doable, but you have to be sure to build those muscles back the right way. You got this!

[@silverfox9648]

explanation starts at 3:00

[@marysueshalberg5622]

I am also a lefty… And years ago (many) Was taught to change the angle of my paper which made me an underwriter… I noticed you do not change the angle of your paper and therefore you’re left-handed example looks like a sidewriter or overwriter. Can you show me an example, turning your paper to an opposite 45° angle?

[@nlynn.7]

I AM C R Y I N G THSNK THE LORD WORLD HAVE MERCY ON LEFTYS

[@lexie5504]

I could not figuer out at ALL

[@piecescalligraphy]

Oh no! What do you find the most challenging? Hope I can help you.

[@jasonvoorhees8899]

Why don't you train to be ambidextrous ?