Why is it so difficult to write or draw with your arm? - Part 1: The Mechanics

[@GrayHarris]

Dave, thanks for posting this series. The old master's left us enough resources to get started with arm movement. But, I feel that they relied on in-person, physical instruction to pass on the highest level of skill. I truly believe we can refine and improve upon what they knew, but only if people share and participate freely. Thank you again!

[@PerfectBiscuits]

Gray Harris you’re welcome!

[@JasonTako]

Thanks for making this video! I've been off and on with Spencerian for a few years now. Getting better but seeing how important arm writing is.

[@MiguelAngelBriones]

Thank you for sharing and your commitment. I have been practicing penmanship for almost two years on my own, watching your videos and grabbing some books here and there. My writing has improve a lot, I am about to finish the Palmer method, and it's been helpful in some way, learning the shape of those letters and so on. But just now, when I am about to finish this books, I was thinking on doing the transition from hand movement to arm movement. With your videos I find a clear explanation on how it really works. I let you know about my improvement. Thank you again and best wishes.

[@DB-cx6cb]

Just subscribed, good mechanics for writing.

[@gebbytoo]

Hey Dave, thanks for explaining this--I think this concept is really important for understanding how to generate writing movement rhythmic and efficient writing movement, and not just "drawing" letter shapes with the arm. The elliptical shapes we desire in both writing and drawing occur naturally as a result of the forearm swinging back and forth at its hinge (the elbow) under its own weight, powered by a rolling movement that hinges at the shoulder. If the elbow is kept loose, the movement will not only be amplified, as you say here, but will have its own momentum from the heavy arm wanting to rebound as it is swung back back and forth. As you say, that all equals less muscular input and easier writing. As far as control goes, I have been thinking more and more about how we might approach it by being more aware of the natural rhythm of a well-coordinated arm movement. The pulsation of the ellipse you can get by just rolling your arm on the desk (not literally tracing an elliptical shape with your arm--that's different!) might be the key to gaining control over what is at first a pretty unwieldy system. Thoughts?

[@PerfectBiscuits]

Hey Michael, Thanks for checking out the video. The rebound effect you mentioned is interesting. The skin of the forearm is certainly stretched as you swing the arm out in any direction, so I'm sure there is some force that wants to pull the arm back to the most relaxed state. Not something I've ever thought about or consciously felt. Probably something I should play with. Not sure what you mean by "pulsation of the ellipse". I'll mention that I'm tempted to go down the rabbit hole of physiology and biomechanics, but I think that might end up being a fruitless chase. I have a feeling it will lead to more questions than answers, more explanations than understanding.

[@GrayHarris]

Michael, thank you for bringing this up. I have much better control of a small ellipse by rolling the arm on the desk, especially when slowing down the number of revolutions. I have tried your method of swinging the elbow, combined with a push/pull, but found it better suited for upper loops than anything else. For smaller ellipses like "o, a, e" rolling on the arm rest has given me better results. For "professional business writing" or the model hand, I feel that the elbow hinge movement is to carry your hand across the page from letter to letter, and not used extensively in letter formation.

[@tashimi76]

@@PerfectBiscuits As a personal trainer I would prefer the correct anatomical movements. Given these can be easily looked up it might be easier for other people to understand too? I haven't watched the other videos referred to in these comments yet so I can't be certain, but to me it sounds like the "swinging the forearm back and forth at it's hinge (the elbow)" that Michael refers to above, is actually internal and external rotation of the shoulder (and not related to the elbow at all). I find the references to the elbow could be misleading because as far as I am aware you're barely moving the elbow joint (and not flexing or extending very much or rotating it as in supination/pronation).

[@PerfectBiscuits]

@@tashimi76 it's important to mention the elbow because the elbow largely controls the geometry of the movement. Haven't watched this video in a while, but thought I was clear about where the movement comes from (upper arm/shoulder) vs the pivot point of the movement (elbow hinge/forearm muscle). Overall, I didn't want to get into anatomical terminology for a couple reasons: 1) I don't know the correct terminology and 2) I'm primarily concerned about getting people to feel these movements themselves. If you are trying so hard to figure out what I mean that you start parsing my words and getting confused, you should turn off this video, grab a pen, and simply feel the movements yourself.

[@tari7555]

hhh i love this video, i love the way you explained it, it's well designed video ty

[@timoteizanoschi]

Thank you for this insight!

[@lindasue8719]

I want to stress to people the importance of having "just the right size" table. All the old book stress having a particular table/body relation to be able to do it. I have not been able to write with my arm except for on one particular table I used to have. Any tips for how to get around table height? At my current desk I would have to sit much higher, but then there would not be enough space beneath the table to accommodate my legs. 🤷. Any thoughts how to get around this, short of buying a new desk/table.

[@PerfectBiscuits]

Sounds like you have a table with a drawer or something under the writing surface. I don't see a way to get around that without buying a new table.

[@riyagoswami8624]

I have my exams in the mid of next year...i just wanna ask if i would b able to practice this style ...coz in the comment i read that it took 2 years for people to learn this skill? Is it so? I just want to avoid pain during writing in exam...will this b helpful sir?

[@PerfectBiscuits]

It does not have to take two years, but it’s highly unlikely you will take the time to develop this skill.

[@sigmundklaus]

What pain? What fatigue? I went throughy all 12 years of school, and then some at university, writing with my fingers, and millions others did, too. Like ... in your area kids don't write notes in school?

[@PerfectBiscuits]

I have a video with over 400k views that is titled, “how to hold a pen properly and write without pain”. Some people have this problem, many don’t.

[@somerandomperson467]

Lol

[@chickennuggets1837]

👁️👄👁️