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CHAPTER 2

Different Strokes for Different Folks

UNDERSTANDING WRITING STYLES AND TECHNIQUES

Each handwriting is as unique as a thumbprint. It is an outward reflection of one’s inner character. There are many attributes to consider when analyzing a handwriting sample: margins, spacing, zones, size, connectivity, strokes, slants, movement, rhythm, regularity, speed, and pressure. Each of these will be outlined and described in this chapter.

THE SAYING “MIND YOUR P’s AND Q’s” has a far different meaning to a professional graphologist than it might to the rest of us. After reading just a few lines of a person’s handwriting, a skilled graphologist can form a very clear picture of the writer’s personality, strengths, and weaknesses.

How can you use that same source of information to better understand what makes the people in your life tick? Well, you can start by familiarizing yourself with the various handwriting elements. These include the margins, spacing, size and form of letters, how the letters connect, slant, movement, speed, the pressure of the stroke on the page, and more. Knowledge of these elements and what they say about character will help you build

accurate “personality profiles” of the people with whom you come in contact. The more you understand the people in your life, the better you’ll know how to relate to them!

Let’s take a closer look at the factors that make up the whole pattern of a handwriting and what each of these factors tells us about the writer.

How It Looks on a Page

All writing starts with a blank page. Ten people can each be given a blank sheet of paper to write on, and each person will fill that page with writing in a different way.

We consciously try to keep our handwriting consistent in the first line or two. But as our thoughts about what we’re writing become more important than how we’re writing, our writing pattern becomes a lot more unconscious and revealing. Thus, the way we—or any writer—use space on a page allows initial insight into character, habits, and life patterns. In general, the overall form or pattern of the margins, lines, and words on a page reveals the writer’s capacity to channel energy into goals.

Margins

A margin is the perimeter that frames a page of writing. When you type a document on a computer, your word-processing program opens with preset margins that are usually at least one inch all around, so that your document looks symmetrical on a page and has enough border to be easy on the eyes. But when you write a letter, essay, or report by hand, you don’t possess that computerlike precision; the placement of your words on the page is uniquely yours and an innate reflection of who you are and where you are going.

DID YOU KNOW?

Studies have proven that if you write in the dark, you cannot keep a consistent margin!

Let’s take a look at the types of margins and what they say about the personality of the writer.

Margins Around Page

Depending on the amount of space alotted to the margins around a page (both width and length), it could indicate either options available or a sense of aesthetics.

Balanced Margins Around Page

Qualities

• A good planner

• Neat, orderly, and organized

• Well adjusted to the world

Narrow Margins All Around Page

Qualities

• Doesn’t give space to others

• Multitasker

• Often shows lower level of education

• Problem with ego boundaries, i.e., defining a clear relationship with others

Wide Margins All Around

Qualities

• Protective of self

• Shies away from physical contact

• Needs privacy

The Left Margin

The left margin is indicative of the appearance you want to make to others. It also expresses your feelings about the past, your mother, and your degree of formality.

Consistently Narrow Left Margin

Qualities

• Likes familiarity

• Casual and informal

• Reduced respect for education

• Careful with money

Narrowing Left Margin

Qualities

• Cautious

• Protective

• May lose enthusiasm for things after starting them

Consistently Wide Left Margin

Qualities

• High standards

• Running from the past

• Open to opportunity

• Reserved, self-control

• Possesses self-respect

Widening Left Margin

Qualities

• Enthusiastic about reaching goals

• Impatient and hasty

• Extravagant

• Less trusting of others

Straight Left Margin

Qualities

• Respect for learning, education, culture

The Right Margin

The right margin reflects how you face the future and your need to reach your goals and objectives. Right margins don’t come under the same scrutiny as left margins because it is perfectly normal for a right margin to be somewhat irregular. If a writer does have a perfectly aligned right margin, watch out! This is a person who may have some real emotional issues!

The right margin also reflects your feelings and attitudes toward your father.

Consistently Wide Right Margin

Qualities

• Cautious

• Fearful of the future

• Anxious

• Oversensitive

Widening Right Margin

Qualities

• Shy

• Needs a lot of encouragement

• Fearful and mistrustful of others

Consistently Narrow Right Margin

Qualities

• Active

• Goal- and future-oriented

• Vital and outgoing, engages people

• Hasty

Inconsistent Right Margin

Qualities

• Tendency toward moodiness

• Uncertainty about goals

• Ambivalence about the future

Narrowing Right Margin

Qualities

• Loves a challenge

• Eagerness

• Takes risks

Straight Right Margin

Qualities

• Exhibits self-control

• Slow to adapt

• Consistent regarding goals

The Upper Margin

The upper margin indicates your respect and deference for the reader and your sense of protocol.

Narrow Upper Margin

Qualities

• Informal

• Inconsiderate

• Possibly lacking respect

Wide Upper Margin

Qualities

• Modest

• Reserved

• Respectful

The Lower Margin

The lower margin reflects your personal enthusiasm (or lack thereof).

Narrow Lower Margin

Qualities

• Dreamer

• Sentimental

• Economical

Wide Lower Margin

Qualities

• Superficial

• Aloof

• Emotional or sexual issues

Crowded Writing at End of Page

If writing is squeezed into the bottom of the page, it may also mean there is an inability to plan or anticipate well.

Spacing

After margins, there are three more spatial factors to consider: the space between the lines, the space between the words, and the space between letters in a word.

Line Spacing

The space between lines of writing generally indicates planning and goal setting, organizational abilities, self-control, logic, and emotional clarity.

Balanced Line Spacing

Qualities

• Mental clarity

• Organized

• Good planning skills

• Objective

• Common sense

Narrow Line Spacing

Qualities

• Lack of reserve

• Lack of self-knowledge

• Thrifty

• Unclear judgment

Overlapping Lines

Qualities

• Lack of inhibitions

• Lack of perspective

• Chaotic and disorganized thinking

• Lack of consideration for others

Wide Line Spacing

Qualities

• Analytical mind

• Well organized

• Good manners

• Elegant and refined

• Detached, clear judgment

• Anxiety

• Emotional isolation

Irregular Line Spacing

Qualities

• Lacks self-discipline and self-confidence

• Reacts to the moment

• Impulsive, mood swings

Word Spacing

Spacing between words tells us much about your personal space in regard to other people—are you easygoing or a little restrained? It also reflects your speech patterns—if a writer pauses to breathe or speeds up when talking, the flow of his or her words on paper will often mirror that individual’s speech.

Balanced Word Spacing

Qualities

• Well balanced

• Mindful of boundaries (hers and others)

Narrow Word Spacing

Qualities

• Talkative

• Self-confident

• Active

• Demonstrative with others Outgoing

• Careful with money

Very Narrow Word Spacing

Qualities

• Boundary issues

• Impulsive

• Dependent on others

(Clinging to the baseline is another indicator of these traits.)

Wide Word Spacing

Qualities

• Selective in relationships

• Reserved and a bit standoffish

• Poetic and/or philosophical

• Good listener

Very Wide Word Spacing

Qualities

• Shy or hesitant

• Fearful of intimacy; inhibited

• Isolated and lonely

Irregular Word Spacing

Qualities

• Emotionally unstable

• Conflicted and unpredictable

• Impatient

• Unreliable

• Lacks a clear sense of boundaries in relation to self and others

Letter Spacing

The spaces between letters within a word are indicative of self-expression and, in relationships, warmth and openness. The closer the letters, the more inhibited the person; the wider apart the letters, the more open and giving the person.

Balanced Letter Spacing

Qualities

• Adaptable

• Warm and friendly

• Open-minded

Narrow Letter Spacing

Qualities

• Refusal to reflect or practice introspection on oneself and life in general

Wide Letter Spacing

Qualities

• Outgoing

• Chatty

• Spontaneous

Space After First Letter

Qualities

• Cautious

• Gets the “lay of the land” before taking action

Irregular Letter Spacing

Qualities

• Ambivalent

Getting in “The Zone”

As your pen moves horizontally across the page, the letters you form also move vertically through each of the three zones, which correspond to both your psyche and your body. Each zone embraces a specific sphere of life: mind, body, and spirit, or as Freud would say, the ego, the id, and the superego.

Let’s start with the basics—or, rather, the baseline.

The Baseline

The baseline is the line—the “horizon” or ground—on which handwriting rests. It can be visible, for example when you’re writing on ruled paper, or “invisible,” as when you’re writing on unlined paper. The baseline separates the conscious from the unconscious. It indicates emotional stability, realism, balance, and ability to set goals.

The closer and more consistently writing rests on the baseline, the more stable a personality the writer is likely to have. When the writing strays above the baseline, it reflects an adventurous personality—someone who is not tied to conventions or rules, who prefers to go her own way. When handwriting falls below the baseline, it indicates emotional heaviness, reduced enthusiasm, depressed moods, inappropriateness, and appreciation of money and material things.

A steady and straight baseline reveals a goal-oriented individual. A wavy baseline shows someone who’s more interested in the journey than in the destination. Beware: An overly wavy baseline expresses a personality that can be unstable and capable of many moods.

Steady Baseline

Wavy Baseline

The baseline is also the point from which we can begin to examine the three writing zones.

Zoning In on the Zones

How do you spot a zone? Letters that fall on the baseline (all of the vowels, plus c, m, n, r, s, v, w, and x) are in the middle zone; letters that extend high above the baseline (b, d, f, h, k, l, and t), are in the upper zone; and letters that extend below the baseline (f, g, j, p, q, y, and z) represent the lower zone.

Each zone reflects a different level of consciousness and personality manifestation. To use a metaphor, the upper zone can represent the sky, which reflects our aspirations, creative fantasies, and goals not yet achieved. The middle zone is the horizon—the place on which we rest our feet—our daily existence. The lower zone represents that which is hidden and unconscious but influences us nonetheless. Although we are often unaware of its influence, our unconscious has a powerful impact on our upper and middle zones. Its emphasis, intensity, or prominence in the handwriting reflects the value the writer places on each zone.

The Upper Zone

The upper portions of tall and capital letters, i-dots, and t-bars, usually fall into the upper zone above the small letters. This zone is also where we see the stems and loops of the letters b, d, f, h, k, l, and t. This zone—and the emphasis given it by the shapes and sizes of the upper loops the writer makes—represents the writer’s relationship with authority, father, fantasies, dreams, aspirations, ambitions, concepts, and speculation. This zone deals with intuition, imagination, and sphere of abstraction. Freud would say this represents the superego—rules, regulations, and the standards and ideals to which one is supposed to aspire.

The upper zone also gives clues to the writer’s intellect, interests, and spiritual development.

If there is emphasis on the upper zone, it usually indicates that there’s an issue with the ego, i.e., the need to compensate for ego insecurities and pride. Wide loops in the upper zone reflect an active imagination and mean that the writer might show unrealistic expectations and grandiosity. If a writer has a short upper zone, it usually means that he has issues with authority figures and tends to favor the concrete over the abstract.

Exaggeratd Upper Zone

Short Upper Zone

PEN POINT Capital Letters

Capital or uppercase letters reveal the way one wishes to be viewed by others. If the capital letter is large, followed by small middle zone writing, it shows that the person wishes to present himself as confident but in reality does not feel nearly so secure. Capital letters that are highly embellished or oversized can indicate vanity and artifice, as well as pretense and a desire to overcompensate. Small capital letters reflect modesty or lack of pretension. (See sample of Ivan Boesky on page 38.)

Capital /

In the English language, the capital I is unique. It is not just a letter but also a word—a personal pronoun that represents both one’s self-concept and one’s parents. The capital I represents not only the writer but also feelings about self-worth and how one wishes to be regarded by others.

The Middle Zone

The middle zone is where 90 percent of all writing takes place. Small letters fall within the middle zone, where they are connected on the baseline. These letters are a, c, e, i, m, n, o, r, s, u, v, w, and x, and they do not extend to the upper zone or the lower zone. This zone represents the way one adapts to reality, copes with everyday life, and the expression of the ego. This is also the zone of connection with others, as well as of feeling and emotion. It reveals the writer’s sense of “relatedness.”

If the middle zone is in a harmonious proportion to the rest of the writing pattern, the writer is a relatively well-integrated individual who has made a good adjustment to life. Large middle zone writing shows self-involvement and, to some extent, narcissism. A small middle zone can indicate that the writer tends to underrate his or her gifts and may feel inferior.

The Lower Zone

The letters extending below the baseline belong to the lower zone. These include the letters f, g, j, p, q, y, and z. The lower zone is a deeply personal area, focusing on the writer’s material needs, primal instincts, creative drive, and search for answers to life’s perplexing questions. It can also reveal hidden aggression.

Average Lower Zone

This zone represents the unconscious as well. An accented lower zone represents a strong search for fulfillment and material rewards. It also indicates sexuality, personal needs, and a search for roots. The lower zone represents the traits most often hidden from others, or what Freud would call the id. While the middle zone represents the conscious, the lower zone represents that which is below our threshold of consciousness and can also reveal a person’s dark side.

If the lower zone is inflated and the middle zone small, it can mean that areas of energy—such as fantasies or frustrations—are not adequately channeled into reality.

Inflated Upper Zone

DID YOU KNOW?

The lowercase f is the only letter that extends into all three zones.

Size Matters

In writing, size does matter! The pattern of the writing and the way it is spread over the page represent how much emotional and physical space the writer demands. The height shows the need for recognition and aspirations, and the horizontal expansion shows the need for self-expression. Small handwriting indicates someone who is not concerned with what others think and one who can work alone in highly detailed, often demanding fields in which she can play a contributing role. This is in no way, however, an indication of strength and self-worth.

What’s Average?

How do you gauge what’s big and what’s small? Start at the middle! In general, a handwriting is considered average size when letters in the middle zone measure about 3 millimeters high, the upper zone letters measure 6 millimeters from the baseline to the top of the loop, and the lower zone letters measure about 6 millimeters from baseline to the bottom of the loop.

Medium Size Writing

Writing that is medium or average size is the norm for most people, but size can change with age, moods, stress, illness, or medication.

Average Writing

Qualities

• Focused

• Well adjusted

• Good social skills

• Realistic

• Plays by the rules

Large Writing

Qualities

• Enthusiastic

• Extravagant

• Proud

• Entrepreneurial

• Bold

• Independent

• Action-oriented

• Needing attention

Small Legible Writing

Qualities

• Pragmatic

• Modest

• Dutiful

• Objective

• Good concentration and focus

Uneven Writing Size

Qualities

• Varying responses to situations

• Uneven self-esteem

• Over- or underestimation of self-worth

How Do You Connect?

When we write in script, words are formed by joining one letter to another. We further join them by making an upstroke or a downstroke. The point at which we join each letter to another is called a connection, and the style with which we make those connections is called connective form. The connective form reveals a lot about emotions, energy, and flexibility.

Handwriting is primarily made up of four connective forms: the garland, arcade, angle, and thread, and sometimes a combination of forms.

The Garland

The garland is the most common form of the writing connectors and also the easiest to create. The garland’s u form resembles an open cup and has a lovely, fluid rhythm. The way to recognize the garland, particularly in the m and the n, is to notice if the letter is curved at the bottom and pointed at the top. And because it represents an open cup, the garland allows stimuli to enter from the outside and, in particular, from the upper zone, representing the intellect. But it closes out stimulation from the lower zone, which means that the writer is open to his emotional, creative, and intellectual level. The garland form indicates a person who is adaptable, tolerant, straightforward, and good-natured. This is a person who is open to outside influences, likes nature, and can be a good mediator in conflict resolution.

A strong garland, which has a wide curve on the bottom, indicates these qualities:

• Flexible

• Talkative

• Tolerant

• Good-natured

A weak garland, which is often narrow and does not show a strong, regular curve on the bottom, indicates these qualities:

• Unstable

• Unable to concentrate

• Naïve

• Acquiescent

• Insincere

The Arcade

The arcade is the reverse of the garland connection. It resembles a cup turned upside down. The arcade is rounded at the top of the middle zone and angled along the baseline. It is a connective form that is slower in creation and movement. The arcade requires more caution and less spontaneity because you need control to produce it. It shows secretiveness and reserve. Writers of this form are less likely to be influenced by their emotions and more involved with formality, tradition, protocol, and conventions. Often artists, architects, and writers who are concerned with form and structure use this technique of connection.

The Angle

Both the garland and the arcade connections move toward the right of the page, but the angular form is more static and stilted. It takes longer to write in angles than any other connecting form because the pen stops at each intersection. The shape and rhythm of the angle connector are reminiscent of a military march. Angles are harder to create, require more intensity and discipline, and they are more likely to break the natural flow or rhythm of the movement.

Writers who use an angle connection love challenges, have strong willpower, and are not adaptable—they expect you to adapt to them! Angles show a need for control of both the self and others. Because they are often intense on the page, producing the most friction, angle connections show the need for conflict—and an opportunity to overcome it.

Donald Trump is an angle writer

The angle form is not open to influences of either the upper or the lower zone, and it is often more contracted than released. Because of an inability to adapt as easily as the garland writer, for example, the angle writer can be uninterested in the needs or feelings of others. Adjustment and flexibility are great challenges to the angle writer.

The Thread

The thread is not really a connector but, in fact, an avoidance of one. The advantage of the thread is that it allows great freedom, spontaneity, and very little need for focus. It permits speed and versatility, and allows the writer to see all sides of a situation before choosing to act. Use of the thread can reflect opportunism, manipulation, and diplomacy. While the writer may appear to obey all the rules, he or she often figures out a way to circumvent them too. Creative people, or people who have very quick minds, love this connection because it doesn’t slow them down. However, it can be used for deception, deviousness, ambiguity, lack of commitment, and disloyalty.

The thread signals a person who is a nonconformist and who is capable of dealing with any situation. This shapeless connection allows the writer to operate free from the restrictions that the other forms of connections require. This connection also signifies the writer’s need to choose his or her own path. Independence keeps this person happy.

There are two types of threads: primary and secondary.

The pressure of the pen on the page creates the primary thread. The final stroke in a word or sentence thins out but is still legible. This writer can act and think quickly on her feet. She is adaptable and intuitive.

The secondary thread is created by pressure of the grip against the nib of the pen on the page, so the handwriting is less legible. This writer can be seen as manipulative, selfish, and a bit of an opportunist. To confirm these qualities, the connection must be evaluated in the context of the total writing pattern.

Henry Kissinger is a thread writer

Different Strokes

The stroke is the path traced by the pen on paper, a visual record of the writing movement. Writing is, in effect, frozen movement on the page. The size, shape, and form of the stroke—the up, down, and across movements—leave their imprint on the page. The imprint reflects the smoothness, fluency, and firmness of the stroke. The hand usually applies more pressure in making the downstroke than in making the upstroke. The fingers are pointing toward the body for the downstroke, whereas they are stretched (involving more strain) for the upstroke. Strokes show us much about the person wielding the instrument. Let’s look at the types of strokes that form the written word.

Downstroke

The way the downstroke is made reveals the writer’s attitude toward outside forces and values.

Downstroke from the Upper to the Middle Zone

The writer brings his or her creative fantasies (from the upper zone) into conscious reality (in the middle zone) to make real an abstract idea.

Upstroke from the Middle Zone

The writer consciously wishes to move from today’s reality to future aspirations and ambitions.

Upstroke from the Lower Zone

The writer brings instinctive and primal needs and drives into conscious reality.

School Type (or Copybook)

The school type writer needs approval or prefers guidelines in order to fulfill responsibilities. This style may also show an aversion to taking risks. This writer generally is comfortable with the form of writing learned as a student or a schoolteacher—in fact, he or she might be a teacher.

Sharp Stroke

The writer values clear boundaries, is focused, articulate, and analytical. If the stroke is weak, the individual may be outwardly cold, easily offended, or lacking in energy.

Pastose Strokes

A pastose stroke is usually written with a felt-tipped pen, which makes it thick and brushlike, with a preference for reduced friction on the page. The writer is warm, natural, and open to the environment, and enjoys sensory pleasures.

Making the Connection

We’ve learned about connective forms, but now it’s time to consider how words and sentences are joined.

Connections are made by writing impulses. Writing patterns mirror speech patterns; some are fast, some are moderate, and others, slow and deliberate. Connections show us how well the writer connects to the outside world in regard to thoughts and impressions, relationships, and social activities.

Moderately Connected

Moderately connected writing joins many letters but there is often a break between first and/or capital letters and syllables. The moderately connected writer has sharp reasoning skills, has thoughts that flow smoothly, is a good problem solver, is adaptable, and interacts well with other people.

Highly Connected

Highly connected writing links most letters with occasional pauses after capital letters. The writer who uses a highly connected style has a good mind for trivia, is detail-oriented, organized, tenacious, and consistent. He or she is logical, realistic, and a systematic thinker who can often achieve goals through willpower rather than energy.

Overconnected

Overconnected writing is seamless with no breaks at all. Sometimes such writing is crowded as well. The overconnected writer can be perceived as compulsive, highly focused, literal, and logical, and she or he often sublimates emotions into a sense of willpower in order to accomplish goals.

Disconnected

Disconnected writing almost has the feel of printed writing. Somewhat disconnected writing indicates an idea person with a good analytical mind. The writer can have friends and acquaintances but may not connect to them in a deep or meaningful way.

Very disconnected, almost choppy writing can be the sign of a highly creative or intuitive person but someone who may not always see his or her ideas come to fruition. This writer’s not always good at honing ideas to make them work. Furthermore, this personality can be moody and unpredictable, and not always adept at creating and sustaining relationships.

Queen Elizabeth I of England is a good example of disconnected writing

Printing

Believe it or not, printed handwriting can be analyzed—it still adheres to many of the forms and styles that apply to script (cursive writing) despite the fact that no individual printed letter will span all three zones.

Though mostly schoolchildren print, there are a variety of times when the average adult needs to print, i.e., when filling out forms and for legibility when writing notes or instructions to others. People who print are often logical and realistic.

With our current emphasis on the computer, cursive writing has begun to take a backseat to printing. Writers who print often do not like their cursive style and feel printing gives them a great sense of control.

A New Slant on Slants

The slant of handwriting is the angle formed by strokes going up from or down to the baseline. Slants reflect emotional responses to what is going on in one’s life at the time one writes. There are four types of slants: right, upright, left, and variable.

Right Slant

The right slant is an angle of 45 to 85 degrees to the right. It reveals an outward-directed person, focusing on others and on the outside world. It generally means there’s an emphasis on taking initiative and on meeting goals and objectives.

Upright Slant

The upright slant is at an angle of 85 to 105 degrees. This vertical writing generally indicates self-reliance and self-discipline. It also reflects poise, discipline, self-control or reserve, introspection, and independence. Writers with an upright or neutral slant are fairly grounded in the present.

Left Slant

The left slant is an angle of 45 to 85 degrees to the left. It reveals an inward-directed person with an emphasis on the self, mother, protection, well-being, safety, and an attachment to the past. It also suggests resistance to change.

This scale offers an easy way to “measure” slants in writing. You can trace and use it whenever you practice an analysis.

From Klara G. Roman, Handwriting: A Key to Personality

Swinging Both Ways: The Variable Slant

Talk about ambivalence! If you examine a handwriting where the slant changes from right to left to upright to right again (or any combination thereof) you’re looking at someone who has real trouble making up his or her mind.

PEN POINT What About Lefties?

Lefties account for 15 percent of all writers. However, unless writing in Hebrew (which moves from right to left), most left-handed people are confronted with challenges when learning to write. They have to place their paper in odd positions to adapt to the right-handed writing world and avoid having their hands immediately wipe across (and smear) the fresh ink they’ve written.

As a group, lefties are often considered sensitive, imaginative, and highly creative—Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Benjamin Franklin were all left-handed.

In general, left-handed writing is not obvious. Some lefties tend to have more upright and angular handwriting than right-handed writers.

DID YOU KNOW?

People whose handwriting slants to the left can often find relationships challenging or difficult. They can also rebel against authority.

Smooth Moves: Writing in Motion

Movement is part and parcel of writing. Once you start writing, your writing moves, and the ways in which it moves—trend, rhythm, speed, spacing, and direction—are important personality indicators.

How Trendy Are You? Right and Left Trends

The Swiss psychologist Max Pulver taught us that the right represents the future and the left, the past. Any horizontal movement toward the left side of the page is called left trend; any movement toward the right side of the page is called right trend.

What do we mean by movement? Right trend movement entails elements such as a rightward slant, letter loops that pull to the right, crossing t’s and dotting i’s on the right, long ending strokes, and margins that move to the right side of the page. Left trend movement entails elements such as a leftward slant, letter loops that pull to the left, crossing t’s and dotting i’s, and long beginning strokes.

Right Trend and Left Trend

A left trend represents an emphasis on oneself, withdrawal from others, yearning for influence, and resistance to authority. A general left trend indicates a need for the support of the mother and the past, while a general right trend represents adventure, challenge, the values of the father, and the future.

I’ve Got Rhythm

The rhythm in handwriting reflects the writer’s impulses—the unique contraction and release pattern. Movement, form, and space all work together, to create a rhythm pattern in writing.

Strong Rhythm

Qualities

• Self-control

• Stability

• Steadfastness

• Discipline

Weak Rhythm

Qualities

• Disorganization

• Fickleness

• Changeability

• Lack of self-control

• Nonconformity

Regular Guys—and Gals!

Having perfect regularity (i.e., consistency) in an overall handwriting style is impossible, but there are general consistencies that indicate regularity.

Regularity

Regularity is demonstrated by maintaining consistent slant, pressure, and height in letters. There is also a consistent return of strokes to the baseline. These characteristics indicate that the writer is stable, disciplined, and able to control impulses. He or she also has a strong sense of duty, reliability, concentration, and willpower.

Irregularity

Fluctuation in slant, pressure, and height in letters shows irregularity, indicating that the writer is apt to have little control over impulses—at times exhibiting rebellious, undisciplined, or careless behavior.

Regularity Versus Rhythm

What’s the difference between regularity and rhythm? you ask. According to Felix Klein, the constancy of size, width, pressure, and straightness of lines characterizes regularity. Both regularity and rhythm are reflections of movement. It is the elastic “to-and-fro” movement of the writing—the interchange of movement release and movement contraction—that forms the rhythm. Everyone has individual rhythm.

Faster Than the Speed of Write

Writing speed is an important feature, but it’s also one of the most difficult elements to assess accurately. Unless you observe a writer in action, there’s no immediate way to know how much time she or he took to write! And the fact that speed can vary from document to document—or even within the same document—poses another challenge. The pace used to take notes during a lecture will likely be different from the pace used to write up a thoughtful letter to a boyfriend or girlfriend. Because you probably won’t have more than one handwriting sample from any individual, you won’t have the ability to make comparisons and draw a well-rounded conclusion.

Speed in handwriting is a characteristic of great interest to professional graphologists. As noted in Chapter 1, Robert Saudek studied speed, and many graphologists believe it is a crucial element because so many other characteristics are affected by how fast or slow the writing is (and vice versa).

Here are some guidelines for distinguishing slow and fast writing:

S-L-O-W Writing

Basic Elements of Slow Writing

• Disconnected writing

• Angular or arcade connective forms

• Heavy pressure on the page

• Elaborate or decorative writing style

• Regularity

• Upright or left slant and left trend

• Descending baseline

• Narrowing left margin

Common Personality Traits of Slow Writers

• Lacking spontaneity

• Inhibited

• Liking familiarity

• Deliberate

• Formal and reserved

• Contemplative

• Accurate and thorough

FAST Writing

Basic Elements of Fast Writing

• Use of garland or thread connective forms

• Light pressure on the page with a thin stroke

• Irregularity

• Right slant and right trend

• Ascending baseline

• Widening left margin

Common Personality Traits of Fast Writers

• Spontaneous

• Makes the most of time

• Gets things done

• Active

• Mover and shaker

• Quick thinker and learner

Speedy Gonzalez: Too Fast

If a writer’s speed is too fast, he or she can be

• impulsive

• impatient

• careless

• superficial

• hasty

As you would suspect, a writer whose speed is moderate and who has a well-paced release of energy is generally stable and takes things in stride.

Putting the Pressure On

Did you ever get a note in which the writing is so dark and deep you can see and feel the imprint with your fingertips on the back of the page? That’s an example of heavy writing pressure.

As previously mentioned, pressure is produced by two factors: the pressure against the pen point, which is called primary pressure; and the grip the writer has around the pen, which is called secondary pressure and is the basis for pastose writing. To check for pressure, turn the paper over and see how much the writing makes indentations on that page.

The writing surface plays a part in pressure, too. If you write on a paper placed on a wooden desk or table, you’ll demonstrate less pressure than if that same page was placed on a pad or softer surface.

The Felt-Tipped Pen

Felt-tipped pens (such as the Flair) show virtually no pressure against the page, making handwriting difficult to analyze. The pattern created by a felt-tipped pen is a consistent brushlike stroke.

People who use felt-tipped pens often prefer a thick stroke, which is a sign of sensuality.

PEN POINT Don’t Hold the Pen Against the Writer

Every now and then, you’ll get a bum pen that blots ink (think leaky ballpoint) or discharges ink in a way that creates a fat or almost smearing stroke (think fountain pen). These indicators are more reflections of the pen’s personality than of the writer’s! When examining a handwriting sample, be mindful of this discrepancy—if the ink blots or smears are consistent throughout, it’s the fault of the pen, not the writer, and should not be interpreted as a negative character trait.

Color and Discharge of Ink

If the ink is pale, the writer displays weak emotional energy. He may be cold, superficial, or overly sensitive. If the ink is uneven in discharge, her emotional and physical state may be inconsistent.

Normal Pressure

Characteristics to look for: moderate ink color and slight indentation.

Qualities

• Vitality

• Maturity

• Intelligence

• Good willpower

Heavy Pressure

Characteristics to look for: deep ink color and strong indentation on back of page.

Qualities

• Strong drive

• Willfulness and determination

• Desire for control

• Ability to commit to an objective

Very Heavy Pressure

Characteristics to look for: Indentations so deep they almost rip or distort the paper.

Qualities

• Frustration

• Anger

• Ill temper

• Intensity

Light Pressure

Characteristics to look for: light and delicate writing that barely makes an indentation on the back of the page.

Qualities

• Path of least resistance

• Sensitivity

• Delicacy

• Good mental energy

• Lack of stamina

Pressure in Lower Zone Only

Quality

• For many, an emphasis on sexuality and desire.

(The word Faithfully is circled for emphasis. The circle is not part of the original sample.)

DID YOU KNOW?

Extreme unevenness in pressure is often seen in the handwriting of criminals.