# Mapmaking Discussion & Philosophy (WIP/Critique) > Pen and Paper / Traditional Methods >  Improve handwritting

## Culnamo

Hello,

The last two decades or so, I've drawn quite some maps (although I've barely shown them to people). I really love drawing maps by hand instead, because working behind a computer is what I do for a living. 

The main thing I struggle with, is the handwriting. 

My handwriting isn't ugly, but I found it hard to find the right balance between the feeling of my (classical) map and my (modern looking) handwriting. It is my believe that the font, symbols and the border are the most important parts of a good looking map. Even more important than drawing beautiful mountains, forests and coastlines.   

How do you guys improve your handwriting?

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## Tiana

Set up a dot grid for where the points of the letters are going to fall before writing them in. That's my primary secret to doing hand lettering with an actual pen. I also hand-letter some of my maps digitally, and that's a lot easier since you can erase until you're happy. Say you wanted to learn to do a font, you should try to copy its alphabet separately to get a sense of the shape of the letters where you won't hurt the ink in progress. Then you know where the extremities are going to fall, so you will set up a pencil grid appropriate to the letters you plan to write, and then pencil the letters, check it's okay and spelled correctly, and then ink the letters and erase any guidelines. Using a ruler to set up guidelines is how I learned to hand letter comics. You have to view it as drawing each character, not writing at all. Then you'll start to get it.

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## Culnamo

> (...) You have to view it as drawing each character, not writing at all. Then you'll start to get it.


That's a lot of gÃ³od advise. 
I tried the grid this morning and this improved the lettering more then I'd imagined it'd do. I used to make (small) blocks were each letter would go, but that made it look weird and.. disjointed. It didn't feel like a coherent name, but more like a bunch of lettershapes in a row. 
The grid is such a simple, but effective method. Thank you! 
I quoted a part of your answer: I think this is the basic misconception I had. This and some nerves towrite/draw the names. 

I hope I'll *start* to get it!

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## Tiana

> I think this is the basic misconception I had. This and some nerves towrite/draw the names. 
> 
> I hope I'll *start* to get it!


You will. The nerves to draw each name is a lot of it. Especially inking them by hand, it's a huge undergoing with no room for mistakes. If you do it digitally it's not so stressful but it's still a commitment, y'know, instead of just typing the words. You'll be not so good at first and then you'll be okay with your lettering and then it'll be an up and down back and forth experience where you aren't sure about it.

My handwriting is crap but I can letter well enough that people hire me specifically because one service I offer is hand-lettered place names. My own handwriting has not improved due to this. I usually do comic book style and not a specific sort of calligraphy, and i often draw the words once and then redraw them a few times until I've positioned them just so.

The grid technique I learned from comic book letterists, which was one thing I've wanted to do. But now I use that skill on maps. Most comic books just use fonts now. I even made my own custom comic book font from my handwriting when I got started.

Feel free to share your results if you're ever comfortable posting them here.

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## Impractical Cartographer

If I may advise:
start writing with a nib. It is much harder, but you learn faster.  :Smile:

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## Razgriz05

I can confirm that writing with a nib is really something else, my wife gifted me a couple of them for Christmas and it's really a whole new world.
It's a little bit sad as I haven't used them much these days - I'm quite busy with work, as no lockdown will prevent you from studying things like the evolution of the prices of this property in Spain so that you can give predictions about how the market's going to evolve, but I think I'll take some time this week to draw something nice with them. Especially since I've recently received a box of charcoal "pens" (not sure if that's the correct word) to draw the map itself!

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## Adfor

I'm in an odd boat with this topic, for I feel it is an area of mapping that I'm furthest from mastering.

My handwriting is like printed font, which is something I've repeatedly received praise for thoughout my life, and while it translates well to my mapping style, I just don't know exactly how I want to alter it for the most pleasant results. As Tiana said, I'm having the "up and down back and forth experience", where nothing is good enough, which oddly enough has been the most fun of all the skills you develop while hand drawing maps.

Definitely going to try the frame approach though, Tiana, that sounds like a great remedy for some issues I've been having with titling, thank you.

IR

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## Feathered fox ink

I agree with Impractical Cartographer here, writing with a nib could help you. You won't write as fast as with your usual pens but it makes you more carefull about the different stroke to trace a letter.
Calligraphy books can be useful, too, with explanations on how to trace the letters. Even if you don't plan on using actual calligraphy on your maps, it would make you think more about the shape of the letters: once you understand it, you can try adjust it to your own style.

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## etrnlflame

I end up cheating and uploading the map to my computer where Illustrator can write for me...

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