Most beautiful cursive to learn, in your opinion?

[Halcyon]

My son is almost finished with HWT Cursive Success, but I think I'd like to transition him to a more beautiful (yet still practical) cursive. I am eyeing SmithHand, Happy Scribe and Pentime....thanks.

Suggestions?

 

ETA: Also looking at Z-B.

Edited November 19, 2010 by Halcyon

[cjbeach]

I can replicate Spencerian really well but it's not practical for everyday use (great for envelope addressing though). :001_smile:

Of the different penmanship programs I have tried, I seem to naturally fall back into Getty-Dubay Italic cursive. It really is clean and legible.

 

I'm really a geek about this because I cannot draw. I have always had a thing for beautiful cursive so instead of drawing, I write in cursive. :001_huh: I can spend ours doodling in Spencerian. Really. I'm such a geek.

 

Anyhow, as a cursive geek, I can honestly say I love Getty-Dubay Italic cursive, more than anything else, for a clean, legible look.

[AudreyTN]

I really like BJU Cursive.

[mytwomonkeys]

we used HWT cursive too. my daughter's handwriting is coming along beautifully. after HWT, we switched to copywork only. i use passages from simply spelling and write them in cursive on our white board. she copies them in her composition book 4 days in a row, and the fifth day is dictation. since we've started this, her penmanship has soared & she gets compliments often on her cursive.

[robsiew]

Any one my kids can write and I can read! ;)

 

Seriously, we used HWT here and like a PP I do copywork only now. My son has beautiful cursive and despite my daughter doing the same copywork each day as my son... hers is not as neat.

 

One idea would be to show samples of different options to your child and see which one your dc likes the best. There might be more motivation to learn it if there is some choice involved!:D

[walkermamaof4]

You know, BJU is so similar to Getty Dubay. We've used both. But one cool thing about BJU is that it is available as a free font download somewhere on their site, making for easy copywork prep! Getty Dubay is not available free.

[southcarolinamom]

My kids learned BJU pre-cursive and cursive.

 

I took an art class in college - a calligraphy course. My favorite style was learning "copperplate."

[Halcyon]

You know, BJU is so similar to Getty Dubay. We've used both. But one cool thing about BJU is that it is available as a free font download somewhere on their site, making for easy copywork prep! Getty Dubay is not available free.

 

 

OOOh i'd love this link!

[BatmansWife]

Here are a few comparison charts you might find helpful in deciding. We are using McRuffy, so I chose D'Nealian....which is very similar (if not almost exact) to McRuffy. I wouldn't say that D'Nealian is beautiful...but it's easy to learn and isn't as loopy as some styles. My dd thinks it's "fancy" enough.

 

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/cms_content?page=314397&sp=1016&event=1016RNF%7C1073374%7C1016

 

 

http://familyphonics.com/handwriting/table.htm

 

 

Here's a free worksheet generator for D'Nealian and ZB styles, if you decide on either of those:

 

http://www.writingwizard.longcountdown.com/handwriting_practice_worksheet_maker.html

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

My ds, 8, has been enjoying PenTime:)

[Aludlam]

We love A Reason for Handwriting.

[Caitilin]

This is the one we use, which I learned as a child in the German public schools. It's called the Lateinische Ausgangsschrift. I think it's much prettier than the cursive usually taught in the US. :)

[yslek]

This is the one we use, which I learned as a child in the German public schools. It's called the Lateinische Ausgangsschrift. I think it's much prettier than the cursive usually taught in the US. :)

 

Hey, that's the cursive I learned in German public school, too! Funny...even though I prefer it to anything I've seen in the US, I've never thought of teaching it to my kids. :tongue_smilie:

[Halcyon]

Pretty!

 

Actually, my son did some copywork in Z-B this morning and he likes "the curly tail" at the end of each word...:) It was hard for him to replicate it exactly, but his first effort isn't half bad!

[Spy Car]

This is the one we use, which I learned as a child in the German public schools. It's called the Lateinische Ausgangsschrift. I think it's much prettier than the cursive usually taught in the US. :)

 

I like this!

 

Bill

[BatmansWife]

This is the one we use, which I learned as a child in the German public schools. It's called the Lateinische Ausgangsschrift. I think it's much prettier than the cursive usually taught in the US. :)

 

The X is really cool.

[Spy Car]

Not only is it nice looking, but I love the way the name "lateinische ausgangsschrift" flows off the tongue :D

 

Bill

[Crimson Wife]

Spencerian is the prettiest IMHO but most folks these days would have difficulty reading it. Of the standard options, I think Peterson Directed has the nicest-looking cursive.

[Halcyon]

The X is really cool.

 

 

:iagree:

[cjbeach]

This is the one we use, which I learned as a child in the German public schools. It's called the Lateinische Ausgangsschrift. I think it's much prettier than the cursive usually taught in the US. :)

Oh I saw this years ago... in at least one of my Calligraphy books but I had no idea that is was German origin. Cool. I still make my Capital A's like that Capital A in the link!

[Hunter]

I would really like to learn Spencerian. What are the best books?

[Halcyon]

I would really like to learn Spencerian. What are the best books?

 

:bigear:

[Gratia271]

The people I know who have used Spencerian purchased this set.

[Susan in KY]

This is the one we use, which I learned as a child in the German public schools. It's called the Lateinische Ausgangsschrift. I think it's much prettier than the cursive usually taught in the US. :)

 

Is there a font available for this?

[Halcyon]

The people I know who have used Spencerian purchased this set.

 

Thank youU!

[Hunter]

Yes, thank you :-)

 

I really want pretty handwriting....and in the style "I" chose! Handwriting says so much about us. but if we submissively adopted a style forced upon us, it says something about the person who forced it on us, not about us.

 

It is time that I take ownership of how I write.

Edited November 20, 2010 by Hunter

[BatmansWife]

You can get the 5 Spencerian copy books and the Theory book at Rainbow Resource for $16.95. Just type in "spencerian" in the search box. While I think that *I* might like to learn this style, it just doesn't seem practical for teaching a child. It seems like it would be difficult to learn and difficult for them to read. But, I'm not sure.....just thinking out loud here.

 

ETA: I'm seriously considering it for myself though....since my cursive handwriting is a strange combination of cursive and printing and who knows what. It would be neat to have such pretty handwriting.

Edited November 20, 2010 by ~AprilMay~

[sarahv]

Oh no. Now I have cursive envy. Is there ANYTHING available for teaching the german script or are we on our own in the States? (sigh) It's very beautiful.

[Hunter]

Thanks for the Rainbow Resource lead :-)

[nansk]

Oh no. Now I have cursive envy. Is there ANYTHING available for teaching the german script or are we on our own in the States? (sigh) It's very beautiful.

 

 

Here are two ebooks (Vikas and Dreamland) that are in a similar style.

 

HTH

Edited November 21, 2010 by nansk

[BatmansWife]

Here are two ebooks (Vikas and Dreamland) that are in a similar style.

 

HTH

 

I'm interested in seeing these, but I can't get either link to work.

[sarahv]

Here are two ebooks (Vikas and Dreamland) that are in a similar style.

 

HTH

 

Thanks!!:001_smile:

[Caitilin]

If you know enough German (or are proficient with Google Translate!) to fake your way through the German Amazon site, you can buy workbooks for it there. I don't know that there are instructional materials which would be useful to the English-speaking homeschooler, but the workbooks aren't too expensive, especially if you only have to buy one--I was buying three! Anyway, you can see examples of what is available here.

[nansk]

I'm interested in seeing these, but I can't get either link to work.

I'm sorry that you are unable to view them. I tested both the links again and I can see both docs.

[BatmansWife]

I'm sorry that you are unable to view them. I tested both the links again and I can see both docs.

 

That's wierd, I've tried them numerous times and it always says "the webpage cannot be found".

 

Oh well.

[HSMom2One]

I absolutely LOVE Getty Dubay! It is so close to the italic calligraphy I learned in school way back when. Many of my students at the school where I teach use the GD method and it is not only elegant looking, but so very easy to read. True, it isn't available for free, but my goodness -- the books are very affordable.

 

The German handwriting sample, and the Spencer style are both beautiful too. I think all three of these really stand out head and shoulders above the rest and would make absolutely lovely styles for any student to learn. If you have a student that really cares about their writing quality and wants to develop a beautiful hand, I'd recommend one of these three.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[LittleIzumi]

Here are two ebooks (Vikas and Dreamland) that are in a similar style.

 

HTH

 

Thanks! I like that Vikas :)

[Spy Car]

Oh I searched very hard for a font of the German Lateinische Ausgangsschrift. I found a few on German websites like Pelikan but they were quite expensive (and in euros). But then a circuitous route lead to the discovery of Lateinische Ausgangsschrift and other German and European school fonts on a free website. LA (if memory serves, is on page 3 of the school fonts.

 

This worked on by Mac, I hope they work for PCs too.

 

http://www.dafont.com/theme.php?cat=602

 

Bill

[nansk]

In reply to walkermamaof4, you can upload any useful document that you have created to scribd. If you have any copywork you created (in PDF format) for instance, or a file folder game etc.

 

HTH

Edited November 22, 2010 by nansk

[walkermamaof4]

Here are two ebooks (Vikas and Dreamland) that are in a similar style.

 

HTH

 

I wanted to download these, but it says I need to upload something or pay. Can you all tell us ideas of what to upload in exchange? What is legal to post there?

[Mama2Many4]

I already own the startwrite software. Does anyone know where I might be able to download fonts that replicate ARFH, and others that are popular?

[walkermamaof4]

OOOh i'd love this link!

 

Here it is: http://www.bjupress.com/resources/handwriting/

[Caitilin]

Oh I searched very hard for a font of the German Lateinische Ausgangsschrift. I found a few on German websites like Pelikan but they were quite expensive (and in euros). But then a circuitous route lead to the discovery of Lateinische Ausgangsschrift and other German and European school fonts on a free website. LA (if memory serves, is on page 3 of the school fonts.

 

This worked on by Mac, I hope they work for PCs too.

 

http://www.dafont.com/theme.php?cat=602

 

Bill

 

Bill,

this is cool for learning the individual letters, but when you type in a sample, the letters don't connect properly (on my PC screen). Was it different on the Mac?

[walkermamaof4]

Oh I searched very hard for a font of the German Lateinische Ausgangsschrift. I found a few on German websites like Pelikan but they were quite expensive (and in euros). But then a circuitous route lead to the discovery of Lateinische Ausgangsschrift and other German and European school fonts on a free website. LA (if memory serves, is on page 3 of the school fonts.

 

This worked on by Mac, I hope they work for PCs too.

 

http://www.dafont.com/theme.php?cat=602

 

Bill

 

Spycar-I see the school fonts, but this one isn't listed. When you click on your link above, is it still on there? I even tried typing Lateinische Ausgangsschrift in the search function. Any ideas? thanks!

[Caitilin]

Spycar-I see the school fonts, but this one isn't listed. When you click on your link above, is it still on there? I even tried typing Lateinische Ausgangsschrift in the search function. Any ideas? thanks!

 

 

It's this one here, I think:

LA El2 Schulschriften by Rainer Will Softwareentwicklung

 

And it is on page 3. :)

[Heather in WI]

I really like the Rod and Staff cursive. It's the most similar to what we learned in our school growing up.

 

http://www.rodandstaff.info/samples/3/penmanship/

[RobinM]

I really love the look of this one, especially the way they teach the F, T and Q.

 

http://www.abcteach.com/samples/fonts/lg_handwriting_deskcard.pdf

 

 

ETA, it's called Loops and Other Groups

[Spy Car]

Bill,

this is cool for learning the individual letters, but when you type in a sample, the letters don't connect properly (on my PC screen). Was it different on the Mac?

 

They have connected fine here in the limited samples I've printed thus far. The "italic" font is neat because is just lives a light outline of the script for children (or others) to trace over. Hitting the # sign continues the rule in the space between words.

 

Bill

[Ohdanigirl]

There are a lot of free PDF's here, including variations of Spencerian.

 

http://www.iampeth.com/lessons/spencerian/practical_penmanship/practical_penmanship_spenerian_index.html

 

 

Danielle

[Spy Car]

Spycar-I see the school fonts, but this one isn't listed. When you click on your link above, is it still on there? I even tried typing Lateinische Ausgangsschrift in the search function. Any ideas? thanks!

 

It's this one here, I think:

LA El2 Schulschriften by Rainer Will Softwareentwicklung

 

And it is on page 3. :)

 

That is it.

 

Bill