Proper pencil grip.

[Southern Custom]

Am I alone in the fact that I find myself holding my pencil with a death grip when doing fine drawing. I noticed it this morning and had to mentally remind myself to ease up. Inevitably a few minutes later and I'm squeezing the lead out the pencil again. I've always done this and I'm wondering if anyone has had the same experience and been able to cure themselves of the habit.
Layne

 

[mitch]

i have a permanently grooved callus next to the nail on my middle finger from exactly the same thing. never lost the habit, but don't suppose it does any real harm...

 

[BKJ]

Well I'm a new engraver and I find that when I am engraving with my 901 hand piece that my hand feels like one huge knot.

I guess I figure the harder I grab and hold it the better the engraving will become... by the way that's not how it works! LOL :biggrin:

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Hi Layne

How do you hold your pencil?

I've seen some very strange variations that make drawing and writing look like extremely hard work. Including in some cases a tongue poking out the side of the mouth as if directing the pencil where to go

Cheers
Andrew

 

[monk]

you may find, as have i, a death grip on a .3mm pencil will lay waste to a hell of a lot of lead !

 

[BrianPowley]

My issue is not with the intensity of the grip of the pencil, but I am going to try squeezing the lead out next time----Never thought about that!
I did get into the habit of drawing while wearing the Optivisor or holding a magnifying glass to view through.

 

[Willem Parel]

I did get into the habit of drawing while wearing the Optivisor or holding a magnifying glass to view through.

Same here....

 

[Southern Custom]

I hold a pencil with the standard 3 finger grip. I always use a 5 or 10 power optivisor when drawing. I suppose it's a control thing. My joints haven't given out yet so I suppose I'm ok. I hold my graver light as a feather unless hand pushing of course. Maybe I'll try the tongue thing! Put a little English on the lead...
Layne

 

[tdelewis]

I'm 70 years old. I learned to write with a steel nib pen and an ink well on my desk. You simply cannot write anything if you don't use proper grip and soft arm movement with that kind of writing instrument. This carries over to my drawing. Look at how young people write today. It seems like everyone uses a death grip. I think this is because when they were very young and were given those jumbo markers, and the fact that cursive writing is no longer taught in school. The reason for that is most likely that today's teachers do not have good writing habits. There is a real need to bring it back cursive writing. Some of today's young cannot read cursive and when asked to sign something they print their name. I guess I'm just old fashioned in this electronic age, but if you want to improve your drawing skills use proper grip, soft touch, and slight arm movement.

 

[DakotaDocMartin]

...the fact that cursive writing is no longer taught in school. The reason for that is most likely that today's teachers do not have good writing habits. There is a real need to bring it back cursive writing. Some of today's young cannot read cursive and when asked to sign something they print their name.

I just asked my 12 year old grandson who is visiting us and he said he was never taught cursive although he can read it. That's sad that the government warehouse schools have eliminated it from the curriculum.

They don't teach kids how to tell time with an analog clock anymore either. Every kid can rattle off the time from a digital clock but have barely a clue as to what the numbers mean. It's part of the overall "dumbing down of America". If it's too difficult for some kids, eliminate it.

 

[JJ Roberts]

tdelewis,I also learned cursive in school with pen and ink and got A's in penmenship and I still write my own letters,the teachers today are not doning there job. J.J.

 

[DKanger]

I hold a pencil with the standard 3 finger grip.

Who says that a 3 finger grip is standard? It's not the way we were taught. It almost forces a heavy grip. The standard grip allows the pencil to float over the paper.

 

[Donny]

When drawing English scroll 1:1 ratio I tend to squeeze my pencil myself. I am able to combat this by listen to music while I draw and by doing the dot dot dot method every so often...makes me loosen up and relax through it.

Donny

 

[Big-Un]

I'm 67 years old and was taught cursive in 5th grade. In fact, we spent an hour a day doing penmanship exercises, "slinky's" and such and my wife says my handwriting today is the same as when I courted her 50 years ago. My son, a deputy sheriff, prints everything, but I guess that's protocol for law enforcement. The fact many kids can't read or write is abominable, as a person's personality is improved with beautiful handwriting, in my humble opinion. Plus, they can't spell or use proper grammar. Such a shame!

 

[bronc]

I was in a class a while back that got into some gesture drawing. It sure helped me to loosen up.

Stewart