Holding Your Pen(cil) & Drawing Posture
3mo
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Eddie Maldonado
I was playing with my Apple Pencil trying to find the best calligraphy grip to journal in my Notes app. I watched "How to Hold Your Calligraphy Pen" by Crossroads Calligraphy, and then their earlier video on writing posture. I stumbled in looking for something basic, but I feel like I struck gold.
When it comes to handling a pencil, I know I have a heavy hand. While I loved drawing when I was young, we were also required to write in cursive or script. Writing in cursive was a miserable experience, I’d have callouses on my index finger from pressing the tip of my index finger to a 90-degree angle against it. But now I’m noticing Proko draw with an open palm (like an OK sign from index finger to thumb) with an easy grip on the pen.
The one tip that blew my mind was placing something in my palm while I drew. You can use 2-3 tissues (balled up) or a small ball or sponge. This modified grip forced me to draw with my elbow and shoulder instead of my wrist and fingers. Immediately, my lines were cleaner and more confident-looking. And that makes me really, really happy!
Paired with Proko's tips from the Mario mushroom exercise, I feel I’ve unlocked a long-dormant superpower, and I wanted to share it!