It should be remembered that a space in height is the height of the minimum letters in the style you are practicing. As an example, in copy-books used in former years, the one-space letters were one-eighth of an inch, or twice as high as in these lessons. The loop letters were three spaces, or three-eighths of an inch high, which is two-sixteenths of an inch higher than the loops in these lessons.
Movement Used—In business writing, all loops below the line should be made with pure muscular movement. In making those above the line, the fingers should be relaxed, and as the arm slides forward, a slight extension of the fingers will help to make the upper part of the loop. The combination of the two movements is perfectly natural to most hands, and little encouragement need be given to the use of the fingers. The student must guard against using much of it. Keep an eye on your wrist to see that it moves forward and backward in unison with the other movements. Under no circumstances allow the fleshy part of the hand in front of the wrist to touch the paper.
Cautions—You will find your first difficulty in getting enough curve on the upward stroke. A half hour’s determined practice will do much to overcome this. Keep the paper at such an angle as will make the downward strokes straight toward the middle of the body. Above all, preserve unity in height, in slant and in spacing. Do not shade.
Drill 33
There is a slight check in the motion on the downward strokes, but no pause at the base line. After a little practice, loops as good as the above should be made at the rate of from one hundred to one hundred and twenty-five to the minute. The count in groups of five is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5—one for each letter.
LESSON 33
Drill 34
More study, more practice. Study and practice should be constant companions in developing good writing. One without the other will lead to one-sided results. Don’t be one-sided.