This lesson shows you how to experiment with arm movement, including some basic drills that will get you started. Don’t be discouraged when you start practicing these drills. It takes desire, understanding, and time to become comfortable writing with the arm. Do you have all three?
Lesson Summary
- Start with a pencil, it’s easier to control than a pen.
- Experiment with arm movement. Figure out which directions of movement are easier or harder to control.
- Feel the limits of your range of motion when writing with the arm.
- There are two classic drills that develop the muscles of the arm for writing: the oval drill and the push-pull drill.
- The oval drill develops the arm to move the pen in all directions while moving across the page. This drill can be done clockwise and counter-clockwise.
- The push-pull drill develops the arms ability to move in straight lines and change directions while moving across the page.
- Working these drills at different sizes will help develop the muscles of the arm for both freedom and control.
- Lateral movement exercises are a great way to start with arm movement. They are the easiest to control because they utilize muscles that are closer to the pen.
- Arm movement produces smooth, graceful lines that are harder to control. Finger movement produces relatively wobbly lines that are easier to control.
- Learning to write with the arm doesn’t mean everything needs to be done with the arm. The fingers can play a critical role when writing at a very small size or when combined with arm movement to help control the pen.
Exercise
Grab a pencil and paper and start experimenting with arm movement. Try writing with your arm off the table and then again with the forearm planted on the edge of the table.
Work the lateral movement exercises featured in the video. Simply retrace horizontal lines and then make lines in the lateral direction that curve upward and downward. Find the angel of your arm and paper that is most comfortable.
Work the oval and push-pull drills. Do multiple lines of each drill and do them at different sizes.
The above exercises are meant to be practiced on a regular basis for as long as you need for your purposes. For most people it will take at least a month of doing these exercises on a daily basis before they feel comfortable writing with the arm. That said, you can move onto the next lessons as you continue to practice the drills from this lesson.
Need Help?
Figure out a way to film yourself doing any of the above exercises and send me a link to your video. I’d be happy to take a look and let you know what you’re doing right and wrong.