Same here. My handwriting is terrible. I don't have any diagnosis of dyspraxia and I'm not dyslexic but I have never been able to kick a ball nor hand-write. In the early days of computing I proudly took homework in that I had done on the BBC B and printed out, only to be told that it wasn't acceptable because they couldn't prove that I had done it. I then had to hand write it at which point they complained that my handwriting was illegible...
Can anyone learn to draw well?
- Thread starter Time Waster
- Start date
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ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
That has just given me a flashback to 55 years ago. I wrote a very long essay for homework but my teacher refused to accept it because it was "illegible", and the reason that it was "illegible" was because I had used a ballpoint pen rather than a fountain pen! I had to write the whole thing out again using the "correct" type of pen. How pathetic that seems now...
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
That has just given me a flashback to 55 years ago. I wrote a very long essay for homework but my teacher refused to accept it because it was "illegible", and the reason that it was "illegible" was because I had used a ballpoint pen rather than a fountain pen! I had to write the whole thing out again using the "correct" type of pen. How pathetic that seems now...
Been there, done that - and that was only 30 and a bit years ago.
We had to use fountain pen at school. But the trouble is, I'm left-handed, ergo my work got smudgy. So I'd get Order Marks because my work was smudged. If I used a fibre tip, which *didn't* smudge, I'd get Order Marks because it wasn't in fountain pen.
Two order marks equalled one detention, so it kind of racked up after a while...
Same here. It had the function of making my handwriting even worse...
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
I *like* using a fountain pen, and I have several vintage ones, but it means I have to write v e r y s l o w l y to avoid making a mess.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I don't think that I have used one for half a century now!
(Where DID all that time go? 
)The desks at school all had inkwells at that time. I remember it sometimes being messy refilling the pen. After a while, cartridges came in and they were a lot cleaner and more convenient. Not as environmentally sound as bottles of ink, but ballpoints aren't exactly good in that respect either. Mind you, the environment wasn't given much consideration back then...
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
I don't think that I have used one for half a century now!
The desks at school all had inkwells at that time. I remember it sometimes being messy refilling the pen. After a while, cartridges came in and they were a lot cleaner and more convenient. Not as environmentally sound as bottles of ink, but ballpoints aren't exactly good in that respect either. Mind you, the environment wasn't given much consideration back then...
I've a vintage Parker 75 that has one of those rubber bladder reservoirs, but equally, I've a modern (about 10 years old) Lamy which has a vacuum reservoir, where you rotate a doodad on the barrel and it sucks up ink.
Left-handed nibs are the work of Beelzebub btw... Horrible things.
The Art therapist at the Hospice that Mrs Tenkaykev worked said she often had people say " I can't draw " She would ask them " can you write? ' when the answer invariably was " yes, of course " she would tell them that learning to write was more difficult than learning to draw.
Tom B
Guru
- Location
- Lancashire
I was in the cusp...in the 80s primary school looked disinterested and nodded. Parents took me to some educational psychologist who complained I manipulated him and did do as he (badly) asked... I remember being completely bewildered.
I did another test in high school to give me extra time in GCSE exams (no help I got the school their first L7 at 97.5% in yr 9 Sats - something the school didn't believe and questioned how I'd cheated - it should have been 100% because they marked me down on an answer that while technically correct wasn't what they wanted)
College was better, they thought I should have been in a harder course but got it.
I then forgot all about it and just got on, making life work for me.
It's only now 25yrs on when I realised I'm could get a free laptop from work (through Access to work)for being "neurodiverse" did I make something of it - after changes to the work environment adversely affected me.
Had to get assessed again. The assessor found me interesting, I found her dry and miserable .I have a curious relationship with these ed psyc types who without trying I seem to tie in knots! It's interesting how they all arrive at differing "diagnosis"
I think work pays about £100 for the test, well worth it if you think you may be affected. You can then get funding for adjustments software and equipment through the government. The label means nothing to me it just gives you a start to finding ways to work around, mitigate or get the best from who you are.
I'm constantly finding new ways.
Tomy Buzan's mind map book works for some, and is well regarded, I find it naff.
My current fave toy is Microsoft To Do app/ part of m365. We use it for all sorts, it's great for shopping lists we can share.
Touch screens are another thing I'm not good with.
Never considered a career in conveyancing.... Oh...ah
Finally .... I'll stop hijacking this thread
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Nothing wrong with the shapes and curves in that drawing. 😊
I spent most of my career in the legal trade. I've written thousands of Wills.
One of my greatest mentors always used a fountain pen. She said the time it took for the ink to dry gave a space where people said things that they didn't mean to say, and that often led on to a better question.
I bought a 1954 Parker Duofold Senior. Beautiful pen. First time I used it on an instruction, it leaked ink all over my client's dining room table.
Back to a biro. I never was as good as her.
Ian H
Ancient randonneur
You should have that framed
Julia9054
Guru
- Location
- Knaresborough
I can relate to that. I was the only kid at my school that had special dispensation to use a biro! No idea how the other left handers managed.
I think the technical side of being able to draw something that looks like the object it is supposed to be can probably be taught though I certainly cannot remember being given any such instruction when I was at school where, I think, the teachers were only interested in the pupils who showed any aptitude.
I can remember the exact moment when I realised I wasn’t any good at art though. I was in year 8 and we had to design and paint an album cover (remember those?). I’d put my heart and soul into mine and was very disappointed to get a low grade for it. I then looked around at what the other kids had done and thought, actually, she’s right - mine isn’t very good!
