Handwriting Analysis - Fun Facts

Handwriting analysis is a complex subject. Many, many books have been written about it. Formal study, sometimes at the college level, is usually required in order to practice it professionally. There are even graphology organizations with regular conferences discussing all the nuances of this fascinating field.

If you’re interested in handwriting analysis, but don’t want to turn it into a career, here are just a few tidbits that you may find interesting:

People
When the painter Thomas Gainsborough was doing a portrait, he preferred to work with a sample of the subject's handwriting nearby. He believed that it gave him a better understanding of his subject—which in turn helped him more closely capture that person's image on canvas.

The poet Emily Dickinson became more reclusive as she got older. Her handwriting during this time became increasingly disconnected, seeming to reflect how disconnected she probably felt from the world around her.

Left or right?
A study of identical twins showed that it was common for the writing of one twin to slant to the left, while the writing of the other slanted to the right. The slant of the handwriting can indicate handedness, and this seemed to be true in this case, since it was common for one twin to be left-handed while the other was right-handed.

Physical, mental, and emotional considerations
People who are feeling very emotional tend to write faster than they do when they're calm.

Low blood sugar, perhaps because it affects a person's mood, may cause the baseline of the handwriting to be inconsistent.

People who are developmentally delayed may write with large spaces between their words, indicating their isolation and difficulty communicating with others.

People with speech problems—for example, stuttering—will also have problems writing smoothly. In fact, it may be possible to help their speech by working with their handwriting.