This is the quote given at the end of the movie "Act of Valor". I have entitled it "Native American Way of Life". I designed the hand lettering to reflect the Native American culture: strong, but simple.  The letter "o" is based on an arrowhead.

The quote was spoken by Tecumseh, a powerful Shawnee chief who lived in the Indiana region.  I have added the unique sacred slab of red cedar wood  designed by him in 1809.  Twelve of these were created to be distributed to neighboriing chiefs.  Each symbol had a double meaning: one for the white man, and one for the Shawnees.  The public interpretation what that this was a heavenly stick, a guide to the Afterlife.  All things on earth were to be experienced and understood before the people could reach their home in heaven (shown at the top). The figures in vertical order, top to bottom, symbolized blues skies, sun, all plant life, birds and animals, corn and the four corners of the earth.

     The actual meaning was that all Native Americans on both sides of the Missisippi should come together in one movement (line below the house symbol), with the speed of lightning, causing the earth to tremble (circle with line through it), leaving behind their farming and hunting, from the four corners of the earth (symbols from below the divided circle symbol). They would then take their land back from the white men (home at top of stele), either peacefully or by warfare. Tecumseh met with William Henry Harrison and delivered a speech requesting that Indian lands be returned.  In 1811, Harrison destroyed the Indiana settlement; next, he overcame the Shawnees at Tippecanoe. In the War of 1812, Tecumseh was killed by the troops of Harrison, a general in the Army. He used "Tippecanoe and Tyler too" as his presidential slogan.

  Indeed, Tecumseh was a wise and brave leader, who lived and died for the rights of his people. 

 

The original style was known as Copperplate or Spenserian, both of Victorian origin. The term "Copperplate" means engraving on a copper plate which was used in printing presses. This style of writing was taught to the Colonial children who labored for hours over their writing samplers.

Today’s schools teach the Palmer Method, or Zaner Bloser, both British based. Strangely enough, neither of these styles has been taught in England for many years. Italic is the choice there; it is an elegant hand of Italian origin; slanted, legible, and taught as a printed style in the primary grades. The letters are then connected in the upper grades. The result is a very consistent and contemporary style, suited to rapid writing and legibility.

Here in the U.S., primary grade children are taught to print using vertical lines and full circles. (By the way, the circle is one of the most difficult shapes to draw.) Then in the fourth grade, the students must switch to slanted, connected, and looped letters based on an oval. The ball point pen is totally inappropriate for this ornate style created for an engraver’s tool or a delicate "dip" pen. This writing style disintegrates during hurried note-taking in college. Many people have switched to simple printing, which is easy to read, and with practice, can be written rapidly.

Roman writing discovered in the ruins of Pompeiin walls (the first graffiti) was all capitals (upper case) with no connecting lines. As writers speeded up their lettering, they connected some letters, and began to slant to the right. Try dropping the loops from your writing, or simply printing. Use upper and lower case for better legibility, with slanted lines and oval shapes. You could also take a course in Italic calligraphy. Then use a fountain pen with a broad edge to enhance the look or your writing. Good Luck!

If you wish a professional analysis of your writing and specific ideas on how to make it more legible, send me a page of your usual writing and a check for $25.00. After following my suggestions for three months, send me a second page, and I will analyze it and send further comments and suggestions. If you focus on your writing and practice, you can definitely improve your handwriting.