Can You Train Yourself to Become Ambidextrous?

[Bladibla]

Hi all. Long time no see.

I've currently finished my exams for university, and other looking for placements etc, I've decided to take up the challenge of trying to become ambidextrous i.e. being able to write with both hands pretty much the same quality.

I know its going to be a tedious task, but I was wondering if anyone else has ever done something liek this as well and suceeded? If so, could you give me any advice as to some starters?

When I mean starters, I mean so as I start to try and write left handed, I realize its going to be a titanic task..so need some 'baby steps' to get started.

Thanks people.

 

[Danger]

I went through the same thing. Although I'm naturally ambidextrous, I was forced to write right-handed exclusively in school. (Until I rebelled in grade 4 and started using both.)
It might sound a bit weird, but I would suggest that you maybe start by drawing pictures rather than writing. That's a right-brain activity, and so is easier. (Note the high percentage of south-paw artists.) From there, I would start with block printing rather than cursive. There isn't really much need for the left-hand 'hook' style now that we have quick-drying ink, but it still might be easier because of not rumpling up the paper with your hand as it progresses across the page.
One thing that I've noticed is that be it a pen or a fork, I hold them differently with my left than my right. Find a grip that's comfortable (intuitive) rather than try to perform a mirror-image of the other hand. Also, write slowly to begin with. Concentrate upon what you're doing. Eventually, it'll become second nature.
Welcome back, and congrats upon your advancement.

 

[Brilliant!]

Don't stop until you can do this:

CKI7XaKIjWo[/youtube]

 

[confinement]

I wrote with my left hand until I was 21, but I did so much mathematical handwriting that I acquired 'writer's cramp' in that hand. I stopped writing with that hand, and since I was doing more teaching than homework at the time I took up writing on the chalkboard with my right hand and became fluent in a short time. To this day my right-handed handwriting is not very good on paper, because I have read that most people who get writer's cramp will get it in both hands if they switch!

As for the speed drawing with two hands, I can write on the chalkboard with both hands at once (incidentally it is easier to have one hand write mirror reflected for me) but I have always imagined the possibility of writing equations super-quickly with both hands working together. Even as a gimmick it could still be interesting.

 

[Danger]

Don't stop until you can do this:

That's just frightening. I can barely draw a conclusion, let alone something like that, with either hand.
It would be interesting to see what Zoobie and Evo have to say about it; they're the best artists on PF that I know of.

 

[Brilliant!]

That's just frightening. I can barely draw a conclusion, let alone something like that, with either hand.
It would be interesting to see what Zoobie and Evo have to say about it; they're the best artists on PF that I know of.

If you watch his other vids, there are better examples of his technical ability. However, I don't believe he has a creative cell in his brain. For instance, in one of his drawings, he is drawing young Voldemort, and uses a still from a movie trailer. In the trailer, the top part of Tom Riddle's head is cut off by the letterboxing. The artist doesn't even bother to complete Tom Riddle's head when he's drawing it, and instead just draws in the letterbox.

You can't have it all, I suppose.

 

[Danger]

You can't have it all, I suppose.

Too right. I bet that he makes one hell of a living as a portrait artist, though.

I remember that when I was a little kid I filled out one of those 'can you draw this puppy' forms on a matchbook. They sent one free lesson, which actually worked very well. Their approach was to turn the original picture upside-down. That way, you try to duplicate the shading without regard to what the image represents. The results really surprised me.