How to Grip a Pencil Properly | DrawYourWorld.com

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The discussion centers on the proper grip for holding writing utensils and eating utensils, specifically the role of the fourth finger in gripping a pen or pencil. Participants express concern about their own grip techniques, with some noting that they have held utensils incorrectly for years. A consensus emerges that the fourth finger should not press against the writing utensil for optimal maneuverability. The conversation shifts to dining etiquette, particularly how Americans often switch their fork and knife between hands while eating, which some participants criticize as improper. Observations about cultural differences in utensil use and dining manners are shared, highlighting that many Americans may not know the correct way to hold a fork and knife. The discussion concludes with the notion that comfort and personal preference in both writing and eating grips are ultimately what matter most, despite traditional guidelines.
ehrenfest
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http://www.drawyourworld.com/grip.html

I am trying to make sure that I hold my pens and pencils correctly. Is it true that the 4th finger (ring finger) is NEVER supposed to press against the utensil in the proper grip? I think that is what they are showing at the link but then I guess I have been holding my utensils wrong for many years.
 
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Dont worry about how to hold a pen and pencil; however, make sure you know how to hold a fork and knife. Most Americans don't know how.
 
Cyrus said:
Dont worry about how to hold a pen and pencil; however, make sure you know how to hold a fork and knife. Most Americans don't know how.

Well sometimes it feels a little awkward when I write so I want to correct this once and for. I write MUCH more than I hold a fork or knife.
 
Cyrus said:
Dont worry about how to hold a pen and pencil; however, make sure you know how to hold a fork and knife. Most Americans don't know how.

This is something I noticed, actually.. how many Americans cut their food with fork in left hand, knife in right, and then swap them over: put the knife down and pick the food up with the fork in their right hand to eat it. Three of the Americans I know do that.. I wonder whether it's a trend?
 
ehrenfest said:
Well sometimes it feels a little awkward when I write so I want to correct this once and for. I write MUCH more than I hold a fork or knife.

Yes, but you look MUCH worse when your at a dinner and can't hold a fork and knife propely than when writing something down.

I hold my pencil like in the link you gave me. Thats how we were taught in school.
 
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cristo said:
This is something I noticed, actually.. how many Americans cut their food with fork in left hand, knife in right, and then swap them over: put the knife down and pick the food up with the fork in their right hand to eat it. Three of the Americans I know do that.. I wonder whether it's a trend?

No, they just don't know how to eat. I've seen lots and LOTS of people hold their fork and knife with a FIST GRIP. Yikes. The foods already dead...relax...
 
Cyrus said:
No, they just don't know how to eat. I've seen lots and LOTS of people hold their fork and knife with a FIST GRIP. Yikes. The foods already dead...relax...

LOL, that sounds way too funny! I wish I'd seen them!
 
When I write, my fourth finger is always pressed against the writing surface. Although, I have seen some unusual writing styles during my time. I say do whatever works best for you!

Knife and fork...i'll have to observe my friends on this one. :smile:
 
cristo said:
This is something I noticed, actually.. how many Americans cut their food with fork in left hand, knife in right, and then swap them over: put the knife down and pick the food up with the fork in their right hand to eat it. Three of the Americans I know do that.. I wonder whether it's a trend?
I would guess nearly all of Americans eat this way.
 
  • #10
Cyrus said:
No, they just don't know how to eat. I've seen lots and LOTS of people hold their fork and knife with a FIST GRIP. Yikes. The foods already dead...relax...
Oh Geeze, the people that hold their utensils like hand trowels. <shivers>
 
  • #11
Whats a hand trowel?
 
  • #12
hypatia said:
I would guess nearly all of Americans eat this way.

*runs and hides under the sofa in the predominantly American forum!*
 
  • #13
cristo said:
This is something I noticed, actually.. how many Americans cut their food with fork in left hand, knife in right, and then swap them over: put the knife down and pick the food up with the fork in their right hand to eat it. Three of the Americans I know do that.. I wonder whether it's a trend?
Actually it goes back a long way, and I guess it depends where and when in other parts of the world you are from on how you hold your fork.

I'm French and every French person I know does it that way, as well as the Italians I know. And that is the correct American way. I did date a guy from England and he drove me crazy at the table.
 
  • #14
Can someone answer the only question in my opening post with a YES or a NO?
 
  • #15
I hold the fork with the left, knife with the right. But I am left handed, so I don't switch. I hold the fork with the prongs pointed down when I use it.
 
  • #16
ehrenfest said:
Can someone answer the only question in my opening post with a YES or a NO?

It does not matter. Hold it however is most comfortable for you. I never use it. I only use my first three fingers, thumb, pointing fingure, and middle finger.
 
  • #17
ehrenfest said:
http://www.drawyourworld.com/grip.html

I am trying to make sure that I hold my pens and pencils correctly. Is it true that the 4th finger (ring finger) is NEVER supposed to press against the utensil in the proper grip? I think that is what they are showing at the link but then I guess I have been holding my utensils wrong for many years.

True. I don't know how a person could get any maneuverability if they're using their fourth finger. However, I don't know how a person could write with the pen resting against the webbing between their thumb and forefinger (actually, I guess it's not that big a deal once you try it - in fact, it forces me to write a little larger which isn't an altogether bad thing considering my writing is normally pretty small).

My pen is almost parallel with my forefinger, resting about halfway along the first joint of my finger. I tend to rest my hand lightly on the knuckle of my little finger so I can get maximum movement of my pen without moving my hand to make the letters. That separates the motions. My fingers to make the letters while my hand just controls positioning.
 
  • #18
Cyrus said:
No, they just don't know how to eat. I've seen lots and LOTS of people hold their fork and knife with a FIST GRIP. Yikes. The foods already dead...relax...

People are a lot less likely to steal food off your plate if they're worried you might stab their hand. Believe me, it works! I've been to lots of high class dinners (I even ate at the Red Lobster once) and no one's ever stolen my food.
 
  • #19
ehrenfest said:
Can someone answer the only question in my opening post with a YES or a NO?

YES.

Though, my sister still holds a pencil the way you describe with 4 fingers instead of the usual 3. It always looks like she failed Kindergarten when she's writing; it looks awkward and uncomfortable and her handwriting is atrocious.
 
  • #20
I remember my first grade teacher making this one kid sit in front of the whole class for an hour while she tried to correct the way he held writing utensils. Musta scared the sh!t outta him, he's probably scarred for life. Anyways, I hold mine with my middle finger pointing down, perpendicular to the direction of the pen, with my thumb opposite it, and my index finger along the length of the grip...
 
  • #21
I don't think there is really a right or wrong way to hond your pencil. It's pretty much however you feel comfortable writing. Don't worry about how other people hold theirs.

I use my my first four fingers, it just feel more comfy to me, so just go woth how you feel :smile:
 
  • #22
For some reason, I hold both a fork and a pencil differently when using my left hand than with my right. It's just what feels natural when I pick it up.
As for eating, I keep the fork in one hand and the knife in the other. There's no need to switch.
 
  • #23
ehrenfest said:
Can someone answer the only question in my opening post with a YES or a NO?

I can't. Because none of the above is the answer for me.
I took an intensive course about 30 years ago that required me to write non-stop for about 8 hours a day for six months.

I found that if I shifted the writing utensil, a mechanical pencil for the most part in those days, over one finger, it relieved almost all of the stress of holding the device. Scribbling non-stop for hours at an end was then effortless.

Now though, every time I do it, the ghost of my third grade teacher comes back haunt me and screams; "Is that the way I told you to hold a pencil!?"

Being the self-moderated schizophrenic that I am, I just shut her voice out, and continue writing. :smile:

---------------------

hold your writing device between your index and middle fingers. let the rest of the gang move the pencil. it's a most delightful feeling. writing without effort.

Now you know why I call me Ommmmm......
 
  • #24
OmCheeto said:
Now though, every time I do it, the ghost of my third grade teacher comes back haunt me and screams; "Is that the way I told you to hold a pencil!?"

Being the self-moderated schizophrenic that I am, I just shut her voice out, and continue writing. :smile:
I know the feeling:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a8/Blackadder_IV_-_Goodbyeee.jpg

Of course, using this technique makes me twice as fast as drawing noses, keeping in mind http://ezinearticles.com/?Tips-on-Pencil-Portrait-Drawing---The-Nose&id=1153039

Remember that the nose is part of the face.
 
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  • #25
Theres a proper way to hold a knife and fork? Man I wish I was taught that crap growing up. I wonder if I'm one of those apes you guys are laughing at while out to eat.
 
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  • #26
ehrenfest said:
Can someone answer the only question in my opening post with a YES or a NO?
No. I tried it that way and the food kept falling off of the pencils. Instead of holding one pencil in each hand as in the picture, you should hold both pencils in one hand and use a pincer motion. Here is a site that shows you how to do it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chopsticks"
 
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  • #27
jimmysnyder said:
No. I tried it that way and the food kept falling off of the pencils. Instead of holding one pencil in each hand as in the picture, you should hold both pencils in one hand and use a pincer motion. Here is a site that shows you how to do it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chopsticks"

Interesting etiquette for chopsticks. Shish kabob obviously wasn't invented by chopsticks users (the fact that shish kabob is a middle eastern food probably makes that even more obvious).

Americans must be the only people who cut food with their fork. It's also interesting that European etiquette suggests that you should eat all of the food on your plate while it's acceptable to leave food on your plate in America. In fact, big servings that can't be finished is a positive for some American restaraunts.

I also thought it was interesting that proper etiquette in France requires your hands to always stay visible above the table. In ancient times, if your hand disappeared below the table, your fellow diners feared that you were reaching for your dagger so you could kill them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_manners#General_Behavior
 
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  • #28
1. That's how I hold a pen or pencil.
2. As for knife and fork - a lot of the time I don't use a knife - it's what the side of your fork was made for =) unless of course you're in polite company.
3. That's not quite how I hold my chopsticks but it's very close.
 
  • #29
BobG said:
I also thought it was interesting that proper etiquette in France requires your hands to always stay visible above the table. In ancient times, if your hand disappeared below the table, your fellow diners feared that you were reaching for your dagger so you could kill them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_manners#General_Behavior
Oh, yeah, this I had to remember due to one uncle that would go nuts if both hands weren't on the table at all times. I would have to remember to switch back and forth between French friends and relatives and American ones. It also killed me that they would eat fried chicken and corn on the cob with a knife and fork. I remember I picked the chicken up with my fingers and everyone at the table stopped, then my mother cut in and said "that's American Style".
 
  • #30
BobG said:
I also thought it was interesting that proper etiquette in France requires your hands to always stay visible above the table. In ancient times, if your hand disappeared below the table, your fellow diners feared that you were reaching for your dagger so you could kill them.

hmmmm...

What does that imply/infer about the French?
 
  • #31
rewebster said:
hmmmm...

What does that imply/infer about the French?
They found a clever way to prevent getting killed at the table?

One ruler actully forbade the use of knives at the table, I think it was a Viking ruler over England, I have forgotten.
 
  • #32
I didn't realize there was a proper way to hold a knife and a fork. I death-grip my utensils.
 
  • #33
yeah---just watch out for the servant with the knife



-------

I remember seeing a guy at a restaurant with a baseball grip on his fork and spoon
 
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  • #34
Evo said:
They found a clever way to prevent getting killed at the table?

One ruler actully forbade the use of knives at the table, I think it was a Viking ruler over England, I have forgotten.

I remember the Prince Valiant cartoon where Aleta tried to introduce the fork to England and Prince Valiant and his men tried to figure out what to do with them.

They finally buried thousands of them in a river bed, tines up, to repel invaders that tried to wade across the river.
 
  • #35
ehrenfest said:
Is it true that the 4th finger (ring finger) is NEVER supposed to press against the utensil in the proper grip?
ehrenfest said:
Well sometimes it feels a little awkward when I write so I want to correct this once and for. I write MUCH more than I hold a fork or knife.
ehrenfest said:
Can someone answer the only question in my opening post with a YES or a NO?

Hi ehrenfest! :smile:

YES … it's true … you have been doing it wrong.

But does it matter? Probably not … you might get RSI one day, but I'd guess it's pretty rare.

If it's not hurting you, or being a strain, you could just carry on.

But I think you'll find the usual way more relaxing.

(It would definitely strain me if I wrote your way).

Perhaps you need to change your pen (from fine to medium, maybe), or your sitting position also.

I'm not depressing you, am I? :redface:
 
  • #36
You might find this helpful.

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/behaviourfood.html
 
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  • #37
BobG said:
I also thought it was interesting that proper etiquette in France requires your hands to always stay visible above the table. In ancient times, if your hand disappeared below the table, your fellow diners feared that you were reaching for your dagger so you could kill them.

As opposed to today when if your hands disappear below the table, we assume you're up to trouble with the person next to you. :biggrin:
 
  • #39
Moonbear said:
As opposed to today when if your hands disappear below the table, we assume you're up to trouble with the person next to you. :biggrin:

trouble?--I thought 'trouble' is only when the whole person disappears!
 
  • #40
Cyrus said:
http://z.about.com/d/drawsketch/1/0/2/2/tripodgrip_up.jpg
…
This is how I hold my pencil.

But shouldn't your pencil be pointing down? :confused:
 
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  • #41
Moonbear said:
As opposed to today when if your hands disappear below the table, we assume you're up to trouble with the person next to you. :biggrin:

True, which is why American manners require a person to keep their left hand under the table unless they're using it to cut their food. It's also why most seating arrangements are boy-girl-boy-girl, etc, and why you should "gage" your eating to ensure everyone finishes at the same time. http://www.cccoe.net/social/americantablemanners.htm

Disappearing completely under the table during a meal is definitely bad etiquette.
 
  • #42
tiny-tim said:
But shouldn't your pencil be pointing down? :confused:

That was a lame joke.
 

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