The Write Event

More on signatures—the most popular topic

Who would have guessed that this blog would have received so many comments about signatures! "Can you help make my signature...?" etc. All sort of requests have been sent. One person asked for help to make it impossible to read. Others ask how to make one that looks business-like and expresses who they are. So, I will offer my thoughts on this interesting topic.

From the practical standpoint your signature is legal verification of who you are because it identifies you. It is impossible to transact business unless you are willing to sign your name. Try writing a check for merchandise without signing on the dotted line. I can guarantee you won't go home with the goods—unless the clerk isn't paying attention.

Because it is so personal your signature truly reflects who you are. Don't hide who you are. I cannot imagine trying or wanting to make your signature unreadable on purpose. Some think it is cool to scrawl their way through the process of writing their name. On the contrary, I suggest courageously showing yourself to the world by practicing to make yours very clear. 

Can I influence or help you make a better signature? Only to the extent that I can encourage you to be genuine and honest about who you are and then put it out there for the world to see. Of course, you might practice writing a new one but if you do that, first seek to make it legible and simple. Practice bringing strokes back down to the baseline and that should help make the letters distinct.

An outlandish signature screams insecurity to me—the person is trying too hard. I am attracted to forthright, unadorned and readable writing in general and signatures in particular. Then 'what I see is usually what I get.'

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Signatures—Ecuadorian style

I am back at home after a 3 week trip to Ecuador. I did not encounter a lot of handwriting samples while there but I did have several documents signed because of business I transacted. That gave me a number of signatures to study. Very interesting that there was not a legible one among them. My son, who has lived in the country for 18 years, told me that illegible signatures are the rule rather than the exception. Rather curious. I wondered if the trend is a copycat result—an affectation perhaps, from school days?

That brought back to mind a questioned document case I worked on several years ago. The forgery was written in Spanish and perpetrated by an Ecuadorian woman. She wrote very clearly in the body of her text but she executed an illegible signature, which was very out of sync with the rest of her writing.

Signatures are intriguing—no question about that.

Richard Nixon—Three signatures

These signatures were executed at three different points during the political career of Richard Nixon. I cannot give you actual dates of each of them. The flatline example was written very close to the end of his time in office. It illustrates how he felt at that point in his life.

Donald Trump—signature and comments

Since Mr. Trump is now also a TV star here is a look at his signature. I tried to find an on-line sample of other writing of his but I could not find any. I have seen it however. The sample I have seen is block printing, meaning it is primarily middle-zone writing. Strong writing and large. There is much more lateral expansion than shows in his signature.

You will note the vertical slant, which means he is logical (further emphasized by the connectedness from the second letter to the end) and less emotional. (His printing is also vertical.) He does however, have strong feelings and thus, a long memory for events--pleasant or otherwise. He is fully invested in the moment and paying attention. He is able to listen but his mind is so sharp and quick to perceive he is planning at the same time. He does not like anyone infringing on his thinking. He is constantly seeking answers, listening and quickly asking the right questions. This is a keen comprehensive thinking process. Talk about thinking on your feet—he is a master at it! He is highly analytical, practical and independent. He knows exactly when and how to proceed. His block printing shows hints of caution in acting, so he carefully considers before jumping into anything. He is thorough not impulsive and so thinks things through, decides and does not second guess himself.

While he can collaborate and probably likes to brainstorm I cannot say he is the easiest guy to get along with. Those angles are sharp, even between letters in the connections. There are no curves to relieve or soften them. A soft touch he is not. You are not going to be left wondering where he stands on anything. He is frank, direct and speaks his mind. If you deal with him you had better be able to take it.

What does your signature say about you?

Some time ago a food magazine spoke of "Signature Parties," where a handwriting analyst was called on to prepare short analyses to give the guests. After that, I got some calls to do some events like that but I decided that doing just the signatures would not be a fair appraisal of people. (In another post, I will tell you how I decided to do them in case the idea appeals to you for a party you host. Since everything is handled by mail I don't need to be there in person.)

Your signature is the image you consciously or unconsciously want to project to others. In a sense, it is like a calling card you leave behind. It is a very personal statement about you. Unlike the rest of your writing, you don't learn how to write your signature by having to follow rules. Instruction in copybook school lessons doesn't include how to sign your name. You are left to decide what style you want to use and how you want your name to look. Some people practice a lot to develop a very unique one.

You may write yours clearly and legibly all the time. Or it may vary depending on what you must sign. However it comes out, it is legal verification of your identity, whether it is legible or not. The clarity of a legible signature shows a straightforward communicator. Here is the principle: When the body of writing and the signature match in style, that is, both are readable, it not only shows modesty and consideration for others who will need to make it out, it also indication of ease and freeness about projecting who you are for the world to know, implying "what you see is what you get." (That does not mean to suggest that illegible writers are dishonest.)

If all the writing is hard to read it can indicate a very bright mind. Also a very fast thinker if executed quickly.

If some of the writing is clear and other parts not clearly readable the plot thickens. The ability to write any part of it legibly shows that the writer is capable of making all the writing legible.

So, if the text and the signature styles are different it suggests that a person's public life and private life are different. A clear text in the body of writing shows a desire and need to get across ideas; if the signature of the same writer is unreadable then there is reluctance to reveal oneself personally even though the ideas expressed may be very clear.

Remember always that the analyst is looking at all the writing available and not isolating parts of it to reach conclusions. For example, I would be considering slant, pressure, size, and pressure along with scores of other factors, even looking at where a writer places the signature on the page.

Illegible signatures are very common these days. Some such signatures belie neglect or 'I really don't care if you can read it or not.' Thus, many forms require printing your name and also ask you to sign it in your natural way.

A highly embellished signature, especially if larger than the body of writing, can indicate underlying feelings of inadequacy. Showy writing reveals a need to be noticed. (Usually extroverts.) As you might guess, it is common to see public figures sign their names just that way. Conversely, tiny unobtrusive signatures, especially when smaller than the text, show a feeling of not wanting to be noticed. (Like many things about handwriting analysis, it is common sense when you think about it.)

There is a pervasive idea that complicated and ornate signatures are harder to forge. Not so. A legible, natural, connected and quickly written signature is very difficult to duplicate successfully.

So what's in a name? Quite a lot, wouldn't you say?