Foundational Hand Guide Sheet: uses, sizes and printing tips
The foundational hand, developed by Edward Johnston, is the round, upright alphabet most broad-edge courses start with. Its x-height is four nib widths with ascenders and descenders of about three — these guides follow those proportions for any nib.
How to print it
- Choose the paper size (US Letter, A4, Legal, A5 or Half Letter) and portrait or landscape — the page updates as you change settings.
- Choose a pointed pen / brush layout with an x-height in millimeters, or a broad-edge layout measured in nib widths, then the slant angle.
- Add a title or a name/date header if you want, or keep the page plain.
- Click Print / Save as PDF. In the print dialog choose “Actual size” (100%) and turn off “Headers and footers”.
Tips
- Write the letter o first — every other round letter follows its shape.
- Rule the page to your pen: for broad-edge hands, the x-height is measured in nib widths, so a wider nib needs taller guidelines.
- Slant lines are guides, not rules — keep the angle of downstrokes consistent with them.
FAQ
Why start with the foundational hand?
Its round, upright letters teach pen angle and spacing without the extra challenge of slant.
Which pen angle is used?
About 30° to the writing line.
What do the guidelines mean?
From top to bottom: the ascender line (dashed), the waistline (top of the x-height), the baseline (darker) and the descender line (dashed). Small letters sit between the waistline and the baseline.
Is it free, and do I need an account?
It is completely free with no sign-up and no download. Change the settings, print it or save it as a PDF, and bookmark the address — your settings are stored in the link.
Related paper
More Handwriting & Calligraphy: Kindergarten Writing Paper · Primary Writing Paper · First Grade Writing Paper · Story Paper · Cursive Writing Paper · Four Line Handwriting Paper · Copperplate Calligraphy Guide Sheet · Spencerian Script Practice Sheets · Genkouyoushi (Japanese Manuscript Paper) · Tianzige Chinese Writing Paper · Mizige Calligraphy Grid Paper · Korean Wongoji Paper
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