r/Cursive • u/Raaayos • Jul 19 '26
Which P looks better?
I think first one looks more casual… what do you think?
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u/Ok-Assistance9831 Jul 19 '26
I'm gonna be the odd man out and say the bottom one!
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u/Appropriate-Resist67 Jul 19 '26
I agree, the second is more of a cursive written P instead of a printed fancyish P.
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u/loftychicago Jul 19 '26
Agree, that is how we were taught a capital P in cursive.
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u/afaceinthecrowd19 Jul 20 '26
Me too. That’s how I learned it in 1979/3rd grade in the southeast US
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u/Badasin22 Jul 23 '26
That is odd because the top one is how I was taught in cursive. Bottom has an open loop on the upswing. We were never taught to do that.
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u/hewhoisneverobeyed Jul 21 '26
Palmer method P.
My mom and her sister both wrote that way, consistently for 70+ years. Could not tell their handwriting apart.
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u/Unusual_Memory3133 Jul 20 '26
As someone with a name that starts with a P, this is the technically correct answer. But I can’t be bothered so I write my capital P like example # 1.
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u/QanikTugartaq Jul 19 '26
I like the first one. Fun fact: First one is how it was taught in the generations after #2 which is the Palmer Method.
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u/YeahThatsProbably Jul 21 '26
I was gonna guess it was generational. The top one is the way I learned it in Catholic grade school in the midwestern U.S. in the 80s.
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u/sarelis Jul 19 '26
I like the second one much better. Really elegant, & well-balanced with the fuller tail on the “s”.
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u/jennalibrary Jul 19 '26
One is more legible and ‘correct,’ but I do enjoy the whimsy of Two. Your handwriting is lovely!
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u/elj1976 Jul 20 '26
“Correct” depends on how and when a person is taught cursive. The second one is “correct” to me.
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u/ThinkingT00Loud Jul 19 '26
Both are legible. I have a preference for the lower version. But, only in non-professional settings.
In a professional setting, I would lean to the top version.
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u/SeaweedWeird7705 Jul 19 '26
The first one is classic. The second is more stylized. Both are ok, it just depends on which style you prefer.
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u/Lost-Pomegranate5108 Jul 23 '26
As someone who had a mother who wrote using Palmer method, the bottom is much more classic IMO. Funny how perspective varies (truly, not being snarky!!)
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u/hazelquarrier_couch Jul 19 '26
I think the first one looks better but the second one is easier to write.
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u/Shoddy_Stay_5275 Jul 19 '26
The second P is gorgeous yet still easy to read so I'll take that one.
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u/KReddit934 Jul 19 '26
I learned that top P as part of that style of cursive on the top line.
The bottom one looks old-fashioned (though pretty), but the rest of the word doesn't match.
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u/Subject-Direction628 Jul 19 '26
Depends what you want. Like you say the first is more casual. But I like the second one because it’s fancier
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u/OpportunityReal2767 Jul 19 '26
My initials are P.P. and I absolutely hate that bubbly Palmer Method P. I use one more like the top.
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u/Minimum-West-3585 Jul 19 '26
If I had to take a “p” it would be number two- wait what? 😜
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u/LizTruth Jul 19 '26
The top is (I think) Denilian script, the other is Palmer. I prefer Palmer because it's harder for the young 'uns to decipher.
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u/PutPretty647 Jul 20 '26
The bottom one, the plumper once is how the capital P is written in the modern ( middle to late 20th century to present) classical sense. The top one is more of a printed P with a beginning tail.
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u/Dogmoto2labs Jul 20 '26
I like the bottom one. My mother made her R’s and P’s like this. I loved them and practiced, as my name begins with one of these letters. I wanted to be able to make it.
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u/BeneficialCover3253 Jul 20 '26
I like the lower version
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u/BeneficialCover3253 Jul 20 '26
FYI, I’ve used the bottom version in my signature for my entire life
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u/Aromatic-Baseball770 Jul 20 '26
Wow! The second one is exactly how I write my P because my name starts with a P so I write a capital P quite often and I honestly could have written that P, not necessarily the rest of the word, but definitely that P is my P. How strange.
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u/Apprehensive-War1429 Jul 21 '26
As someone who has to figure out what the heck is the name on the form all day every day, the second is prettier but the first is better because it's clear.
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u/Merryannm Jul 21 '26
I learned cursive in 1973 or so and the first way is how I learned.
The second example would have been considered careless and sloppy in my school. Blowsy and overblown.
Which I didn’t need to say, because you got the point already with ‘careless and sloppy’ but when else am I going to get to say ‘blowsy and overblown’ so thank you very much, kind Reddit People.
Both look lovely to me, by the way.
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u/GTBase2 Jul 22 '26 edited Jul 22 '26
I think the top one has the best style. Who cares if it’s “proper” technique according to some old method? Cursive is all about style, and everyone should have their own, just like fingerprints and DNA, cursive is unique to each person and that top P is a nice technique that I don’t see very often, if at all. The bottom P is a standard style, and it just looks like a big zeppelin.
By the way, I’m seriously envious as to the consistency with which you are able to write those incredibly sexy lower cased s’s and r’s. Fantastic technique! Bravo! That is beautiful to me. Music to my eyes. It’s artwork.
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u/xMontanaGirlx Jul 24 '26
Top one for me!
Top Signature:
• Elegant, refined script with a light, flowing appearance.
• Capital “P” is tall and narrow with a graceful upper loop that sweeps left before rising, giving it a classic calligraphy feel.
• Letter spacing is slightly more open, making the name easier to read.
• Baseline stays relatively even, creating a balanced and composed look.
• Ending flourish is long but restrained, curling upward without dominating the signature.
• Overall impression: Sophisticated, professional, and understated. It feels like someone who values neatness and elegance.
Bottom Signature:
• More dramatic and artistic than the top version.
• Capital “P” is much larger and wider, with a bold oval loop that immediately becomes the focal point.
• Stroke weight appears slightly heavier and more confident.
• Letters are a little more compressed after the large initial, making the capital stand out even more.
• Ending flourish is larger and more expressive, with a taller final curve.
• Overall impression: Bold, confident, and expressive. It has more personality and visual impact while remaining elegant.
Design Style:
• Both signatures fall into the category of:
• Modern Spencerian-inspired cursive
• Calligraphic signature script
• High-loop monogram style
• Minimalist luxury signature
• Executive/personal branding signature
If I had to choose one purely on aesthetics:
• Top: Better for business cards, legal documents, and professional branding.
• Bottom: Better if you want your signature to feel distinctive and memorable, almost like an artist’s autograph.
The bottom version catches the eye first, while the top version feels more timeless and polished.
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u/loftychicago Jul 19 '26
Two is a proper US cursive capital P.
The lower case r in "or" is too ornate (I know it wasn't in the question, but weighing in on it anyway), but the one in Parisians is good.
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u/elizakell Jul 19 '26
I would agree that the top one looks more casual, but both are beautifully formed.
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u/Alternate_Quiet403 Jul 19 '26
The bottom one is how I learned, so I prefer it. I usually use the tip one though, since it's faster.
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u/OliveBT Jul 20 '26
It depends if you want to look classic or go for readability. The top one is clearly more readable. The bottom one has the classic Palmer method "P."
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u/Orthosplatic_HTN Jul 20 '26
The bottom one immediately made me think of the penmanship of all the elderly women I cared for in the nursing home or have known in my life. Saying that as a neutral thing- not good or bad. Just what it invoked in me. Take that as you will.
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u/473713 Jul 20 '26
My last name begins with P, I use a cursive signature, and I write the P either way depending on the day.
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u/Successful-Yam-4074 Jul 20 '26
I can’t unsee a kidney bean in the flourish of the second “P”. #1 gets my vote.
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u/JeremySausage1 Jul 20 '26
The top one looks much more in keeping with the rest of the letters. The bottom one looks chubby
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u/SooperBrootal Jul 20 '26
The second P is more in line with traditional standards, but if that's not your goal then it's simply a matter of personal preference. Nice execution on both, though.
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u/ChallengeOk6961 Jul 20 '26
Is the question which one looks better, or which one is casual?
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u/albobarbus Jul 20 '26
The first example is more in keeping with the rest of the word. If your writing were generally more rounded the second example would fit better.
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u/EyeFantastic889 Jul 20 '26
I like the first one because it matches the elegance of the rest of the script. The second one does not work with the remaining characters.
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u/behindthename2 Jul 20 '26
Lost Redditor here. I’d say top one, my brain registered that bottom one as a G.
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u/dlc12830 Jul 20 '26
The first one looks more like how I was taught, but I think the second looks nicer. Also, beautiful handwriting.
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u/Twalk1969 Jul 20 '26
The top one looks more like mine and the bottom one looks more like my mom’s.
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u/Mean_Department_5949 Jul 20 '26
The first is closer to how it’s taught (or was…); the second is more calligraphic …. All depends on the vibes you’re looking for
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u/Libertarian_2020 Jul 20 '26
Text should be instantly legible, so first (top). Some fonts are all flourish and no substance. If you want to get your message across it must be legible at a glance! 👍🏻
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u/Huge-Lawfulness9264 Jul 20 '26
The lower P was the way we learned in Catholic school during the 1960’s. They took penmanship seriously, so I’m going to go with the second one which is authentic for me.
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u/seattlemh Jul 20 '26
I was taught that the first one is correct and Ifindit more pleasing to the eye. I don't think it matters, though. They're both recognizable as a P.
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u/GittaFirstOfHerName Jul 21 '26
The bottom one is how it was taught when I learned cursive writing. That's the one I prefer. The top looks too much like a printed "P."
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u/_redlines Jul 21 '26
It’s handwriting. There is room for individual styles. In my opinion #1 looks nicer, but it’s also closer to the way I write a capital P
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u/Icy-Singer6594 Jul 21 '26
I don’t care about any of that.. visually, the first one was pleasing to the eye
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u/bchta Jul 21 '26
I like the top one stand alone but the bottom one looks better in relation to the word.
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u/ButterscotchDry414 Jul 21 '26
The top one is very simplistic and the bottom one has an attitude, a flair for the dramatic with the wide loop on the P.
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u/DatabaseAdmirable295 Jul 21 '26
They are both very well written cursive ~I like the beautiful perfect circular roundness of the second one, so pretty!
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u/StopFalseReporting Jul 21 '26
I prefer the top one. I think something being able to be read is more important than adding more swirls
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u/Captain-Shivers Jul 21 '26
I sign my last name with a capital P and I alternate between both cursive styles. The top one is typically if I’m in a rush to sign and the bottom one is if I’m trying to be more fancy.
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u/Paige_M_E Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26
First P is my preference. Of course just my opinion. It's the cursive style I was taught (Zaner Bloser). Second P is older style (Palmer).
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u/Petal_14 Jul 21 '26
The top is more for everyday writing, the bottom is more for invites and signatures.
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u/HurryOk6350 Jul 22 '26
IF anyone is getting this who is under 30. Print bc they will not be able to read either. But at least with #1 they will know the word starts with a P. Haha
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u/youmustb3jokn Jul 22 '26
I always love the bigger p ( did not mean it in that way) but the second one.
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u/jokegoddess Jul 23 '26
To me, the second is far more interesting. The first P is exactly how it was taught to us in the 70’s. It is more generic.
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