Tips for Left-Handed Writers When Using Dry Erase Walls

What does being left-handed have to do with using dry erase walls?
Although they may not realize it, people who are born left-handed have numerous advantages in life that the right-handed among us do not. For example, being left-handed is a definite benefit in playing many sports, such as baseball, basketball, and volleyball. In such games, left-handers’ rarity in the population gives them an edge because their opponents on the field or on the court are unable to anticipate their moves and thus can’t strategize against them. In addition, “lefties” often have better memories, are often faster at typing, may be more adept at video games, and are better at multitasking. Studies have also shown that left-handed people are more likely to pass driving tests, to make more money during their lifetimes, to have better problem-solving skills, and to excel in the arts.

However, left-handers only make up approximately 10% of the population, so most entrance doors, musical instruments, and other elements of our daily lives are designed to be most suitable for people who are right-handed. With the vast majority of the population having right-hand dominance, this makes good sense, but how about showing some love for the world’s left-handed people?

When it comes to vertical writing and drawing canvases such as dry erase painted walls, especially in the worlds of business and academics, those of you who are left-handed deserve some assistance. One problem that many left-handers face when writing and drawing on these types of surfaces is smudging, but this issue can be overcome by using the proper techniques. With that said, the following are some valuable tips for the lefties of the world who need to use dry erase painted walls in their daily activities.

Be Sure to Use the Proper Grip on Your Dry Erase Marker

Always make sure that you grip a dry erase marker relatively lightly and position it between your forefinger and thumb while resting it on the middle finger. One way to practice this technique is to remove the marker from your hand and simply practice writing on your dry erase wall with the tip of your forefinger. When doing so, you’ll note that the rest of your hand isn’t moving around on the surface, and this is often what causes smudging to occur on dry erase walls. However, after a bit of practice, left-handed people should be able to master this grip technique and write easily and legibly.

Left-handed people can also avoid smudging problems when writing on a dry erase wall by holding their marker about a third to a half of the way back from the marker’s tip, just as right-handers do, and by using more of their arm and shoulder in making their marker strokes. There is no need to support the writing arm or hand against the dry erase wall when writing left-handed since the wall is a vertical surface.

Always Maintain Correct Posture While Writing on a Dry Erase Wall

Good posture is necessary when writing or drawing on a dry erase painted wall, especially for those who are left-handed. It may seem hard to believe, but having a good posture, with your feet flat on the floor and your shoulders straight and relaxed while writing on the wall, will have a significant positive impact on the quality and readability of the text you produce. In contrast, if you write on the wall with a slouching posture and stooped shoulders, that’s when issues such as errors, illegibility, and smudging occur. So, remember to always stand up straight with shoulders straight but relaxed when writing on your dry erase wall.

The phenomenon known as “palmar smudging” comes about when left-handed people get dry eraser marker ink smeared on the side of their left palm while writing, and traces of the ink are then transferred onto the wall, giving the surface a faint grey cast from having the stained palm dragged over it. The best way for lefties to solve the problem of palmar smudging is to avoid allowing your left hand to touch the dry erase wall as you write or draw on it. Instead, keep your hand a comfortable distance above the surface to avoid picking up ink and transferring it to the wall.

Another technique for eliminating ink-stained hands when using a dry erase wall is to write with your hand below the text line. With sufficient practice, this technique can be mastered, and in conjunction with holding your hand off of the wall as you write, the problem of palmar smudging will disappear. At first, your letters may not look as well formed as you would like, but this issue can also be resolved with sufficient practice.

Maintain Ample Distance from the Dry Erase Wall and Move as You Write

Writing at a comfortable distance from a dry erase wall so that your writing arm is not too stretched out or too bent at the elbow will help to ensure clear legible writing for left-handed people. Also, it’s essential to move your body along with the text as you write because if you stand still, your torso will naturally rotate sideways as you write farther away from your body. This effect will not only give you less control over the dry erase marker as your arm extends outward but will also produce a natural arc as your body swings over like a pendulum. This effect will increase the odds that your writing will slope in a downward curve and thus be harder to read.

Write Clearly with Large Letters and Numbers

For both left- and right-handed people, writing on a dry erase painted wall works best when large printed (not cursive) letters and numbers are used. In this way, people can see what’s written from a distance without getting eye strain. This is particularly important in spaces like large classrooms, conference rooms, and university lecture halls so that viewers in all sections of the room can read your writing. After long experience with writing on limited surfaces such as traditional whiteboards, notebooks, and flip charts, many people have come to realize that writing in small letters has become habitual. But with a dry erase painted wall to write on, size is no longer an issue. So, if you have a habit of writing with small letters, work at changing your technique and practice writing in larger letters that everyone in the room can easily read and comprehend.

Think About Using an Artist Drawing Glove on Your Left Hand

More commonly known as an “anti-fouling” glove, an artist drawing glove or smudge guard is designed to cover the side of your hand that comes in contact with a drawing or writing surface. The glove is usually made to cover two fingers, the ring and the pinky, or at times only one finger, the pinky, for the purpose of reducing friction and acts as a guard against staining of the hand when writing or drawing.

This type of accessory is pretty inexpensive and helps to avoid any smudging from occurring when you write on a dry erase wall with your left hand. Besides, it assists your hand in moving at a smoother, more even pace while you write, thus improving the quality of your lettering. It may not be the most ideal tool for a left-handed writer to have to buy to avoid ink smudging, but it can be of great help in eliminating the problem.

At times, it can be quite challenging being left-handed while living in a world that is dominated by and primarily designed for right-handed people. However, there are many ways to cope with this problem with respect to writing on dry erase painted walls. Being left-handed is much more than it appears to be, too, as shown by the benefits enjoyed by lefties mentioned above.