At the ideational level, imagination is the constructive use of past perceptual experiences revived as mental images in a current experience; it can be either creative or imitative. Loops, an important and easily judged signal of imagination, can be seen in handwriting in a variety of forms. Even the bottom loops of the minuscule f and q (which follow an unusual pattern) qualify for this interpretation. Loops generally suggest some type of imagination at work (you would prefer to term it stored experience in this situation).
A loop is an emotional pathway, thus if loops are large, the person is emotional and sensitive, and he allows himself to express himself emotionally. Repression is indicated when the loops are compressed; this is generally accompanied by symptoms of caution, fear, and emotional strain, therefore the pen pressure is also increased and likely to be heavy. (However, pen pressure can vary based on emotions, the consistency of the write, and other variables.)
The direction in which loops revolve, like the overall tilt of writing, can add to our understanding – it can often inform us (for example) where the imagination/stored experience derives its source. The degree of completeness of the loops reveals (proportionally) how well the writer understands an idea, concept, or element – a complete loop that returns to the baseline indicates a fully developed notion that may be used.
The degree of the writer’s idealism, hopes, and fantasies can be observed in the height of the top loops. This is related to the top zone of handwriting; we can observe what the person’s reach is and whether he has set achievable goals or if his reach is greater than his grasp. If the upper loops are taller than the rest of the letters and are immediately evident, we have an indication of visionary idealism, which might lead to imagination distortion. Exaggerations like this are usually signs of neurosis, but they’ve also given birth to some unusual ideas.
Because handwriting is an instinctual action, upper loops may indicate hands reaching up, while lower loops may represent hands reaching down. Loops that are constantly high reveal a creative, optimistic personality. When the lower loops are the same size (and belong in the lower zone), the writer isn’t content to just imagine; he wants to see his dreams come true in some way. Upper loops with a lot of loops show that you have a lot of standards (which the person has set up or which have been set up for him during his youth). The extent of his willpower (represented by t bars) will disclose how he attempts to achieve them, and the spacing, margins, and small letter forms will reveal whether he is a well-organized, well-adjusted individual.
Lower loops below the baseline center around tangible concepts – people we’ve met, places we’ve visited, objects we’ve seen and handled, and real physical experiences – and are the polar opposite of abstract imagination.
A long downstroke below the baseline (looped or not) suggests a desire for change. The length of this type of stroke is measured in relation to the height of the mundane zone. When you add a loop to the long downstroke, you’re really adding imagination to the demand for change – it’s a sign that the writer wants variety. Such writers are sociable; they make friends without prejudice or difference and are happiest when they have a large group of people with which to communicate.
The baseline is a representation of reality. When a loop fails to reach that crucial joint where notions can enter the domain of practical application, it is referred to as stranded or isolated. The writer’s utilization of his previous experiences will be increasingly confined and unrealistic the more isolated or restricted the loop is. This characteristic appears to be most noticeable in the writer’s friendships and connections. This writer has idealistic (but unrealistic) views on friendship and frequently strives to maintain exclusive ties, to the point of feeling hostile or resentful of outsiders who become acquainted with his ultra-narrow circle of pals.
Reversed Loops, according to traditional graphologists, indicates a reversal of sexuality, especially in female subjects. The level of reversal existing in the loop determines the extent of these homosexual or lesbian tendencies (which may be latent or apparent). Stroke-by-stroke analysts tend to see this type of loop as a rejection of social experiences in general and relationships in particular, as well as a denial of the human urge for companionship and partnerships. The subject may be actively rejecting or he may be rejecting himself.
The unfinished form of loop denotes stored experience that has failed to find practical application (this latency is in proportion to the lack of completeness in the loop). The arc of the loop suggests a good drive for variety, thus such a writer is not socially isolated like a writer with an isolated loop that fails to achieve baseline -but some of his mental images lack form and substance, and hence lose some of their efficacy.
Loops that swerve to the left without making any attempt to backtrack or turn back indicate a mental retreat into the past, maybe to simpler times.
Loopless descenders extending downhill are described by stroke-by-stroke analyzers as evidence of a wish to be or at least work alone. If the sample you’re looking at has a mix of looped and loopless descenders, the proper technique is to figure out what percentage of each type is present. If the loopless descenders account for a large percentage of the total lower loops, the subject is content to remain alone for the majority of the time. This type of non-returning stroke is common in the handwriting of artists, musicians, and video-game players who spend a lot of time alone honing their craft.
