The research question
How does uppercase structure change the movement balance?
Uppercase letters often use larger directional changes and more separated stroke groups than lowercase letters. This episode holds the sample text and renderer conditions constant, then compares the same two writing models on the uppercase form of the pangram.
The purpose is not to declare one style universally fastest. It is to show how completion time, paper-trail motion, air travel, and total movement can point to different aspects of the same writing system.
Measured results
One uppercase run, seven metrics
| Metric | Getty Dubay Joined Beginning | Playwrite CA | Metric result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Completion timeLower is faster for this run | 48.66 s | 53.55 s | Getty Dubay Joined Beginning |
| Characters per minute35 uppercase letters; spaces excluded | 43.15 | 39.21 | Getty Dubay Joined Beginning |
| Words per minuteNine-word uppercase test sentence | 11.1 | 10.1 | Getty Dubay Joined Beginning |
| Paper-trail lengthPen-down path length | 3,298 px | 4,074 px | Getty Dubay Joined Beginning |
| Air-travel lengthPen-up travel between strokes | 1,824 px | 1,119 px | Playwrite CA |
| Total movementPaper trail + air travel | 5,122 px | 5,193 px | Getty Dubay Joined Beginning |
| Words completedSame task for both models | 9 | 9 | Tie |
Each result identifies the better value for that metric in this run. It is not an overall ranking.
How the simulation works
Real uppercase stroke paths, rendered on canvas
The video was not generated by an AI image or video model. We extracted the actual stroke-order paths used by each tested writing model, then replayed those paths on canvas so the two uppercase trajectories could be compared under matched conditions.
The uppercase FAST setting uses 86.5 pixels per second in this renderer. Pen-up travel is modeled at 2.5 times the writing speed, so lifts are measured explicitly instead of disappearing from the comparison.
These are benchmark values from our renderer, not a universal physical measurement of every writer, pen, surface, or task.
What this run supports
Uppercase results also split by metric
Getty Dubay Joined Beginning completed this uppercase sample sooner, reached a higher measured character throughput, used a shorter paper trail, and ended with slightly less total movement. Playwrite CA used less air travel between strokes.
The uppercase run therefore reinforces the series principle: connection structure affects multiple movement costs at once. A lower pen-up distance does not automatically produce a shorter total path or faster completion time.
Transcript and limitations
Read the evidence without playing the video
Transcript: This controlled uppercase handwriting speed test compares Getty Dubay Joined Beginning with Playwrite CA. Both models write “THE QUICK BROWN FOX JUMPS OVER THE LAZY DOG” at the same configured pen-tip speed. The test records completion time, characters per minute, words per minute, paper-trail length, air-travel length, total movement, and words completed. Getty finishes faster in this run, while Playwrite uses less air travel. The animation is an original deterministic canvas simulation from extracted real stroke paths, not AI-generated handwriting.
- This page reports one controlled run, not a population study or a guarantee for every writer.
- The pangram contains nine words and 35 uppercase letters; another sample may change the balance.
- Pixel distances and speed settings describe this renderer’s benchmark model, not direct physical measurements of a human hand.
- The experiment compares writing-model structure. It does not rank a font for legibility, learning outcomes, or personal preference.
Credits and independence
Original work published with permission
This independent comparison was created by Xin Wan / PrintableHandwriting with Kate Gladstone. Kate received permission from HandwritingSuccess to use the Getty Dubay model for font research, and PrintableHandwriting received Kate’s permission to publish this video, data, and explanatory page. PrintableHandwriting is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or a reseller for HandwritingSuccess.
Getty Dubay Joined Beginning is named here as a tested writing model. No competitor logo, product interface, purchase link, or endorsement is implied.