Autograph
An individual's writing styles change throughout the lifespan of a person;
a signature of President George Washington (c.
1795) will be different from one when he was an 18-year-old land surveyor.
After British Admiral Nelson lost his right arm at the Tenerife sea-battle
in 1797, he switched to using his left hand. However, the degree of change
may vary greatly. The signatures of Washington and Lincoln changed only
slightly during their adult lives, while John F. Kennedy's autograph
was different virtually every time he signed.
Styles
Other factors affect an individuals signature, including their level
of education, health, and so on. Blues singer John Lee Hooker had a limited
education, and such is reflected in his handwriting. Composer Charles
Ives and boxer Muhammad Ali both suffered from Parkinson's disease, and
their handwriting show the effects of that condition as well. Native American
Chief Geronimo had no concept of an alphabet; he "drew" his
signature, much like a pictograph.
Categories of celebrities
Many individuals have much more fanciful signatures than their normal
cursive writing, including elaborate ascenders, descenders and exotic
flourishes, much as one would find in calligraphic writing, as an example,
the final "k" in John Hancock's famous signature on the US Declaration
of Independence loops back to underline his name. This kind of flourish
is also known as a paraph. John Hancock's signature on the Declaration
of Independence is so unique and well-known that the phrase "John
Hancock" has become a synonym for "signature", and a prominent
piece of American iconography.
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