Signatures in handwriting are extremely significant. There are two ego symbols in English defining the individual; the PPI [Personal pronoun "I"] and the signature. How we sign our name discloses much about how we perceive ourselves, especially how we want others to perceive us.

The signature in handwriting refers to our public image, while the text of our writing is the true self. It is also the "ideal self" versus the "real self" Often enough, this perception of our own identity differs. Hence, the signature and the text, too, will differ. We use the term "congruent" in graphology. Congruency is where the master pattern of the signature matches the master pattern of the text. In these cases, the public and self image are identical. These writers are being candid and frank with the public.

When the signature is incongruent with the text; then we have a person who is trying to project an image which differs from his true self. This is very common. It does not automatically identify a dishonest person, but is one of the numerous traits of dishonesty. In this case, it is just a person who presents themselves as a different image in public than who they really are.

The more the signature deviates from the text of the writing; the more the person is putting on a "false face". There are many ways in which the signature can vary in order to impress others. The most common are to increase the size, change the slant, change from arcades to garlands, and by adding flourishes.

It is healthy to slightly increase the size of your signature; it is when it is over enlarged that we can see compensation. Compensation is when you deviate your signature so much that it becomes a pretense rather than a true attribute. An increase in the size of capitals is self-esteem; to oversize your capitals is just conceit.

Besides congruency of a signature; the legibility is of vital importance. Many people write with completely illegible signatures. With the exception of those, who have to sign so many documents; there is no reason to be so careless as to be completely illegible. Do you think a person who writes with a completely illegible signature is frank and sincere with other people? This is the person who is evasive with others. They are indirect and avoid people. They make themselves as unavailable as the illegibility of their signature describes.

There are signatures which are illegible, but do resemble some letter formations. Others are just complete and meanginless looking scribbles. In fact, they are not meaningless at all. We call these type of signatures "plates of spaghetti" These signatures look more like a "smoke screen" than anything else. That's because a "plate of spaghetti" signature is just that, a "smoke screen". It's easy to guess that a "smoke screen" public personna is not going to be candid or sincere. Smoke screened signatures are untrusting and fear other people; the smoke screen is their believed "protection".

Can you imagine the physical manifestations of the "plate of spaghetti" signature? How about wearing a beard to hide the face? Or maybe a hat with a large bill to shade the eyes? Would a lit cigar be an obvioius manifestation of the "smoke screen" or "plate of spaghetti" signature? Can you think of any famous personality who wears a beard, a hat, and smokes a cigar?..............................How about Fidel Castro! Guess what..................he has been signing his name with a "smoke screen" since he was a teenager!

When the signature is very small in comparison to the size of the text, or the name is not capitalized; we are looking at a poor ego. This person writes small and indeed feels small too. If the signature is in lower case, the baseline is downhill or "drooping", or there is crossing out of the name or the lower zone; the person is showing suicidal tendencies. If the signature's legibility suffers due to disintegration; then this person is even closer to committing suicide.

Some signatures are more a picture than a language. Artists draw easels in their name, while Elvis Presley drew a guitar with the "El" of Elvis. Here the person is trying to state that his identity is his work. Elvis viewed himself as a musician, the artist views his identity as an artist. This is different than a person who is a musician or an artist. They are people with personal identities, and they do art or music. In Elvis's case, his personal identity was being a musician. This is how he viewed himself and his life. The symbolic gesture is that guitar he drew in his name takes precendence over the portion of his identity which is Elvis.

Walt Disney's real signature was more like an action filled caricature of a toy train than that of a signature. I have seen the signature of a marine biologist and you could see that the signature appeared as a shark swimming on the water. There is nothing psychologically unhealthy about people that write with a picture in their name; unless the picture they are drawing is alarming itself. What do you think of a person who signs his name with the picture of a skeleton? That's the signature of Osama Bin Laden!

Where a person chooses to sign their name to a document is very important. Since we know that the text is the "real self" and the signature is the "ideal self"; a writer who places his signature well below the last line of text is really trying to "remove himself from himself". This is a strong indicator that the writer is not happy with himself. He identifies himself with the "ideal self" and may even believe that that is the person he really is.

Another key factor with the spatial arrangement of the signature is its horizontal placement. If it is on the left side of the document; then the person is showing introversion and a self reflective image of himself. These people may also be fearful and untrusting. If the signature is right in the middle of the page; then this person likes to be the center of attention. It is common to see movie stars sign their name in the center, and also will use paraphs like pedastals. If it is on the right hand side; I make no inference because this is where you are taught to place your name.

However, if it sits "outside" the parameters of the margin; then this is a person who feels he doesn't fit in with society. He is an outsider, an outcast. John Hinkley signed his name in the right margin. He was the man who tried to kill Ronald Reagen to impress Jodie Foster. See what I mean!

I've concentrated on all of these negative signatures. The healthiest signatures describing a healthy ego and sound self-esteem would have the following graphology traits. The signature would be congruent and legible with respect to the text of the writing. The capitals would be as tall of slightly taller than those in the text. The baseline would be level or uphill also matching the baseline of the text. The signature would be spatially one or two line spaces below the text, according to the line spacing used within the text. There would be no negative traits such as leftward arcades, push off strokes, or scoring. There would be no suicidal signs such as "x"s in the lower zone or crossing through the signature. The pressure would be consistent with that of the text. There would be a minimal of flourishes. Underlining is acceptable as long as it is not overdone.

Incongruent signatures are those who put up a false public image
Overemphasized signatures are people who are conceited
Signatures with scribble are people hiding behind smoke screens
Signatures with graphic pictures are people whose identity is their work
Congruent signatures are people who are upfront
Signatures that are congruent and a little larger than the text is ideal
Signatures that are very small denote a poor self image
Signatures that are close to the text like themselves
Signatures that are removed from the text hate themselves
Signatures that are far to the left are fearful, and introverted
Signatures that are placed in the center want attention
Signatures that are outside of the margins feel like outcasts
Signatures with downhill baselines depict suicidal tendencies
Disintegrated signatures depict suicidal tendencies
Scoring or crossing out depict suicidal tendencies

Important Note: Remember this is just a very basic explanation of this particular aspect of handwriting. It is expressly for the purpose to show the validity by explaining this complex science in simplistic terms.

Do not attempt to analyze a person's handwriting with just the information stated above. Graphology is a hollistic science; one characteristic on its own is fairly meaningless unless an extreme or coroborated with other graphology traits.

Leave handwriting analysis to the experts like us. It takes years to be highly trained and skilled in this field, and to learn, study, and recognize all the graphological traits that incorporate this science.