The baseline is one of the most important areas of handwriting. We are instructed as children to observe the baseline and to write in straight lines. The reality is, however, that even after years of practice, few people can actually write in a straight line on unlined paper.
The baseline shows how well an individual is handling stress at the time of writing and it can be an indicator of the writer's mood at any one time. Deviations from writing in a perfectly straight line are normal.
People who write with a normal, straight baseline are reliable and determined individuals who are self-motivated and self-controlled. They are orderly, methodical, and responsible and have strong minds that control their emotions. A person who writes in a straight line is not usually deterred from his or her aims and goals. If a person writes precisely in a straight line, then we may say that person is unyielding.
Baselines that ascend in steps are often found in the handwriting of those who have little stamina. Writers of this type of baseline are usually optimistic and ambitious and have a positive attitude; they are willing to cooperate with others, and they tend to emphasize the positive view. They have a strong response to new ideas.
A descending or falling baseline usually indicates someone who is overworked, suffering from fatigue, or has too much to do in a short space of time. Tired and overwhelmed, this individual tends to have a pessimistic attitude and can be depressive. A baseline that descends in steps is often found in writers who bravely fight off depressive moods. This trait is also found in an older person's writing, and can indicate ailments such as arthritis or osteoporosis, or depression, fatigue, and grief. Aching bones and arm muscles that become weak and drop toward the body cause this writing.
Wavy or erratic baselines may be indicative of moodiness. Teenagers often write with this kind of baseline when they are unsettled, with their minds and moods all over the place due to hormonal changes and a lack of definite direction in life. People who write with an erratic baseline can be emotionally unsettled, unpredictable, unstable, and indecisive.