In graphology, the term down stroke refers to any time the hand moves down in forming a letter.  An up stroke occurs when the hand moves up.  For instance, when you are making the letter y you are making a down stroke on the lower part of the letter.  When you are making the letter h you are making an up stroke on the upper part of the letter.  In normal, healthy, adult handwriting one of these directional movements will be slightly heavier than the other.  Write the following sentence using a ballpoint pen: "I like graphology, and I will use it the rest of my life."  For most healthy adult writers, the down strokes will be slightly heavier in pressure than the up strokes.  If the up strokes and down strokes are of equal pressure or if the up strokes are heavier than the down strokes, there might be a physical cause for the variation.  The major reason the down strokes tend to be heavier is the fact that down strokes require muscles of the hand to contract while up strokes require extension of the hand muscles.  When you need hand strength, it is generally to hold onto something.  Consequently, the contracting muscles are stronger than the muscles that expand the hand.  These stronger contracting muscles tend to produce a heavier down stroke mark on the paper.  If a writer presses overly heavily on the down strokes, this can be an indication of self-determination to an exaggerated degree.  The overly heavy down stroke can be likened to an exclamation mark.  Alternatively, if a writer has very light pressure on the up stroke to the degree that the stroke almost disappears, this can be an indication that the writer lacks inner strength and conviction.  The individual might not know what he or she is reaching for or doesn't have the strength or conviction to go after their objective.  Generally, the combination of heavy pressure with a rightward slant is made by unforgettable, go-getter type individuals.  They tend to express a wealth of emotions readily and with fervor and cannot be taken lightly.  A partiality for bright colors is found most often among heavy-pressure writers and a preference for the lighter pastel shades tends to be found among light-pressure writers.  Members of certain professions tend to prefer specific types of writing implements.  Here are a few examples:  salespeople often prefer big, bold felt-tip pens.  People who work with small details for long periods of time tend to prefer fine-point pens or finely sharpened pencils.  People who prefer their own pen and like to write with it only are generally fastidious people.  Source:  Handwriting Analysis Putting It to Work for You by Andrea McNichol with Jeffrey A. Nelson.
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