[quanto]

Writing utensils definitely influence scripts. One tidbit I like is the evolution of the Burmese script.

The Burmese script was originally square format but became round and cursive due to the popular use of palm leaves (and others) as a medium: straight lines would rip the leaves, so softer round strokes were preferred [1].

The round cursive style is in stark contrast to modern Devanagari (India) where the strong overhanging line is a core feature [2] despite both scripts descend one way or another from the Brahmi script [3].

As for the OP, ballpoints have come a long way such that one could easily find a ballpoint that is sensitive enough for a Palmerian style (but perhaps not Spencerian as that genuinely requires varying line thickness).

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burmese_alphabet

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devanagari

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmic_scripts

[Beltalowda]

A bit of an aside, I really like the Ethiopian Wikipedia page on Amharic[1], an Ethiopian language written in the Geʽez script. Traditionally ፡ is used as a word separator in the Geʽez script to write Amharic (and ። as a full stop, looks like : and :: in case your browser doesn't render the fonts).

But more recently the space has become popular, probably because it's easier on computers and due to English/Western influences.

The nice thing about that Wikipedia page is that the first three – and presumably the oldest – paragraphs use the classic ፡, after which it mostly switches to spaces in the newer texts. Traditionalists will think it's horrible and you should stick to the "old ways", but languages and scripts have been changing ever since they were invented, and you can see the evolution of a writing system right there on a single page, which I think is kinda neat.

(Note I do not speak Amharic, I "discovered" this while researching different writing systems for some code I was writing).

[1]: https://am.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%8A%A0%E1%88%9B%E1%88%AD%E1...