Nail the basics first, detail the details later.
— Chris Anderson.
First things first: if you are learning ASL, a good place to start would be learning the alphabet. Some good resources include:
- ASL THAT Video
- Turn on captions if you wish to see the English letters at the same time. This video shows the letters signed with different camera angles.
- Hand Shape Images
- If you would like a background image or handout to help you as you learn, consider using one of the images using the above link.
Note that K and P; G and Q; and I and J have the same hand shapes – the first two pairs the difference is the palm orientation and for the third pair the J has movement (see the post on parameters).
To go from A > T > N > M, slide an additional finger over the thumb, this can be tight (more in the shape of a fist) or more loose and relaxed (where the fingers resting on the thumb stick out a bit).
ASL and Deafness 