If a character field is to contain numerous handwritten characters with little or no possibility for detailed format specification or validation, you can define it in various ways.
Note that the methods mentioned here are not exclusively for the examples mentioned. Read about, try and test different solutions for individual fields before putting the form definition to use.
For a small field with little or no possibility of validation but where accuracy is of utmost importance (for example, a monetary amount), consider No interpretation or Retype.
For field consisting of multiple lines of text in a predictable format, with lines to write on (such as a change-of-address field with lines), consider defining image fields (instead of one or more character fields) with field complements. See also Matrix.
For a field consisting of multiple lines of text but no lines to write on (such as a change-of-address field) or a field with completely random text (such as a suggestion box), consider defining a mark field (instead of character field) and using the FORMS API to implement a suitable way of getting the data into the database.
Defining a character field containing more than one line of text