Do not grip the pencil tightly.

A tight grip will cramp the muscles in your fingers, causing you to
lose control. If you get ‘’Writers cramp” easily, you are probably holding your pencil too tightly.
The pencil should be kept sharpened to produce uniform line weights. A conical-sharpened
pencil point work best for most lettering.
A pencil that is too hard may cut into the paper, or it may produce lettering that will not
reproduce easily. A pencil that is too soft will require frequent sharpening, and it qill produce
lettering that may smear easily on a drawing.
-Technical lettering is also called Mechanical lettering and is done using tools such as lettering
guides, templates.
When we refer to technical lettering, we mean standard uniform character that are executed
with a special pen held in a scriber and guided by a template. Mechanical lettering does not
normally require the use of lettering guidelines. You will use the mechanical lettering principally
for title blocks and note drawing, marginal data for special maps, briefing charts, display charts,
graphs, titles on photographs, sign and any other time that clear, legible, standardized lettering
is required.
It is should be noted that freehand lettering is the required lettering on most of your drawings;
mechanical lettering should be confined to special uses similar to those described above. The
availability of mechanical lettering devices should not deter you from the daily practice
required to execute freehand lettering.
Normal size – defined by the height (h) of the outline contour of the uppercase (Capital)
Center Line – It is the imaginary line in the middle of each line or line element which is a
constitutive part of a graphic character set.
Lettering Angle – The letter may be vertical (Upright) or inclined (sloped) to the right from 75
degrees horizontal.

CLASSIFICATION OF LETTERING
Lettering is an umbrella term that covers the art of drawing letters, instead of simply writing
them. Lettering is considered an art form, where each letter in a phrase or quote acts as an
illustration. Each letter is created with attention to detail and has a unique role within a
composition. Lettering is created as an image, with letters that are meant to be used in a
unique configuration.
Significance and styles of lettering
Lettering is important is any drawing because it gives other pertinent information necessary to
depict the object under construction which the drawing or the graphical representation fails to
shows. It records ideas and help transmit these ideas. It is noteworthy that no matter how nice
the drawing is, if the letterings are poor, the entire drawing will be spoiled.
The lettering used in drawing is simple and consists of single stroke which are uniform in width.
Vertical lettering is most generally used. All lines of the letters are a single width, uniformly
dark, and each is made with a single stroke
The lettering, in general, is classified in two categories:
1.Gothic Lettering
2.Roman Lettering
TWO CLASSIFICATIONS OF COTHIC LETTERING
1.Vertical Gothic Lettering
2.Roman Lettering
SINGLE STROKE VERTICAL GOTHIC LETTERING – These are vertical lettering having thickness of
each line of alphabet or numerals etc. Same as the single stroke of a pencil. Since Stroke means
that the letter is written with one or more stems or curves and each made with single stroke.
DOUBLE STROKE INCLINED GOTHIC LETTERING – Vertical letter drawn by double stroke of
pencil with uniform thickness between these strokes are called Double stroke vertical gothic
lettering.

ROMAN LETTERING – The lettering in which all the letters are formed by thick and thin
elements is called ROMAN LETTERING. It may be vertical or inclined line.

CATEGORY OF LETTERS
Single stroke letters are used for general writing. Single stroke letters are also considered as a
distinct lettering style.
Built up letters are used in advertisements and other commercial purposes. They are first
outlined and filled up for emphasis
Letters are also classified as lightface and bold face depending on the thickness of their stems.
Lightface letters have very thin stem while boldface letters have heavy stems or thick strokes
Light face – letters with very thin stems
Bold face – letters with very heavy stems
GENERAL PROPORTIONS
Before combining letters into words we must be familiar in detail with the forms and
peculiarities of each letter. Letter very in their proportion of width to height. Not only are the
widths of the different letters in the same alphabets vary in their”measure”, some being tall
and narrow, others short and wide.

BASIC LETTERING STROKES

Plain writing is simply writing letters without following the rules in spacing, size, and proportion
while lettering folliws various rules.

DESCRIPTION OF LETTERING STYLES IN TECHNICAL LETTERING

1.Single stroke Gothic letters or Gothic letters – These are the plainest and most legitable of all types of
letters. The single strokes with uniform width, make them the easiest to make.

2.Roman letters and Modern Roman letters – The Roman letters are further subdivided into two based
on their. Old Roman is used for inscribing on metals and stones because it is considered the most
beautiful type of letters

The beauty of the Roman letters depends not a little upon the appearance of the serif and spurs which
terminate every free end.

THE MODERN ROMAN

In the eighteenth century modifications were introduced by some of the type founders which resulted in
the letter in common use now in our books and newspaper, and which we have called Modern
Roamn.This modern form has lost all the variety and beauty of its prototype, is essentially inartistic and
of absolutely no value in design, as in the attempt for uniformly it has become only mechanical and
monotonous, but it is the standard letter of our government in the bureau of engraving and printing,
coast survey, topographic survey, and geological survey, a and is in general used throughout the country
for maps and similar work.

It is generally made with a much heavier face than the old Roman, usual proportion of width of stem to
height being one to six, with comparatively very light hair lines and long serifs. This violent contrast, ehilr
it may give some effect of delicacy or refinement, reduces greatly the legibility of the letter at s distance.

Modern Roman letter on the other hand id used in simple and formal media like newspaper, magazines,
books, etc.
INCLINED ROMAN CAPITALS
The inclined or italicized form of Roman capitals, is used for water features on maps and as capitals for
the stump letter which follow. It is made with a fine flexible pen, the very small sizes in one stroke,
springing the pen for the shaded lines, the large sizes by making two strokes for the stems and following
the same orders.

The stump letter is a simplified form of the printer italic, and is much used in map drawing, patent office
drawing, and other careful work.

ITALIC LETTERS
All types of letter which are written in an inclined or slanting position are considered italic letter. These
are used for designing menus, greeting cards, invitations, and the likes.

OLD ENGLISH/TEXT LETTER

These are the letters which are commonly used in diplomas and certificates. Because this style is difficult
to read. It is not suitable for promotional purposes. This includes Old English, and similar text styles.

-Technical Drawings must be correctly lettered in order to communicate information to others.

 All figures and letters on a drawing should be UNIFORM, NEAT AND CAREFULLY made.
 There are two types of lettering techniques, VERTICAL LETTER AND INCLINED LETTER.
 (You will use VERTICAL, UPPERCASE LETTER for all your paper and pencil drawings)
 Never mix vertical and lowercase letter.
 Poor lettering destracts from a drawing.
 Ability to write good letter may be developed by continual practice
 SPELL words correctly
 Make letters and figures proper SIZE. Don’t make letters too prominent, yet make them
readable.
 Letters should be between 1/8’’ – ¼’’ high. Provide sufficient space between words equal to
about the width of a ‘’W’’.
 Keep your forearm on the table when lettering
 Shift, or roll, the pencil frequently to prevent wearing down in one place of the pencil.
 Draw parallel light “GUIDELINES” to help with lettering.