III.

LETTERING

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the lesson, the learners are expected to do the following:
1. Knew the origin and development of letters.
2. Familiarized the different kinds of lettering and numerals.
3. Acquainted knowledge of the shapes and proportions of individual character of letters and numerals.

Lettering – considered the written language in the industry, is so important in the drawing that it cannot be
dispensed with in the study of drafting.
Proportion of letters - refers to the size of the letters to be used in relation to the space that they will occupy
Guidelines - are preferred to be drawn using thin lines. This is used in making your letters proportion and
straight.

LETTERING

Proper lettering in technical drawing is important and cannot be underestimated. The right execution of
the standard literal and numeral interpretations of technical ideas will result in a neat, orderly and accurate
drawing. Beginners or students of drawing must learn to develop and execute the correct forms of standard to
achieve the desired style needed in industry and technical drawing.

Origin of Letter forms:

Graphic language – the idea of communicating thoughts from one person to another by means of pictures.
Egyptian Hieroglyphics – the earliest forms of writing through pictures forms.

Fig. 11 . Various Forms of Egyptian Hieroglyphics

Egypt – where the present letters, or alphabet of English and Philippine languages originated.
Phoenicians – modified the hieroglyphics into a wedge-shaped or cuneiform writing in the form of symbols.
They developed an alphabet of twenty-two letters.

Fig. 12 . Phoenicians Alphabet

Greeks - changed this cuneiform writing into boustrophedon – (written from right to left and from left to right
in alternate lines ) writing.

Fig. 13 . Greeks Alphabet

Romans – modified the boustrophedon writing and are widely used until present. Introduced characters V and I
to make it a total of twenty-six letters.

Fig. 14 . Roman Letters

Techniques of Lettering

Any person can learn to letter if a persistent and intelligent effort is made. While “practice makes
perfect”, it must be understood that practice alone is not perfect; it must be accompanied by continuous effort to
improve.
Lettering is a freehand drawing and not writing. Therefore, the basic fundamental stokes and direction for
freehand drawing is basic to lettering. The horizontal stokes are drawn to the right, and all vertical, inclined, and
curved stokes are drawn downward. Good lettering is always accompanied by conscious effort.

There are three necessary steps in learning to letter:

1. Knowledge of the proportions and forms of letters and order of strokes. No one can make good letters
who does not have a clear mental image of the correct forms of letters
2. Knowledge of composition – the spacing of letters and words. Rules governing composition should be
thoroughly mastered.
3. Persistent practice with continuous effort to improve.

Proportion of Letters

It is often desirable to increase or decrease the width of letters in order to make a word or group of words
fill a given space. In proportioning the letters, there is a slight variation in the shapes and proportions of letters.
1. Normal proportion – the letters are nor to big not too small and has occupied normal size of shapes.
2. Extended proportion – the width of the letters are wider than normal letters.
3. Compressed or condensed proportion – the width of the letters are slimmer than normal letters.
 Compressed Normal

Extended

Fig. 15. Proportion of Letters

Basic Lettering Strokes

Lettering is a freehand drawing and not writing. Therefore, the eight fundamental strokes and their
directions for freehand are basic to lettering. The horizontal, inclined and curve strokes are drawn.

Fig. 16. Basic Lettering Strokes

Classification of Letters

1. Straight line letters – A, E, F, H, I, K, L, M, N, T, V, W, X, Y, Z

2. Curve line letter – B, C, D, G, J, O, P, Q, R, S, U
Faces of Letters

1. Light Face Letters – letters having very thin stems.

2. Bold Face Letters – letters having very thick stems.

Cases of Letters

1. Upper Case – Capital letters

2. Lower Case – Small Letters
 Four Lower Case Forms

1. Straight line letters - i, k, l, t, v, w, v, x, z,

2. Ellipse letters – c, e, o, s,
3. Loop letters – a, b, d, p, q,
4. Hook letters – f, h, n, r, u, y, g

Guideline for Capital Letters

Guidelines for Small Letters

Five Styles of Lettering

1. Gothic Style – normal letters, letters with uniform height or thickness.

Upper Case Letters

Lower Case Letters

Fig. 17. Recommended Sequence for Making Single Stroke Gothic Letters

2. Roman Style – accented letters, consist of thin and thick stem.

3. Old English or Text Style – considered as commercial letters, usually used in certificates, diplomas or
other manuscripts.

4. Script Style – cursive form of letters.

5. Italic Style – are all inclined letters.