De Juan, Jarell P.

08/25/19
DRAW10W_A18 2017131713
Assignment A1: Engineering Lettering A18

History and Importance of engineering lettering:

Engineering lettering or also known as “Technical lettering”, It is the process of forming letters, numerals,
guidelines, lettering styles, spacing and other characters that provides major specifications that describe
an object in engineering lettering with highly detailed documentation of information for fellow engineers.
It is also used to clearly define the requirements for engineered items such as views, dimensions and
necessary information. More than drawing pictures it is also a graphical language that communicates
ideas and information from one mind to another most important it communicates all needed information
from the engineer who design the part for the workers who will be applying it. They also use variety of
drawing instruments when drafting a certain project on the work sheet such as drawing boards, rulers, T-
square, pencils, and so on. And its style that takes complex information with accurate measurement of
styles that comes in different variety of fields that clearly explains to a specific audience.
Lettering is an important part of engineering drawing. It gives information regarding the size and specifies
instructions on a specific type of styles and designs. Engineering drawings use a Gothic sans-serif script
style, formed by a series of short strokes. Lower case letters are rare in most drawings of machines.
Commercial Gothic, also called sans-serif Gothic, is the lettering style of most interest to engineers. It is
plain and legible. While admittedly not as aesthetic as many other styles, sans-serif letters are
comparatively easy to make. They may be drawn in outline and then filled in.
In engineering lettering are consist of different type of methods that are being used such as Methods of
forming letters, Freehand Lettering, Mechanical Lettering, Dimension of Letters, Lettering A and B, and
so on. That are specifically measured by the measuring tools and carefully drafted on the paper.
Technical lettering also aims to achieve legibility and uniformity of styles to systemize lettering abilities
that correlates with normal writing. It specifies the characteristics and dimensions for writing the letters
and numerals on the drawing sheet when we are preparing an engineering drawing using technical
drawing standards. It is about using the correct proportion of the dimensions of the letters.
The engineering lettering originated on the time of the Egyptians when they started to write using pictures
on the 10th century known as hieroglyphics. In addition of another development of writing as well in
lettering is when the Phoenicians developed their 22 letters that is called as the cuneiform a other form of
writing. The Greeks also contributed when they introduced the Boustrophedon. Nowadays in present
times the most common form of writing that we use in the present day is known as the alphabet which
was introduced by the romans.
Technical lettering was used for writing or carve technical drawings architectural plans, maps, and other
documents. According to Hardwig and Maier states that by the beginning of the 20th century, in the
aftermath of the Second Industrial Revolution, a need arose for accelerating the speed not only of
production, but also of drafting. Prior to this, all technical lettering was made freehand, in various styles,
some of which were rather ornate, and not optimized for legibility or reproducibility. Clearly there was a
demand for some standards. In a working environment based on division of labor and interregional trade
connections, the engineers’ lettering needed to become more precise and formal. (Hardwig & Maier,
2019).
Proportion of Letters:
The proportion of letters pertains to the measurement of each individual letters in the alphabet that consist
of specific sizes, spaces, and types of styles depending on the relation to the space that they will occupy.
There are three proportions of letters namely: compressed, extended, and normal. Before combining the
letter’s, we must determine and be familiarized the details with the form of each peculiarities of each
letter. The letters consist of different variety of their own proportion of width to height. Also have
different alphabet that vary in their own specific measurements it could be tall and narrow, others are
short and wide.
When lettering in proportion it describes that, all letters are the same height and width. When it comes to
lettering a graphic project, the lettering must have the same proportion when it is used in phrases,
sentences, or presentations.

1.) Compressed, the type of proportion that is being utilized when the space is narrow. The height of
letters is greater than the normal and the width is lesser.

Example:

2.) Extended, it is applied when the space is too wide. The height of the letter is less than, but the
width is greater.

Example:

3.) Normal, a type of proportion that follows the six-by-six grid proportion for letters. The height
and width are normal

Example:

Guidelines:
Serves as the aid for making uniform lettering more consistent and accurate and it provides a equal
measurements for the letters. The application when only upper-case lettering, must use the base and cap
guidelines. And when lettering consist of lower-case letters, you must use the cap, waist, base and drop
guidelines.
When drafting out guidelines for upper and lower-case letters, the height of the upper-case lettering is in 1
½ times the distance on “A”

When starting to use the guideline for lettering you must set a compass to distance “A” and mark the
distance you have chosen from the above and below the midline. The two marks determines the cap and
the drop lines that you have just marked. Next you must locate the base and waist lines by setting the
compass to ½ of “A”, using the same midline, mark the distance ½ of “A” above to determine the base
and the waist of the guideline.

Styles of Letters:
Serif
A type of lettering that have tails on them that are decorative, often curved flourishes found as the
end of the letter’s end stroke
Sans Serif
A type of lettering that has no tails on the letter. They are made from straight lines, and these are
used for their consistency in spacing, particularly in computer applications.
Gothic Styles
A type of lettering typically shows very sharp edges, based on the styles of Gothic architecture.
This is often used for headlines and titles, but is don’t work well for body text.
Calligraphy Styles
A type of lettering that is characterized by lines that alternately thin and thicken, with smoother
edges and fewer points, they are often look ribbon-like effect that are used primarily for headlines.
Block Lettering
A type of lettering that is straight forward and plain style, characterized by letters that are
typically large and written in all capitals. Represents as a blocky appearance.
Graffiti
A type of lettering that is fat, rounded or sharp-edged characters. This is often done with three-
dimensional shading.
Sub Styles
A type of style that are roundhand and cursive, mimic’s classical penmanship where letters flow
from one into the next also italic puts a right-leaning slant on letters.
Elements of Letters:
Stem
Stem, straight vertical stroke or a main vertical stroke, that can be straight, or curved. If straight,
they may be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, if curved, open or closed. Letters also vary as to thickness.
Letters having very thin stems are called lightface, while those having heavy stems are called boldface.
Stem is the main stroke running vertically in upright letters.
Oval
Oval, a circular stroke, it is an enclosed type of letter that forms many of the letters in the
alphabet. To create the oval, start with a thin upstroke just below the waistline. Draw a line
counterclockwise that curves to the left. Touch the waistline and then begin to curve downward.
Transition gradually into a thick downstroke and then transition and back again to a thin upstroke. Once
you touch the baseline, curve to the right and continue drawing a thin upstroke to complete the stroke.

Methods of Construction:
A term used in construction to describe the techniques and tactics also methods and procedures
and techniques that are used during the building process, it comes with plenty of different types of
construction methods depending on the project that is designed by an engineer.
There are 5 types of building construction.
1.) Fire-Resistive
2.) Non-Combustible
3.) Ordinary
4.) Heavy Timber
5.) Wood-Framed
These are one of the main fundamental techniques that we must be familiar with when designing a
project building, and knowing the importance of each types that will help us enhance our safety protection
for the people when facing a threat on the environment.