CIE 111: Engineering and Drawing Plans

Laboratory Exercise # 1

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class Number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

Laboratory title: Lettering

Learning Targets:
1. Write letters according to the standard
2. Explain the different techniques of lettering

A. INTRODUCTION

Technique of Lettering

“Any normal person can learn to letter if he is persistent and intelligent in his efforts.” While it is true that
”Practice makes perfect,” it must be understood that practice alone is not enough; it must be accompanied
by continuous effort to improve. There are three necessary steps in learning to letter:
1. Knowledge of the proportions and forms of the letters, and the order of the strokes.
2. Knowledge of composition- the spacing of the letters and words.
3. Persistent practice, with continuous effort to improve.

Drawing Pencils
Pencil lettering should be executed with a fairly soft pencil, such as an F or H for ordinary paper; and the
strokes should be dark and sharp, not gray and blurred.

This document is the property of PHINMA EDUCATION

 CIE 111: Engineering and Drawing Plans
Laboratory Exercise # 1

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class Number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

Guide Lines
Extremely light horizontal guidelines are necessary to regulate the height of letters. In addition, light vertical
or inclined guidelines are needed to keep the letters uniformly vertical or inclined. Guidelines are absolutely
essential for good lettering, and should be regarded as a welcome aid, not as an unnecessary requirement.
Make guidelines light, so that they can be erased after the lettering has been completed. Use a relatively
hard pencil such as a 4H to 6H, with a long, sharp, conical point.

Vertical Capital Letters and Numerals

For convenience in learning the proportions of the letters and numerals, each character is shown in a
grid 6 units high. Numbered arrows indicate the order and direction of strokes. The widths of the letters can
be easily remembered. The letter I, or the numeral 1, has no width. The W is 8 units wide, and is the widest
letter in the alphabet. All the other letters or numerals are either 5 or 6 units wide, and it is easy to
remember the 6-unit letters
because when assembled
they spell TOM Q VAXY. All
numerals, except the 1, are
5 units wide.

All horizontal strokes are

drawn to the right, and all
vertical strokes are drawn
downward. Most of the
strokes are natural and easy
to remember. All the strokes
and proportions should be
thoroughly learned in the
beginning, and it is
recommended that this be
done by practice-sketching

This document is the property of PHINMA EDUCATION

 CIE 111: Engineering and Drawing Plans
Laboratory Exercise # 1

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class Number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

the vertical capital letters on cross section paper, making the letters 6 squares high. As shown in the figure,
the letters are classified as straight-line letters or curved-line letters. On the third row, the letters O, Q, C,
and G are all based on the circle. The lower portions of the J and U are semi-ellipses, and the right sides of
the D, P, R, and B are semicircular. The 8, 3, S, and 2 are all based on the figure 8, which is composed of a
small ellipse over a larger ellipse. The 6 and 9 are based on the elliptical zero. The lower part of the 5 is
also elliptical in shape.

Inclined Capital Letters and Numerals.

The order and direction of the strokes and the proportions of the inclined capital letters and numerals are
the same as those for the vertical characters. Inclined capitals may be regarded as oblique projections of
vertical capitals. In the inclined letters, the circular parts become elliptical, the major axes of the ellipses
based on the making an
angle of 45° with the
horizontal. The letters are
classified as straight-line
letters or curved-line
letters, most of the curves
being elliptical in shape.
Therefore, skill in inclined
lettering depends
somewhat upon the ability
to form smooth ellipses
that appear to "lean"
properly to the right.

The letters having sloping

sides, such as the V, A, W,
X, and T are also a source
of difficulty for most

This document is the property of PHINMA EDUCATION

 CIE 111: Engineering and Drawing Plans
Laboratory Exercise # 1

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class Number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

beginners. The letters should be made symmetrically about an imaginary inclined center line. If this is done,
the left side of the V and the right side of the A will be practically vertical, while the opposite sides will slope
at less than 60° with the horizontal.

Vertical Lower-Case Letters

Vertical lower-case letters are used largely on map drawings, and very seldom on machine drawings. The
shapes are based upon a repetition of the circle or circular arc and the straight line, with some variations.
The lower part of the letter is usually two-thirds the height of the capital letter. Stroke 3 of the e is slightly
above mid-height. The crosses on the f and t are on the waist line and are symmetrical with respect to
strokes 1. The curved strokes of h, m, n, and r intersect strokes 1 approximately two-thirds of the distance
from the base line to the waist line. The descenders of the g, j, and y terminate in curves that are tangent to
the drop line, while those of p and q terminate in the drop line without curves.

Inclined Lower-Case Letters

The order and direction of the strokes and the proportions of inclined lower-case letters are the same as
those of vertical lower-case letters. The inclined lower-case letters may be regarded, like the inclined
capital letters, as oblique projections of vertical letters, in which all circles in the vertical alphabet become
ellipses in the inclined alphabet. As in the inclined capital letters, all ellipses have their major axes inclined
at an angle of 45° with horizontal.

This document is the property of PHINMA EDUCATION

 CIE 111: Engineering and Drawing Plans
Laboratory Exercise # 1

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class Number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

Extended and Condensed Letters

To meet design or space requirements, letters may be narrower and spaced closer together, in which case
they are called "compressed" or "condensed" letters. If the letters are wider than normal, they are
referred to as "extended" letters.

B. PRE-LAB QUESTIONS

1. What is the importance of lettering in engineering drawing?

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This document is the property of PHINMA EDUCATION

 CIE 111: Engineering and Drawing Plans
Laboratory Exercise # 1

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class Number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

2. How do you make guidelines?

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C. MATERIALS

1. Long Bond Paper

2. Pencil/Mechanical Pencil

3. Eraser

4. T-square/Ruler

5. Triangles

6. Drawing Board/Table

7. Drawing Tape

D. PROCEDURES

1. Make sure that your drawing board/table and work area is clean. You must also have adequate lighting
and ventilation in order to work comfortably and efficiently.

2. Prepare all the needed materials. These should be kept

clean to prevent unnecessary marks in your paper.

3. Align your paper using the t-square and gently put drawing
tape on the sides or corner of it.

This document is the property of PHINMA EDUCATION

 CIE 111: Engineering and Drawing Plans
Laboratory Exercise # 1

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class Number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

4. Kindly follow the Title Block above and make sure to use proper line weights.

5. Make corresponding guidelines based on the measurements provided. Take note that guidelines must
be extremely light.

6. Follow the fonts indicated in the photo below.

This document is the property of PHINMA EDUCATION

 CIE 111: Engineering and Drawing Plans
Laboratory Exercise # 1

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class Number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

7. Follow the instructions inside the box and write legibly.

8. After this, you may gently erase the guidelines.

9. When using the eraser, it is better to have a brush to wipe away any debris.

This document is the property of PHINMA EDUCATION

 CIE 111: Engineering and Drawing Plans
Laboratory Exercise # 1

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class Number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

10. Your final output must be like this:

11. After finalizing your Plate #1, clean your work area and your drawing materials.

This document is the property of PHINMA EDUCATION

 CIE 111: Engineering and Drawing Plans
Laboratory Exercise # 1

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class Number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

E. OBSERVATIONS

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F. CONCLUSIONS

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G. POST LAB QUESTIONS

1. Discuss the different types of drawing pencils.

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2. Why are guidelines important?
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This document is the property of PHINMA EDUCATION