Drafting

First Year

Module 2
Textus Addictus All About
Lettering

Do you know that the word “text” is one of the letter styles in drafting? When the
Johannes Gutenberg printing press opened in 1450, his famous 42-line bible was printed in
textura black letter. That is the reason why some old books are called black letter or in the
Old English, TEXT.

Lettering has always been considered equal in importance to drawing done in

drafting. Before you can illustrate higher forms of drawing, you must first learn how to do
simple but legible lettering.

You are now working on module 2 on Drafting, which shows you passed in Module 1
and are ready to experience the world of letters.

This module assures you of challenging and enjoyable readings and activities that will
make you ask for more.

What you are expected to learn

After you are through with this module, you are expected to be able to:

1. explain the elements of guidelines and their importance in lettering;

2. draw guidelines in lettering correctly;
3. discuss the evolution of lettering styles; and
4. perform lettering exercises observing proper spacing.

How to learn from this module

1. Read and understand the module very well.
2. Follow directions accurately.
3. Perform every activity in each lesson.
4. Answer the self-check exercises as honestly as you can.
5. Use appropriate vocabulary to understand the lessons in this module.

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 PRETEST

Fill in the blanks with the correct word/s to complete the sentences.

1. The technical term for capital letters in lettering is .

2. Small letters are of three kinds, namely: , , and .
3. Another name given to small letters is .
4. Each line of letters that we do in lettering is called .
5. Gothic is the simplest letter style because it is done in strokes.
6. The widest letter in the alphabet is , while the narrowest is .
7. The thin lines that serve as guide in lettering is called .
8. Inclined lettering regardless of style is called .
9. Tools that produce single thickness of lines are called .
10. The best lettering tools used for Roman and Text are .

Score interpretation:
10-8 Excellent
7-5 Very good
4-2 Good
1-0 Poor
To check the answers in the PRETEST, please go to the last page.

Lesson 1
Elements of Guidelines

Guidelines are thin lines which serve as guide to ensure uniform height and width of
letters. Guidelines are important in lettering. For better appreciation of the discussion, see
the parts of guidelines below:

Capline
.
Waistline

Baseline

Dropline

Capline – the uppermost thin line where uppercase and ascender letters
must reach. Examples are letters D, F and T. (See the example above)

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 Waistline – the lines between the capline and the baseline. This is the
height of lowercase letters belonging to the normal and ascender group
like r, a, i, and n.
Baseline – the line where all letters rest except descenders like letter g.
Dropline – the line below the base where all lowercase descender letters
must stop.

To understand the technical terms that refer to letters, read the dialogue below:

Hi! I’m Roman.

There are 2 kinds of letters in the alphabet: Lowercase letters are grouped into 3:
Uppercase or capital letters Ascenders – like b, d, f, h, k, l, and t.
Lowercase or small letters Normals – like a, c, e, m, n, o… etc.
Descenders – like f, j, p, q and y.

Ascenders are lowercase letters whose parts reach the capline.

Normals are lowercase letters whose parts are confined between the waistline and the baseline.
Descenders are lowercase letters whose stem touches the dropline.
Don’t forget! Always make your guidelines fir

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Activity 1

On your drawing paper, prepare five sets of guidelines. Write any quotation about
nationalism. Use the uppercase and lowercase letters. See the example below.

I am
a Filipino

I am
proud of my
color and race.
Self-check:
Name the four parts of the guidelines and explain their uses.
1. .
2. .
3. .
4. .

Lesson 2
Evolution of Letters

Below is the table that depicts the development of letters from its earliest form to the
present-day alphabet. Study the table very well.

Symbol Type of Letter Characteristics Origin

Picture-writing or Egypt (2000 BC)

Hieroglyphic pictographic

4
 th st
Wedge-shaped Phoenicia (4 – 1
Cuneiform letters century BC)

13 letters with vowel Greece

Boustrophedon sounds

22 capital letters Rome (220 BC)

Old Roman excluding J, U, and
W

26 capital letters of Rome

Modern Roman the modern day
alphabet

Small letters in the Europe (during the

Carolinean letters alphabet patterned reign of
th
after the Roman Charlemagne) 8 –
th
alphabet 9 century AD

Activity 2

This activity leads you to the reading of books in Philippine History or Almanac books
related to our history as a nation. Do you know that long before the Spaniards conquered
our country, we already have an alphabet known as Alibata?

Try to get a copy of that ancient manuscript and paste it in this module.

You may translate your name, using the symbols written in alibata. Isn’t that
interesting?
Paste here:

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 Translate your name here:

(Design)

Self-check:

1. The first form of picture-writing discovered in Egypt was called .

2. The wedge-shaped letters discovered by Phoenicians is the .
3. The 13 letters with vowel sounds developed by the Greeks is .
4. The 22 capital letters which became the basis of the present-day alphabet was
developed by the .
5. During the reign of , small letters were called Carolinean.

Lesson 3

The Order of Strokes

Before you can learn good lettering you should first know the basic strokes forming
each letter clearly.

Study the drawing, particularly the parts of each letter.

lobe
lobe

stem stem

swash stem swash widest letter narrowest letter

The stem is the straight part of a letter.

The lobe is the curved part of a letter.
The swash is the inclined or diagonal part of a letter.

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 To a beginner like you, parts of each letter can be formed by preparing a grid that
measures 6 x 6 squares. Remember that some letters have to occupy 5 x 6 grids while
others occupy the 6 x 6 grids. To remember letters with six by six (6 x 6) grids, memorize
the name of TOM Q VAXY. Each letter of his name corresponds to the letter with 6 x 6
grids. So come and meet him!

picture

TOM Q. VAXY

Study the letters below. They correspond to the order of strokes for uppercase
vertical Gothic letters and numerals. A stroke is a line made every time lettering is done.

Below is the order of strokes for lowercase Gothic letters. The body of the lowercase
letters is 2/3 of the height of the uppercase letter.

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 Lesson 4
The Basic Letter Styles

There are four basic letter styles. These are the Gothic, Roman, Text and Italic.

GOTHIC Roman
A simple letter style done in single strokes.
Characterized by thick and thin
Lettering tools: strokes, it is considered the parent of all letter styles.
Monoline tools such as the following:
pentel pen Lettering tool: Flat-edge tools:
sign pen calligraphy pen
B-speedball pen c-speedball pens

Text Italic

The most artistic and decorated Any lettering style done in an

letter styles is also called Black letter or Old English.
inclined position.

Lettering tools: Lettering tool:

Flat-edge tools such as: monocline and flat-edge tools
c-speedball pens
calligraphy pens

Trivia:
Monoline tools – tools that produce singular thickness of line when used for
lettering.

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 Self-check:

Fill in the blanks with correct word/s to complete each statement.

1. is a simple letter style done in single strokes.

2. A lettering style done in an inclined position is called .
3. A letter style characterized by thick and thin strokes is called .
4. The most artistic and decorated letter style is .
5. The tool used in gothic letter is called .

LET’S SUMMARIZE

 Guidelines are thin lines which serve as guide to ensure uniform height and width
of letters when lettering.
 The four parts of guidelines are the capline, waistline, baseline and dropline.
 The four basic letter styles are Gothic, Roman Text and Italics.
 Lettering is useful in drafting. It helps develop the aesthetic value of the
individual.

POSTTEST

Matching Type. Match Column A with Column B. Write on the blanks only the letters of the
correct answers in Column B.

Column A Column B
1. Lobe a. simplest letter style
2. Roman b. lines for uppercase
3. Capline c. capital letters
4. Swash d. straight part of a letter
5. Gothic e. black letter
6. Stem f. parent of all letter style
7. Text g. small letters
8. Guidelines h. inclined part of a letter
9. Ascenders i. lowercase letter
10. Uppercase j. letter that reaches the capline
k. thin lines for lettering
l. curved part of a letter