LINE WEIGHTS
In theory, all lines should be uniformly dense for ease of reada bility and reproduction.
Line weight is t herefore primarily a matter of width or thickness. While inked lines are
uniformly black and vary only in w
idth, pencil lines ca nvary in both width and tonal
value, depending on the hardness of the lead used, the tooth and density of the
surface, and the speed and pressure with which you draw. Strive to ma ke all pencil
lines uniformly dense and vary their width to achieve differing line weights.
Heavy
• Heavy solid lines are used to delineate the profiles of planan sectioncuts
d
(see pages 42 and 58) as well as spatia l edges (see page 81).
• H F. HB, B
,
• U a lead holder or draw a series of closely spaced li nes with a 0.3 mm or
se
0.5 mm mechanical pencil; avoid usinga 0.7 mm or 0.9 mm pencil for drawing
heavy line weights.
• Pressing too hard to make a line means that you are using too hard of a lead.
Medium
• Mediumweight solid lines indicate t he edges and intersect ions of planes.
• H F. HB
.
light
• Lightweight solid lines suggest a change in material, color, or texture,
without a change in the form of an object.
• 2H, H, F
Very light
• Very light solid lines are used to lay out drawings, establish organizin grids,
g
and indicate surface textures.
• 4H, 2H, H. F
• The visible range and contrast of line weights should be in proportion to the size
and scale of a drawing.
• Adistinct advantage to drawing or drafting by hand is that the resu lts are
immediately discernible to t heeye. When usingdrawing or CAD software, one
selects a line weight from a menuor b specifying the width of a line in absolute
y
terms (fractions of an inch or num ber of points, where 1point= 1 . In either
fn")
case. what one sees on a monitor may not m
atch the output from aprinter or
plotter. In some programs. line weights are represented on t he monitor by colors
rather than differences in line width. One should therefore always run a test print
or plot to ascertain whether or not the resulting range and contrasts inthe line
weights of a drawing are appropriate. Note, however, that if changes in line weight
are necessary, it is often much easier to m them in adigital drawing than ina
ake
hand drawing.
16 /ARCHITECTURAL GRAPHICS