DRAFTING TECHNIQUES
• The point of the lead in alead holder should have ataper about
3/ e;" long; if thetaper is too short or too rounded, the point will
dull quickly.
• There area v
ariety of mechanical sharpeners available. If you use
a sandpaper pad to sharpen leads, slant the lead at a low angle to
achieve the correct taper.
• 0.3 m or 0.5 mm leads for mechanical pencils do not require
m
sharpening.
•P
osition your body to draw over the upper straightedge of a
T-square, parallel rule, or triangle, never the lower edge.
Hold the pencil at a 45° to 60° angle; hold technical pens at a
slightly steeper angle.
Pull the pen or pencil along the straightedge in a plane
perpendicular to the drawing surface, leaving a very slight gap
between t he straightedge and the nib of the pen or the point of
the pencil. D not push the pen or pencil as if it were a cue stick.
o
• Do not drawinto the corner where the straightedge meets the
drawing surface. Doing so dirties the equipment and causes
blotting of ink lines.
• Draw with a steady pace-not too fast, not too slowly- and
with even pressure. This will help prevent aline from feathering or
fading out along its lengt h.
• T help a pencil point wear evenly and keep it fairly sharp, rotate
o
the shaft of the lead holder or mechanical pencil between your
thumb and forefinger slowly as you draw the entire length of a line.
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A line should start and end ina positive manner. Applying slight
additional pressure at the beginning and ending of a stroke will
help accomplish this.
• Strive for single-stroke lities. Achieving the desired line weight,
however, may require drawing a series of closely spaced lines.
• Try t okeep draw clean by washing hands and equipment often,
ings
and by lifting and moving tools rather than dragging or sliding
them across the drawing surface.
• Protect the drawing surface by keeping areas of it covered with
lightweight t racing paper and exposing only the area in which you
are working. The transparency of the tracing paper helps maintain
a visual connection to the context of the drawing.
J8
I ARCHITECTURAL GRAPHICS