Letter Mediums, Continued
Pencil letters
Lettering pencils should produce dense black strokes. Select hard lead
pencils for papers with tooth. Soft lead pencils are better suited to smooth
surface papers, but lead should not be so soft that it requires continued
sharpening. For large letters, use carpenter’s pencils sharpened to a square
chiseled point. Hold the pencil with the thumb, forefinger, and second finger
of the hand in a normal writing position. Place the lead of the pencil at a
30-degree angle to the letter guidelines. Experiment with a number of
different pencil grades to find a pencil you can use comfortably.
Figure 5-48 shows how to hold a carpenter’s pencil when you letter.
Figure 5-48.—Holding a carpenter’s pencil to letter.
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