Sketching is an important method of quickly communicating design ideas; therefore, learning to sketch is necessary for any person working in a technical field. Sketching is as much a way of thinking as it is a method of recording ideas and communicating to others. Most new designs are first recorded using design sketches.

This chapter introduces you to sketching techniques. Later chapters show you how to take your sketched design ideas and formalize them in models or drawings that can be used in analysis and manufacturing.

Lettering is part of sketching and drawing. Before CAD, lettering had much more emphasis in engineering and technical graphics. Now it is no longer necessary to spend hours working on lettering technique. CAD systems offer the user many different typestyles that can be varied in a number of ways.