Serious question, is hand lettering on drawings a dead skill now?

I was cleaning out our office files and found a set of 1992 architectural plans with perfect, consistent hand lettering. My boss said it's a useless art now, but I think it shows a level of care that CAD fonts just don't have. Do you still practice or teach it, or is it truly obsolete?

3 comments

3 Comments

bennett.jana2mo ago

My friend who teaches drafting says that "level of care" you mentioned is exactly why he still starts his students with pencil and vellum. He had a student last year whose hand lettering was so good, a local history group paid her to label their exhibit maps. The skill isn't dead, it's just become a specialty.

nina_campbell2mo ago

Wait they actually paid her for that? That's wild lol. Good for her though.

riley432mo ago

That "specialty" part is so true, it's like a secret superpower now.