CAD stands for Computer-Aided Design. CAD software has been widely used by Architects to create two-dimensional (2D) drawings or three-dimensional (3D) models.
It was in the early 90s when I started using CAD software (possibly AutoCAD R10 !) but things were very different before CAD.
The drawings were done by hand using technical pens/Rotring rapidograph pens on tracing paper. Some examples below.
Mistakes or changes were painful to correct. The ink had to be rubbed off or scraped with a blade, then the tracing paper to be made smooth again and then new lines could be drawn (if we were lucky enough not to make a hole in the paper!).
Patterns had to be cut to size from a special pattern sheet.
Letters and numbers were done using template letters rulers like the ones below.
Curves and symbols were done with template stencils.
The all design process was very time consuming and our necks suffered immensely, but the end result was somehow a piece of art.
What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger,
All images in this post are subject to copyright.