Hi all,
I've been working on a geometric sans with some '70s flair, and am nearly done. It is based on typefaces like Bauhaus and Ronda, and is intended to act as a more up-to-date alternative to these with many weights, an optically correct italic, opentype features, etc.
I decided to broaden my horizon and attempt a Cyrillic--especially since the letterforms of this typeface are fairly basic, this seemed like a good place to start.
However, I have no clue whether the letters I've drawn look natural/legible to native speakers/readers, and would love their feedback. All of this is based on scraps of information found on the internet, and simply observation.
Presented here are the thin, regular and black weights. I have a few more intermediate weights and an italic.
I've attached a PDF version for more detail.
I'm also open to other CC on the Latin and such: if you see something, say something. I'd like for this typeface to be as close to professional quality as I, a beginner, can get it. Thanks!
Comments
1. I'm pretty sure the horizontal bar in Њ should be connected to the bowl on the right-hand side of the glyph. See here
2. The angles in Ж might need to be lower and "flatter". See here. Also the descending legs are expanding a bit too far outwards.
3. The Х looks to narrow to me.
4. The У tail appears to float a bit too high above the baseline.
Hope this helps!
https://medium.com/@juan_kafka/type-crit-crew-fdd180b881c
I agree with @Andreas Stötzner about (B, P, R...).
Take @Stefan Peev seriously here. The Latin treatment is veering towards the decorative instead of a text typeface.
Thanks again for your feedback.
+ see Paratype Bauhaus as exapmle.
Currently, you have material for at least 3 fonts in this specimen, so that's good!
I would rather point to the small things - the Russian Д,д for example, is notoriously difficult to get down. You almost have it, but there is still some imbalance between its two sides. Think of an r - if one is not sure how long the flag should be, one makes a version with a super short flag, and one with an extra long one, and the eye learns to judge correctly.
The same way, the Bulgarian Ф is often done gigantic. In reality, especially in bolder weights, one needs to squish in vertically so it fits in with the rest of the font. Think of how a dollar sign uses an S without overshoots.
I would advise against making historical letterforms. They are obsolete almost everywhere except for liturgical purposes, and you find them mainly in historical fonts which the churches have more than enough of, since at least two decades. Akademia also sticks to a certain set of fonts, here at least.
In any event, use the site FileFormat to compare forms, and Wikipedia to know what should be done. There is an extended Cyrillic, mind you, but it's too soon for that just yet.
I'm going to work on my Д and Ф in the meanwhile. Will post an update soon.
There was a guide for the more difficult Cyrillic letters and Olexa Volochay has posted it above, saving me some searching. Thanks!
In italic type, that is the common form of that letter; Bulgarian types, distinctively, also use that form in upright style. The variant italic form, found in the Balkans, looks like a Latin ī.
Smells like imitation leather goods.