Antarctican Cyrillic

James Puckett
James Puckett Posts: 2,013
edited September 2017 in Type Design Critiques
Attached is a proof of my first attempt at Cyrillic in five years. It’s just basic capitals so far. This is a monospaced font, so there’s some weird stuff going on. It’s designed for retina displays at text sizes, so some of the weird stuff in there (like M and N) makes sense in context.

Comments

  • Vasil Stanev
    Vasil Stanev Posts: 784
    edited September 2017
    Looks pretty solid to me :) The /Б/, /Д/ and /Л/ can use some very minor modifications but I think it's overall very nice. 
  • Samuil Simonov
    Samuil Simonov Posts: 110
    I agree with Vasil, but I would tweak /Ж as well, it becomes too black in small sizes. Perhaps a treatment similar to /М would help. Maybe open up /С a bit.
  • Nathan Zimet
    Nathan Zimet Posts: 76
    The curve in the /Ч might be too rounded, could be more square.
  • James Puckett
    James Puckett Posts: 2,013
    @Vasil Stanev, what would you recommend doing with /Л?
  • John Hudson
    John Hudson Posts: 3,370
    I don't know what Vasil's advice would be, but my own re. /Д/ and /Л/ is almost always to make them less rectangular, so the top narrower and the left stroke less vertical.
  • Vasil Stanev
    Vasil Stanev Posts: 784
    edited September 2017
    John Hudson Yes, this exactly what I would suggest. 
  • Samuil Simonov
    Samuil Simonov Posts: 110
    The left stroke should start out as vertical and then gently bend left, it really looks weird when it begins slanted.
  • John Hudson
    John Hudson Posts: 3,370
    The left stroke should start out as vertical and then gently bend left, it really looks weird when it begins slanted.

    In this case, yes, although I think it depends on the idiomatic style of the typeface, rather than a fixed rule. There are, of course, styles in which the left stroke is diagonal, or in which the whole shape is triangular, or trapezoid.

    What these letter should generally not be is boxy, rectangular forms with just a sudden turn at the bottom. Whether starting truly vertical or slightly angled, the gentle, sagging curve should progress down the whole length of the stroke.
  • Rafael Saraiva
    Rafael Saraiva Posts: 33
    My two non-native cents:

    И: diagonal a tad thinner? 
    Й: krakta terminals should not taper as breve accent. terminals have heavier endings instead
    У: right diagonal, less steep. afaik both diagonal should not be symmetrical to balance the white between left and right sides 
    Б: smaller bowl in height
    Я: leg at steeper angle? Compare to Ж К
    Ь Ъ Ы: large bowl in height, should harmonise with Б
    Л Д: as said above, less boxed
    Д: white space above left and right teeth could afford to be more balanced
    Щ: more white space above tooth (if doable)

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