Very strange letters. How do you create bad Cyrillic?

Contents:

• There is a difference
• Б — not 6
• Д — not too Л
• Ф — not too оо
• Ч — not 4 and not cut Н
• У — not Y
• З — not 3
• You can sin, but only if you really, really have to

Graduate of the Design Department of the Moscow Power Engineering Institute and a two-year course in in font and typography at the British Higher School of Art and Design. She is a typeface and graphic designer, and co-founder of the studio "Bureau of Books." She teaches at BBE and BoldItalic. In her career, she has created fonts for such companies as Yandex, VKontakte, MTS, MegaFon, Arzamas, and many others. She has won awards and prizes at competitions such as D&AD, ADC Awards, "Modern Cyrillic", Granshan, Morisawa Type Design Competition, and the Sreda festival.

There is a difference

Indonesians, Chinese, and Japanese often have difficulty drawing Cyrillic. This is understandable, since we ourselves are not always confident in reproducing their written symbols. Understanding the nuances of different alphabets takes time and practice, and cultural differences in how writing is perceived play a significant role.

To draw letters accurately and correctly, it's necessary to understand their meaning, history, and context. For a designer unfamiliar with the language, the Cyrillic alphabet can be as mysterious as hieroglyphs are to us—it feels like something from another planet. Understanding the alphabet not only improves drawing skills but also allows you to create harmonious and expressive compositions that will be correctly perceived by your target audience.

Some Cyrillic letters do resemble the Latin alphabet, but there are also certain difficulties. This is especially true for letters such as б, д, ж, л, ф, and ч, which can be confusing. It's important to consider these nuances when learning languages ​​and working with texts to avoid mistakes and misunderstandings. Understanding the differences between letters will help improve your reading and writing skills.

A graduate of the Design Department at MPEI and a two-year course in font and typography at the British Higher School of Art and Design, she is a professional font and graphic designer. As a co-founder of the Byurobookv studio, she also teaches at BBE and BoldItalic. Her portfolio includes work on creating fonts for such companies as Yandex, VKontakte, MTS, MegaFon, Arzamas and many others. She has become a finalist and winner of prestigious competitions, including D&AD, ADC Awards, Modern Cyrillic, Granshan, Morisawa Type Design Competition and the Sreda festival.

Б — not 6

The lowercase letter «б» in Cyrillic is sometimes depicted similar to the number «6». Foreigners often note that Cyrillic resembles a combination of the Latin alphabet and numbers. For example, for the letter «б» They use the digit '6', '4' for 'ч', and '3' for 'з'. This perception can make learning Cyrillic difficult for those accustomed to the Latin alphabet.

The letter б has a unique shape that is easy to remember. It resembles a slightly flattened O, complemented by a graceful squirrel tail with a double curve. This visual representation helps to better understand and remember the letter.

Some fonts depict the letter Б in a shape reminiscent of the Serbian Б. This shape looks attractive, but it should be noted that it is not fully Cyrillic.

Even experienced authors familiar with the Cyrillic alphabet sometimes make mistakes. This can concern both spelling and punctuation. It is important to remember that careful attention to language helps avoid misunderstandings and makes the text more understandable. Regular practice and the use of spell-checking tools can significantly improve the quality of writing. Every author should strive for perfection, so that their work is as precise and professional as possible.

Д — not too Л

The letter Д is one of the most noticeable characteristics that helps determine whether a font was created by a professional designer familiar with the Cyrillic alphabet. This letter stands out for its unique shape and style, which makes it an important element for analyzing the quality of a font.

The letter Д often faces difficulties in creating. It is often drawn similar to the letter П, using identical main strokes and adding a horizontal line with hanging elements. In some cases, the shift of these elements is too close or, conversely, too far from the main strokes, which disrupts the harmony and proportions of the letter. Pay attention to the correct proportions to achieve clarity and aesthetics in the letter D.

When drawing, it is important to keep in mind that the left stroke should be slightly thinner than the right, especially in grotesque, and have a slightly diagonal shape if we are creating a triangular structure. The drooping elements should not be too thick and proportionate to the main stroke, but they should not be excessively thin either. In addition, the drooping elements are always shorter than the ascenders, which emphasizes their visual lightness and harmony in the composition.

Some fonts depict the letter L without drooping elements, which is unacceptable for the Cyrillic alphabet. The letter L is related to the letter D, as they share a common base, and their shapes should be similar. However, the letter L has a thickening at the end of the left stroke, and adding rattails there is considered a mistake. The correct design of the letter L is important for maintaining the harmony and readability of the text.

High-quality Cyrillic is characterized by many features, one of which is the italic form of the letter «д». It should be different from the Latin letter «g» and have an ascender pointing upward. This form looks flexible and elegant. If I notice that a font uses «g», it makes me doubt its quality and, as a rule, indicates that the font was designed by a foreign designer.

Ф — not too oo

The letter Ф has two main forms: the first design resembles Cheburashka with two ovals or ears, the second is round, representing An almost perfect circle intersected by a vertical stroke. These shapes create variety in graphic design and typography, allowing the letter Ф to be used in a variety of contexts.

Designers new to Cyrillic often overlook the fact that both lowercase and uppercase letters of the letter Ф contain ascenders and descenders. In the uppercase form, these ascenders and descenders may be subtle, but they are essential. In the lowercase form, the ascenders and descenders should be at the same height as other elements of the font, both at the top and bottom. This is essential for creating harmonious and legible text. Proper Cyrillic formatting helps ensure visual integrity and improve the perception of content.

Sometimes you can encounter text that at first glance looks like a straight line, but in it you can see the cursive forms of the letters T and P, borrowed from the Latin alphabet. This causes confusion, especially if the style in question is not upright italic.

Ч — not 4 and not a cut-off Н

The letter Ч is often depicted using the form 4, cutting off the lower part of the left stroke of the letter Н. While this is generally correct, it is important to note that the entry of the horizontal stroke into the main right stroke should be smooth and rounded, not abrupt. Proper design of the letter Ч, with an emphasis on smooth lines, improves the readability and aesthetics of the font.

У — не Y

In some cases, the Latin letter Y can be compared with the Cyrillic letter У. However, in my opinion, these are two different graphic forms, and asymmetrical writing should be used for Cyrillic. This will help create a clearer visual distinction between these letters and improve the readability of the text.

З — not 3

The letter З is indeed different from the number 3, despite the visual similarity. In the number 3, the horizontal upper stroke smoothly turns into a diagonal line and then forms a semi-oval. In contrast, the letter З consists of two semi-ovals connected by straight lines. In some fonts, the shape of these characters can be similar, which sometimes causes confusion. However, it is important to remember the differences, as they have implications in typography and design. Correct perception of letters and numbers helps improve the readability of the text.

You can sin, but only if you really, really need to.

Failure to follow these recommendations may lead to a sloppy result that will be unpleasant to perceive. However, it should be noted that eclectic solutions and unusual forms are popular in modern design, which can lead to varying opinions. Ensuring harmony in typography is important for the visual perception of content, and adhering to these principles will help avoid issues with readability and aesthetics.

Nevertheless, balance, equal ascender heights, harmonious proportions, and careful attention to detail and form are key characteristics of a quality typeface. These aspects create visual integrity and contribute to better perception of the text, which makes it more attractive and readable.

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