"DanceVoiceBukvy": a font for a special project by HiFi streaming service "Zvuk" and the band "Laud"

Contents:

• Lettering and the first approach
• First assembly and sketches
• Kerning, dance, voice and sound

At the end of September 2024, the electronic group "Laud" presented their new album, "Dance, Voice, Sound 4," a long-awaited follow-up to the third installment, released six years ago. The Ufa-based musicians invited artists such as Tosha Chaikina, Antokha MC, and Cream Soda, as well as new names, to collaborate, adding freshness and diversity to the album's sound. "Dance, Voice, Sound 4" promises to be a significant event in the music industry, combining various styles and genres.

In support of the release of the audio streaming platform "Sound," a Telegram bot was launched, offering tests on the "Laud" universe and holding a raffle for merchandise. Designer Artem Veretenko and calligrapher Dinara Tuysina created a unique font that combines elements of dance, voice, and sound, especially for this project. This approach not only attracts attention but also highlights the creativity and innovation of the audio streaming service "Sound".

A brand and type designer who believes that a quality product cannot be imagined without a captivating story behind it. Creating a unique design requires not only technical mastery but also a deep understanding of the concept that gives meaning to each element. A brand's story shapes its identity and helps establish an emotional connection with the audience. Each typeface developed by the designer becomes part of this story, emphasizing the individuality and values ​​of the product.

Lettering and the First Approach

When reviewing the project details, I immediately realized the task would be complex. The client needed a font for a Telegram bot, which was to be used in the design of personalized cover images for participants. The deadline for completing the task was just one week.

Font development usually takes several months, but in this case the project had to be completed in a matter of days.

Having received the lettering from the customer, I set myself the task of creating a full-fledged Cyrillic font Based on this graphic. It was impossible to implement this alone, so I needed an experienced colleague who could quickly understand the character and flow of the font. Collaboration allowed us to analyze the design elements more deeply and ensure high-quality project execution.

I decided to involve calligrapher Dinara Tuysina in the work. Her skills and experience in calligraphy will allow us to create unique and aesthetically pleasing works. Dinara is known for her craftsmanship and attention to detail, making her the ideal choice for our projects. We are confident that her contribution will add special value to our content and draw attention to the artwork.

We began by sketching the keyword "NOBELFIK," hand-painting the letters with a brush. This approach allowed us to preserve the natural contrast and fluidity of the original lettering, adding individuality and uniqueness to our project. Handwork provides subtle nuances and textural details that are difficult to achieve with digital tools.

The first version turned out to be quite contrasty and voluminous, but I came to the conclusion that it could be improved in the future.

First Assembly and Sketches

The next stage of the work was drawing all the Cyrillic letters. We chose the unicase approach, which involves using identical forms for both lowercase and uppercase letters. This solution allows us to create a unified font style, which improves the readability and visual perception of the text. This approach also contributes to a more harmonious design, especially in designs where font consistency is important.

We tried to preserve the style and plasticity set by the lettering in each letter. Some letters were executed successfully the first time, while others required additional refinement to achieve the desired result.

The main challenge was finding a balance between the handwritten style of the original lettering and its legibility. I sought to preserve the expressiveness of the handwriting, while achieving uniformity in the shapes of the characters.

While working on the main typeface, I also developed alternative letterforms and ligatures. To do this, I used a neural network to analyze popular Russian names and the most common letter combinations. This approach allowed me to identify the most popular ligatures, making the results more effective and aesthetically pleasing.

As we worked, we realized that this task would require significant time. Therefore, we decided to postpone the generation tool, since achieving a high-quality result requires more time than we could allocate within the established deadline.

Kerning, dance, voice and sound

Despite the tight deadlines, attention to technical Font design remains a priority. I adjusted letter spacing and refined the character outlines to achieve a unified graphic style. This not only ensures visual harmony but also improves text readability, which is especially important for users. Proper font settings contribute to a professional and attractive design.

It is impossible to develop an ideal font in a week, but I made every effort to create the highest quality product within these limited conditions.

HiFi streaming "Sound" has implemented a new font, which has been successfully integrated into the Telegram bot. This update gives users the ability to create stylish handwritten lettering effects, significantly enhancing the visual appeal of their messages. Now, every user can express their individuality and creativity by creating unique texts with this tool.

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