Editor’s Letter

This is the cleverest issue within the whole [kAk) magazine history (13 years). Title “the cleverest” was given by Maria Kumova, [kAk) chief editor. It`s impossible to disagree with her definition. This issue grows heavy due to intellectual participation of Maxim Zhukov and Vladimir Yefimov. Without their works the issue could not be such intelligent as it is.

For me this issue is like instruction for a design soldier, a kind of introductory course. Its content made me remind many important things. A great interest in cross cultural design rescued from obscurity. History from Letterhead studio (Russian type designers) appeared.

Now we can imagine a type act horizon which takes place at Microsoft company. It surprises and commands respect. It`s really strange and unusual issue. And essential welcomed.

Peter Bankov

Content issue

• Introduction
  • M. Zhukov. Fonts without borders
• History
  • A. Dombrovsky. The Art of the First Letter
  • I. Fomenko.The First Books Printed in Civil Type
• Technique
  • Y. Gordon. Probel #3: Ten Years Later
  • V. Yefimov. Cyrillic and Latin: Relationships
  • T. Ahrens. Optical Sizes
  • O. Linke. About Compasses and Ruler Benefit
  • I. Ruderman. The Culture of the usage type
• Type foundries
  • Microsoft. Type at the windows
  • FontBureau. Exclusive Variant
  • Linotype. Linotype - the Type Custodian
  • ParaType. Foundry Factory
  • Letterhead`s Fonts: from Default to Crisis
  • M. Carter. The Way of “Mattman”
  • A. Frytiger. From Univers towards Avenir
  • T. Safaev. Usual Invaluable Things
  • A. Tarbeev. In Search of Literal Sense
  • “The Type Corner” of Art.Lebedev Studio
• Life
  • S. Dechunt. Women typographers
  • S. Serov. New Cirillic 300 at the “Golden Bee”
  • O. Florenskaya. Psychology of vernacular lettering
  • E. Dobrovinskiy. High class calligraphy is human handwriting