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The typeface of Georgi Sava Rakovski "comes alive" in the digital world

The third large-scale project of the National card and payment scheme continues its mission to bridge the heritage of great Bulgarians with the present.

The National card and payment scheme (NCPS), a part of BORICA AD, has launched its third major project: digitizing the handwriting of Georgi Sava Rakovski, one of Bulgaria’s most remarkable historical figures. The creation of a freely accessible digital font based on Rakovski's handwriting is the latest initiative presented by NCPS with support from the graphic studio "PUNKT." The primary goal is to bring contemporary Bulgarians closer to this national hero, educator, and ideologue of Bulgarian freedom.

The official unveiling took place at the Georgi Sava Rakovski Military Academy and was moderated by Iva Doichinova, founder of the "Enlightener of the Year" campaign. Host Stoilka Arsova, director of NCPS, welcomed guests, including the font’s creators Pavel Pavlov, Trifon Andreev, and Krasimir Stavrev, along with representatives from the media.

This third project follows the successful digitization of the handwriting of Vasil Levski and Hristo Botev. These initiatives are part of NCPS’s long-term mission to preserve Bulgaria's cultural heritage for future generations. The digital font, inspired by Rakovski's preserved manuscripts, allows all Bulgarians to connect with his indomitable spirit and will. Through this project, NCPS seeks to highlight the importance of preserving and promoting Bulgarian national heritage, aiming to keep its allure alive and accessible in the digital age.

"Rakovski symbolizes our people’s pursuit of freedom and enlightenment, and for us at NCPS, it is an honor and a responsibility to preserve, safeguard, and present this legacy in a way that inspires young people. With the digital typefaces of Levski, Botev, and now Rakovski, we aim to carry forward their examples, fighting spirit, and passion, making them an integral part of our shared cultural identity," said Stoilka Arsova, director of NCPS.

The creation of this new digital font, inspired by Georgi S. Rakovski’s handwriting, was an exciting and fascinating process. Designers from Studio "PUNKT" led the project, ensuring the authenticity of the original while making Rakovski's legacy accessible and practical for today’s generation. Their work began with a detailed examination of dozens of letters, numbers, and symbols drawn from Rakovski's manuscripts housed in the National Library "Sts. Cyril and Methodius." Meetings and reviews also took place at the "Kotlen Revivalists with Pantheon of Georgi Stoykov Rakovski" exhibition in Kotel. These valuable materials laid the foundation for the new font, challenging its creators to preserve Rakovski's unique characteristics while ensuring modern readability.

"Every detail was researched and recreated with precision to reflect the authenticity, character, and indomitable spirit of this great Bulgarian. The first step was extracting the 'DNA' of the original handwriting," shared the creators. They revealed intriguing specifics of the manuscripts, such as the strong pressure used on the letter "h," the expressive endings of "a," "i," and "e," and the characteristic two-stroke rendering of the small "ъ." Such unique features were a central focus in the digitization process, according to the designers, who sought to breathe new life into these cherished manuscripts.

The font received high praise from global experts in typography and the visual arts. Some of the most prominent names in the field, including the renowned Lucas de Groot, described it as "an extraordinary achievement in both aesthetics and functionality." Illustrator and typographer Kiril Zlatkov commented in his review, "The 'Rakovski' font contains many interesting and unexpected letter forms that lend an expressive and dynamic silhouette to the lines. This only emphasizes Rakovski’s vibrant personality, bringing his energy into the present day. Special attention was given to the capital letter forms of D, K, B, H, and F derived from the originals, with K being particularly unique – Rakovski wrote it with two separate strokes, unlike the usual single stroke. Rakovski’s personality is complex and dynamic, and his life and work included a rich daily writing practice. This newly created font sets a high standard in preserving and reviving our historical and cultural memory. In addition to enriching our understanding of Georgi S. Rakovski, this font serves as a tool that enhances the possibilities for new contemporary graphic design in Bulgarian museum exhibits, digital projects, and publishing worldwide."

The new Rakovski digital font is now freely accessible to everyone via the NCPS website:www.bcard.bg/Rakovski. Since the initiative’s launch in 2021, it has touched the hearts of thousands of Bulgarians. The fonts have been downloaded over 2,000 times, both from Bulgaria and abroad. They have been used in building signage, advertising materials, and projects linked to Bulgarian culture in schools and cultural centers nationwide. These fonts provide contemporary creatives with an opportunity to honor the legacy of Bulgarian heroes and incorporate it into modern visual language, attesting to the growing interest in Bulgaria’s cultural heritage and its relevance in contemporary life.

"Through the use of digitized scripts in texts, projects, and communications, people can feel the character of these eminent figures and understand their struggles and messages in a more personal and immediate way. This project provides an opportunity for everyone to integrate and preserve these messages today. It gives not only professionals but all Bulgarians a chance to connect with Rakovski’s legacy and feel the symbolism and meaning of his words," added Stoilka Arsova. She also shared that NCPS plans to continue initiatives to digitize and preserve the legacy of Bulgarian heroes, reinforcing Bulgarian cultural values and identity in the modern world. "For each digital font project, we involve a new young designer on the team because we believe that only this way can we create innovative and creative products. We give young people a path to combine their fresh perspective and energy with the experience and knowledge of more established team members. This collaboration enriches the process, resulting in higher-quality outcomes that reflect contemporary trends and needs," added Arsova.

About Studio PUNKT:

Studio PUNKT has over 15 years of experience in typography and graphic design, focusing primarily on projects supporting contemporary Bulgarian culture and visual expression. The work on the Rakovski font was a collaboration between type designers Trifon Andreev and Pavel Pavlov, who have extensive experience in Cyrillic typography research. "We are grateful to NCPS for the trust and the opportunity to work once more on digitizing the handwriting of such a significant historical figure as G. S. Rakovski. Engaging with the original documents, written in his expressive handwriting, was an exciting experience for all of us. After working on Hristo Botev's handwriting, we expected to find many parallels, but the process turned out to be both similar and uniquely specific. We believe that placing our national heroes on a pedestal makes them unapproachable and distant. With this project, we want to change that and show that just as anyone can write in Rakovski's handwriting, they too could embrace some of his ideals and moral principles."

About Kiril Zlatkov:

Kiril Zlatkov is a typographer, font designer, and graphic artist. He is behind the initiative to promote the Bulgarian Cyrillic script form – Cyrillic.bg. He curated the "New Bulgarian Typography" exhibition, which has been displayed across Bulgaria in Sofia, Varna, Ruse, Plovdiv, Pazardzhik, and Gabrovo over the last eight years.