Revival of Hristo Botev's Handwriting
The handwriting of a national hero "comes alive" in the digital world to allow everyone to experience his personality and engage with a sacred symbol of Bulgarian history.
Our team has transformed the handwriting of this monumental historical figure into a digital typeface. The digital interpretation of Hristo Botev’s handwriting is a significant contribution to preserving the memory of one of Bulgaria’s most influential figures, bringing him even closer to the Bulgarian people. The months we spent working on this project felt like an exciting adventure, similar to methodically assembling a complex puzzle. With this effort, we hope to inspire others, allowing anyone to write in the handwriting of a hero, share his beliefs, and carry forward his legacy.
Who is Hristo Botev?
Hristo Botev was a Bulgarian revolutionary and poet. He is a popular historical figure and a national hero for Bulgarians. His poetry is a cornerstone of Revival literature, while his revolutionary actions have left a lasting trace on Bulgarian history and identity. We believe that bringing our national heroes closer to people by humanizing them in such a novel way and thus making them more relatable to each one of us, is key to preserving their memory and ensuring their beliefs and values resonate with future generations.
Digitizing Hristo Botev's handwriting posed a unique challenge, primarily due to the dynamic nature of handwriting. The unique charge of Botev’s personality is evident in every stroke of his letters. To begin, we studied his original manuscripts—an experience that was both humbling and inspiring. Visiting the National Library and being able to hold Botev's letters firsthand, as well as travelling to Kalofer, his hometown, and visiting the National Museum "Hristo Botev," brought us closer to his spirit. Our journey also led us to Boyan Botyov, a direct descendant of Hristo Botev, who shared valuable insights and stories about the poet.
Finding the right balance between recreating the handwriting correctly and creating the font legible was no easy task. We started by analyzing the essential characteristics of the original handwriting. On the one hand, the inconsistent slant and proportions, the extremely low x-height, and the distorted forms—all impacted legibility. On the other, these features were essential to preserving the character of the handwriting. It was challenging to decide what to keep and what to change to make the font readable. Another specific issue was ensuring the font looked as realistic as possible, which we achieved by developing a complex system of OpenType features.
Hristo Botev’s character and his handwriting have been encapsulated in a digital font that is both unique and accessible, making it suitable for a wide range of applications in today’s world.
