Jacklina Jekova

Letter Collective

Calligrapher

©RosinaPencheva

A journey into the art of lettering

Jacklina draws inspiration from practice itself
She works with a great variety of materials, creating calligraphy pens from everyday objects
She organises calligraphy courses for young artists at her studio

Jacklina Jekova discovered her genuine curiosity for calligraphy – the art of beautiful writing – and typography – the art of constructing and creating alphabets – while studying at the National Academy of Arts in Sofia. After gaining her MSc in Calligraphy, she continued to hone her skills as a font designer and began a deep-dive into the entire process of refining letters from paper sketches to digitalising them in software. After a period of personal development, research and experimentation, Jacklina established her current studio, Letter Collective, in 2018 together with Todor Georgiev. Today, Letter Collective is one of the most reputable font foundries in Bulgaria, mastering a range of techniques across different fields including calligraphy, lettering, type design, and visual communication for various clients.

Interview

©RosinaPencheva

©RosinaPencheva

What inspires you most?: I could find inspiration in a new tool, movement, paper or ink, a book or artist, discovering a new font or script I do not know enough about. I am inspired by the process of switching perspectives and the challenge to do something in an unconventional way. The creative journey and the experimentation with lettering is more valuable to me professionally than the final work itself.
Which tools and techniques do you use?: Choosing the ideal lettering tool is a crucial part of my work. I use a wide variety of tools and approaches for handwriting – both classical and experimental. A part of my creative process involves designing new writing instruments from different objects, such as pens made from Coca-Cola cans or various natural materials. I also apply different techniques related to using the whole body as a tool for creation.
What do you like most about being a font designer?: The most enjoyable part for me is putting pen to paper, refining, and attempting to write a given letter in the most beautiful way. Choosing and creating an entire alphabet also brings me satisfaction. The process of balancing all the characters, so they work well together, requires a lot of observation and experiential knowledge, which accumulates with practice and takes time.
How is calligraphy connected to Bulgaria, and what significance do traditions hold for you?: In my projects, I always strive to preserve and explain to clients the importance of using a modern Bulgarian form of Cyrillic. It is characterised by more ascenders than the basic line of the text, where regular (small) letters are positioned. This enhances text readability and creates more movement and rhythm. In my calligraphy workshops, I try to focus primarily on Cyrillic and the writing of contemporary forms.

Jacklina Jekova is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2013 and she started teaching in 2022