The making of the Book of Letters From Аа to Яя by Yuri Gordon, Second Edition

Materials obtained from the author for a new book.

In the book, each letter gets a whole new section called the “Form Cloud.” Looking for a place to put it. First, we try to implement the cloud and the letter, which it is made up of, in one double-page spread. The story about each letter begins with the cloud.

The historical examples are moved over to the odd page, before the double-spread with the cloud.

We also try to combine a large sample from Artemius and the cloud on the same page.

Then go back to the the same pattern as in the first edition: historical examples and the large letter from Artemius together on a single spread.

The following double-page spread is allocated to the clouds if it’s a lower case letter (in this case we have to describe cursive letters in detail), or a single page, if we’re dealing with a capital letter.

We regularly scan through similar spreads in order to understand whether the book’s rhythm is consistently maintained throughout.

First we come up with a draft, while requesting additional materials from the author in order to fill the gaps and make the book more solid.

Author sends us the materials, comments, and missing signatures.

Then we come up with a clean copy of the main part of the book.

The author sends us additions to the historic part. History becomes more consistent and almost doubles in volume.

Working on the introduction.

Implementing new chapters.

Just before sending the book out to the proofreader, the author sends us a whole new chapter.

Repainting the letters so that their colors in clouds were especially diverse.

Each typeface is assigned a unique color.

Preparing a color proof. Thinking how to print the clouds. When twenty colored letters are overlaid with Multiply, the sum of colors reaches 360 percent, which is much higher than normal.