Resources

Fonts

Google Fonts (free, web-ready):

• Oswald — Condensed, bold, geometric
• Bebas Neue — All-caps display, very constructivist
• Roboto Condensed — Mechanical skeleton, geometric
• Josefin Sans — Inspired by 1920s geometric styles
• Montserrat — Urban geometric, bold weights
• Space Grotesk — Sharp, industrial feel
• League Gothic — Open source, condensed display

Specialty (free downloads):

• Red October — Directly Soviet-inspired
• Kremlin — Professional Soviet style
• 1001 Fonts Soviet Collection — 43 free fonts

Color Palette

The classic Constructivist palette:

Articles

Design History & Principles:

• Russian Constructivism and Graphic Design — CreativePro deep dive
• Five Graphic Design Ideas from the Russian Revolution — Royal Academy
• El Lissitzky: Simplified Palette & Powerful Forms — The Art Story
• Fonts & Freedom: Typography in the USSR — Comrade Gallery
• Constructivism Design Style Guide — Mew Design (modern application)

Avoiding Clichés:

• Russian Graphic Design: Drawing on Constructivism — NYFA (don't flip that Я)

Key Visual Principles

From El Lissitzky, Rodchenko, and the Stenberg Brothers:

1. Diagonal composition — Dynamic angles, 15-45° tilts
2. Geometric shapes — Triangles, circles, bold rectangles
3. Minimal color — Red/black/white dominates, gold accent
4. Bold typography — Condensed, sans-serif, often tilted
5. Photomontage elements — Cut-out imagery layered with geometry
6. Asymmetric balance — Tension through placement
7. Industrial feel — Art as engineering, not decoration

Reference Artists

• El Lissitzky — "Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge"
• Alexander Rodchenko — Photomontage pioneer
• Stenberg Brothers — Film poster masters
• Gustav Klutsis — Political poster work
• Varvara Stepanova — Typography and textiles