Ivelina Martinova
Ivelina Martinova is a typeface designer at Fontfabric, merging her graphic design expertise with a passion for innovative typography. Her work reflects technical precision, adaptability, and a collaborative mindset, creating typefaces that are both expressive and highly functional.
Background & Education:
Born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Ivelina Martinova earned her Bachelor’s in Visual Arts from New Bulgarian University in 2009, followed by a Master’s in Brand Management. She honed her typographic skills through specialized workshops with renowned designers such as Martin Majoor and Sol Matas in Bozhentsi, Bulgaria, and Jean François Porchez and Mathieu Reguer in Sofia.
Career Path
Ivelina Martinova began her career as a graphic designer in an advertising agency and, after several years, advanced to the role of art director. During this period, she specialized in brand identity, logo design, and book design, developing a strong sense of visual storytelling and brand consistency.
Fontfabric Journey:
In 2019, Ivelina joined Fontfabric as a typeface design intern. Her first major project was the Salina typeface family, which she helped develop into a comprehensive design with an extended glyph case, numerous stylistic alternates, ligatures, and additional OpenType features.
Current Role:
Today, as a typeface designer at Fontfabric, Ivelina works on original type families, custom projects, and collaborative projects within the studio, combining her background in graphic design with her expertise in typography to create expressive and functional typefaces.
Notable Projects & Contributions
- Salina – A modern, high-contrast transitional serif typeface that seamlessly blends contemporary sophistication with timeless elegance.
- Chopin – Features a distinctive rhythmic axis where wide and narrow letterforms intersect, giving the typeface its energetic and dynamic character.
- Plush – Designed to be warm and approachable, with rounded serifs and gentle curves, while maintaining a robust structure for excellent readability.
- Gonzaga – Built around themes of emotion and originality, Gonzaga delivers bold expression and editorial flair, combining charismatic energy with confident design.
- Matt – A contemporary sans-serif that inherits the elegant curves of the renowned Intro while pushing the design envelope with a fresh, visionary approach.
- Nexa Round – Infuses softness into the simplicity and geometric beauty of Nexa, complemented by two extra black weights.
- Nexa Serif – A type family blending clean construction with refined details, designed for seamless pairing.
- Typefamily Specimen: Ivelina creates individual specimens for each type family.
Style & Passion
Ivelina is driven by her passion for typography and design, seeing it as both an art and a form of functional communication. Known for her creative curiosity and dedication to perfecting details, she constantly experiments with new forms and techniques. Her work combines technical precision with artistic sensitivity, always striving to create unique, memorable, and versatile typographic solutions.
