Hardcore

HARDCORE was originally intended for a masthead that never materialized and evolved into a distinct typographical creation. Drawing inspiration from stretched, squeezed, and distorted typefaces commonly found on store signs, flyers, and posters across India and the global post-DTP era, Hardcore blends these influences with a gritty and techno/rave character. Immersed in research on the later cold war period, including brutalist architecture, late Soviet/iron curtain ephemera, and underground music posters, Shiva Nallaperumal infused Hardcore with a touch of that era's essence. The design process was guided by intuition, resulting in a typeface that lends itself particularly well to stenciling. Notably, the stencil and bold variations of Hardcore exhibit subtle divergences: the bold style prioritizes optical corrections for enhanced legibility, while the stencil style adheres strictly to mathematical precision, ensuring consistent shape maintenance. Hardcore is looking for the ideal occasion for its "public" debut. With its unique blend of influences, purposeful design, and distinctive variations, Hardcore stands as a compellingly beautiful typographic solution for the discerning designer seeking visual impact with artistic character consistency.