Like medieval weapons evolved from simple pointed sticks to complex combined forms, this typeface has journeyed from a modular system to a versatile typographic instrument. Its four main styles - Pike, Spear, Scythe, and Halberd - reflect this evolution: from a simple, light pike to massive polearms with sophisticated geometry.

Before finding its martial nature, the font began with a different story. The collaborative development in 2023 was preceded by two reverse contrast typefaces - Rodion Ilyukhin's Retrodelica and Dmitry Grenev's Backthorn.

Rodie's work on Retrodelica began in 2019: the first sketches were inspired by lettering from the Soviet magazine "Sew Yourself", which clearly echoed the logic of ITC Zipper, a typeface that definitely wasn't officially cyrillicized at the time. Having just completed a type design course at Campus, I decided to apply these skills to my first real type project.

Dmitry Grenev's first version of Backthorn (2022) grew from curiosity, experimenting with several ideas simultaneously: modularity (in this case, a simple rectangle, a pixel), unicase, condensed proportions, reverse contrast, and stencil features. This resulted in an explosive mix of ideas with a small character set.

When we began collaborating, we decided to start from scratch. First, we defined four key masters - the boundaries of the design space.

We selected extreme points for two axes: weight and contrast. Then we tested the logic on several characters, adjusted components, gradually making forms more humanist and complex.

Typeface's signature element - the sharp "stab" that occurs at the intersection of curved lines - was crucial. The plasticity evolved from technological modularity towards greater fluidity. Connections flow smoothly into stems, and counter spaces became asymmetrical.

Lanze is built on two variable axes: contrast and stroke weight. Each axis explores its extremes, creating space for display solutions. Weight ranges from light to bold, while contrast spans from nearly monolinear to extremely contrasted.

Initially, we experimented with many instances - up to 25 variations. But gradually it became clear that focusing on four main combinations of weight and contrast made more sense. These four points in the variable font space became our primary styles: Pike, Spear, Scythe, and Halberd.

Each style plays with the character of its medieval weapon namesake. Pike is the lightest, like a simple spear. Spacing here is more open, and forms are maximally laconic. Halberd, conversely, combines massiveness with sharp details, like a heavy battle axe on a pole. This is particularly evident in the cuts of lowercase letters.

The variable font itself allows for many more variations. Between the primary styles lies a whole spectrum of intermediate states - from neutral to distinctly display-oriented solutions.

Lance finds its place wherever character and flexibility matter. In the music industry, its variability helps create dynamic posters; in cinema, it shapes expressive titles and promotional materials. Sharp geometry and contrasting forms make it suitable for fashion brands, sports industry, and tech startups, while its ability to scale without losing character allows its use in both web design and large installations.