OKTO x Olha Protasova - Olha Protasova

Olha Protasova × OKTO

Product development, Artist collaboration

Turning sculptural lettering into a hands-on creative experience.
This collaboration with OKTO began with a question: could the practice of sculptural lettering become something people could create themselves?

The result was a new DIY product concept for audiences aged 14+, combining air-dry clay, lettering, sculpture and step-by-step creative learning.

The challenge

OKTO wanted to develop a new kind of creative kit that could expand its air-dry clay category and introduce a stronger connection between the brand and contemporary artists.

The product needed to be challenging enough to feel like a real creative achievement, but supported enough for someone without professional sculpting experience to complete it.

It also needed to work as a commercially viable product for an international market.

The idea

The key insight was simple:

Lettering can become a physical creative experience.

Instead of giving the user a ready-made decorative object, we designed a process through which they build the letters themselves.

The collection includes four kits, each with a different lettering style and mood: Love, Create, Fun and Calm.

The aim was to transform a professional sculptural lettering practice into something a wider audience could learn and experience with their own hands.

Research & development

The project was developed over approximately nine months and involved extensive research and testing.

We looked at the existing DIY and air-dry clay market, OKTO's product range, the 14+ audience, mindful creativity, personalisation, experience-led products and lettering as a creative activity.

Our research did not identify an existing product with the same combination of sculptural lettering, air-dry clay and guided DIY experience.

From there, the work became a process of testing materials, forms, colours, prototypes and instructions.

Making it real

One of the central challenges was translating professional sculptural lettering into a repeatable process.

The final system uses templates, step-by-step visual instructions and video guidance. Two OKTO air-dry clay materials with different consistencies were used for different parts of the construction.

The instructions were developed alongside the physical prototypes, allowing us to identify where the process could become confusing and where additional support was needed.

The result had to balance two things that normally pull in opposite directions: creative challenge and accessibility.

The result

The collaboration produced four DIY kits and four lettering styles, developed in Ukraine for international distribution.

The products were prepared for presentation through OKTO's international distribution network, covering 30 countries, and for international trade promotion including Spielwarenmesse Nürnberg.

Client: OKTO Sensory Art
Year: 2026
Role: Creative concept, sculptural lettering, visual development, prototyping and creative direction

OKTO team: Materials, technological expertise, prototyping, product development, instructions and production
Olha Protasova: Concept, lettering styles, forms, colour solutions, decorative elements and artistic development