Trying Things: A Handwritten Font for Modern Digital Branding
I was staring at a hero section mockup, and the headline looked… safe. It was a boutique online store project, one that needed to feel personal, crafted, and a touch elegant. The sans-serif I'd defaulted to was doing its job, but it wasn't telling the story. I needed a typeface that whispered "carefully made" rather than shouting "efficiently sold." That's when I loaded Trying Things into the layout.
The First Impression on Screen
Immediately, the design shifted. Trying Things has that rare blend of charm and elegance its description promises. It's a handwritten script font, but one with a confident, flowing consistency that feels intentional rather than hastily scribbled. The characters connect with a gentle, organic rhythm, and there's a subtle bounce to the baseline that gives it life without being overly playful or childish. On screen, against a clean, minimalist background, it created a focal point that felt both human and polished.
For this particular project—a site selling artisan ceramics and home goods—it was perfect. The brand voice was warm and expert, and Trying Things visually echoed that. It moved the design away from a generic template feel toward a custom, branded experience. This is its core digital appeal: it injects personality without sacrificing sophistication.
Building Hierarchy and Trust with Typography
In web design, typography is a silent guide. It directs scanning behavior, establishes visual hierarchy, and fundamentally influences brand trust. Using Trying Things as the primary display font for key headers immediately created a distinct top layer of my layout. The homepage hero title, the category headings on product collections, and the section titles on the "Our Story" page all wore this custom-looking script.
This decision wasn't just about aesthetics. A unique, well-chosen font like Trying Things signals investment. It tells a user that the brand behind the site has considered its details, which builds subconscious credibility. For a coaching website or a creative portfolio, this effect is even more powerful. It helps the site stand out in a sea of similar offerings, fostering a sense of professionalism and consistency from the first click.
Where It Works Best in a Digital Layout
Through testing, I found Trying Things excels in specific digital contexts. It's a display font, meaning it's best for short, impactful text at larger sizes.
- Hero Titles & Landing Page Headlines: Its elegance captures attention instantly.
- Section Headings: It breaks up long pages with personality, guiding the user through content.
- Call-to-Action Phrases: On buttons, for phrases like "Book a Consultation" or "Explore the Collection," it adds a persuasive, personal touch.
- Logo Text & Brand Marks: For digital logos in headers or footer branding, it provides a ready-made, distinctive look.
- Decorative Accents: Used sparingly for quotes, testimonials, or special offers within a page.
I would avoid using it for body copy, long paragraphs, or very small interface text like form labels. Its intricate, connected glyphs can compromise readability at smaller scales, especially on mobile screens.
Readability in the Real World: Responsive and Overlays
Any font choice must survive the reality of diverse devices and contexts. When I tested Trying Things on mobile, I increased its size slightly more than I would for a standard sans-serif to ensure the handwritten details remained clear and legible. On dark backgrounds, I found it performed beautifully, especially with a slight increase in letter spacing to let the forms breathe. Over image overlays, it required careful contrast checking—a semi-transparent background or a dedicated text block ensured it popped without fighting the imagery.
The key is to treat it as a feature, not a foundation. Let it be the star on a fast-loading hero image or a clean blog graphic, supported by a highly readable body font. This approach maintains performance and user engagement without sacrificing style.
A Practical Pairing Strategy
A decorative display font like Trying Things needs a strong, simple partner. For this project, I paired it with a clean, geometric sans-serif for all body text, UI elements, and secondary information. This pairing created a clear typographic dichotomy: personality for the voice, clarity for the details. For a more editorial digital identity, like a blog redesign or a course sales page, pairing it with a classic serif font for body copy could also work wonderfully, leaning into a crafted, authoritative feel.
The pairing stabilizes the layout. The sans-serif (or serif) handles the heavy lifting of readability across devices, while Trying Things provides the memorable brand moments that users recall.
Beyond the Mockup: Licensing and Technical Checks
Before committing to any font for a live website or client project, practical checks are essential. For Trying Things, I verified its commercial font licensing for web use. I confirmed it was available as a webfont in standard formats (like WOFF2) for fast, reliable loading across browsers. I checked for included styles—while it’s a single-weight script, many premium fonts include alternates or ligatures, which can add even more custom flair to headlines. Considering multilingual support is also crucial if the site audience is global; some script fonts are designed primarily for Latin alphabets.
These steps are part of responsible web design. They ensure the beautiful font you see in your design tool translates seamlessly to a live, functional website, online store, or landing page, becoming a true asset in your digital brand kit.
Crafting the Final Online Experience
In the end, using Trying Things transformed the feel of the entire site. The boutique store moved from a clean but generic grid to a space that felt curated and authored. The font’s handwritten charm made the digital experience feel closer to receiving a beautifully printed invitation or a thoughtful card. It elevated the brand's touchpoints without overwhelming the usability.
For web designers, UI designers, and digital creators, a font like this is a tool for emotional resonance. It answers the question: "How should this brand feel?" In projects where warmth, craftsmanship, and a personal connection are key—a coaching website, a creative portfolio homepage, a product landing page for a handmade goods—Trying Things offers a direct path to that feeling. It’s not just a typeface; it’s a design decision that shapes how users perceive and engage with the entire online story you're telling.
