Erlangga: A Handwritten Font for Modern Web Design
I was working on a new project for a boutique online store last week, and I needed a font that felt personal but still professional. The client wanted something that would reflect their brand's charm without sacrificing readability. That’s when I stumbled upon Erlangga—a handwritten font that immediately caught my eye.
Erlangga is a cute and charming handwritten font, designed to add warmth and personality to digital projects. It strikes the perfect balance between too thin and too thick, offering a natural variation in stroke weight that feels like real handwriting. This makes it ideal for creating a sense of authenticity and approachability in web design.
Testing Erlangga in a Real Website Project
I decided to test Erlangga in the hero section of the website first. The headline needed to be attention-grabbing yet friendly. I placed it over a full-width image banner with a soft gradient overlay. The result was visually appealing—Erlangga’s gentle curves and balanced strokes made the text stand out without overwhelming the background.
Next, I moved to the navigation menu. While Erlangga worked well for headlines, I noticed that using it for longer blocks of text could reduce readability. So, I paired it with a clean sans serif font for body copy. This combination maintained visual interest while ensuring that the content remained easy to scan and read.
I also experimented with Erlangga on call-to-action buttons. The font’s unique style added a touch of elegance to the “Shop Now” and “Learn More” buttons. However, I kept the button text short to avoid cluttering the design and to maintain a clear visual hierarchy.
Where Erlangga Works Best
Erlangga shines in areas where a more decorative typeface is needed without compromising clarity. Here are some of the best use cases:
- Hero Sections: Use Erlangga for large headlines or taglines. Its organic feel adds character to the top of the page.
- Section Headings: Pair it with a simpler font for body text to create contrast and guide the reader through the content.
- Call-to-Action Areas: Apply it to short phrases like “Join Now” or “Get Started” to make them more inviting.
- Blog Headers and Article Titles: Erlangga can help set the tone for a blog post, especially if the content has a creative or personal voice.
- Digital Ads and Social Media Graphics: The font’s charm makes it perfect for promotional visuals that need to stand out but still feel genuine.
However, it’s important to remember that Erlangga isn’t suitable for long paragraphs or small screens. Its handwritten nature can become difficult to read at smaller sizes, so always ensure there’s enough spacing and contrast.
Readability and Responsive Design
When testing Erlangga on mobile layouts, I found that it performed well on larger screens but required adjustments for smaller ones. I increased the line height and ensured that the font size remained consistent across devices. Additionally, I used a light background with a subtle overlay to prevent the text from blending into the image behind it.
For dark backgrounds, I opted for a lighter version of the font to maintain legibility. The key takeaway here is to always test fonts across different screen sizes and lighting conditions before finalizing your design.
Font Pairing and Brand Consistency
Erlangga works best when paired with a complementary font. For example, I used a modern sans serif font like Montserrat for body copy, which provided a clean contrast to the handwritten style. This pairing helped reinforce the brand’s identity—friendly yet professional.
If you’re aiming for a more editorial look, consider combining Erlangga with a serif font. This can give your website a polished and refined appearance, especially for blogs or course pages.
Before implementing Erlangga on any live site, I checked the font’s availability as a webfont, its file formats, and whether it supports multilingual characters. It’s crucial to confirm that the font you choose has proper commercial licensing, especially if you're building a website for clients or an online store.
In the end, Erlangga became a staple in the design system for this project. It added just the right amount of personality to the brand’s visual identity, making the overall experience more engaging and memorable for users.
