If you’ve been reading along with me this summer, you know I’m working on a new website. I’ve been trying things out, and I think I’m close to a new look. I love to use a somewhat fancy font for the large type info (business name), and then a simpler font for the nitty gritty info, that’s usually in smaller print (tagline, etc…). I’ve been using Harrington for the fancy font since I started this little venture. I love all its curliques, but it feels just a bit too formal for me:
What I’ve been looking for is a font that gives a feel of something being done by hand. This new font, Saginaw, has more of that feeling.
(This is my new business card I’m working on, but once I decide on a font scheme, it’ll be used consistently across all my print stuff.) (This is where my Spoonflower prints came from too…)
Anyway, I’d like your input. My husband likes the legibility of Harrington better than Saginaw, so I doubt myself!
Does Saginaw come across with the feel of what Candied Fabrics is? Can you read it? Do you love the old Harrington…or should I keep looking for something else?
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I like the Saginaw better, not sure why, maybe it just looks friendlier, not so formal. I love that luscious tumble of fabric.
I have to disagree with Andrew; I like Saginaw better. Give is more of a hand crafted feel.
I actually think the Harrington fits your products better. I wasn’t convinced until I saw the example with the scarf and the colors. And then I thought, “Definitely Harrington.” Also, in case you are interested in another opinion on your business card (which I wouldn’t offer except that I’m studying graphic design these days! — and if you aren’t interested, then no offense taken if you just ignore me!), the cute graphic is crowding the type too much — both your name and the e-mail address. Not sure what font sizes you’re using, but you can go pretty small for things like e-mail, and/or shrink the graphic down a bit so you can move it over. Or just go with either the 3-bunch or the 4-bunch but not both. Something to think about. Nice eye-catching design!
Ditto everything Amy said. I think the Harrington is much more readable.
I’m not fond of Harrington – I like the Saginaw better. But it totally depends on the “feel” you want. I love fonts. I have a program [free] called The Font Thing, and over 500 installed fonts – I put Candied Fabrics in the sample line for the fonts, and just scrolled through them. It shows your name in every font installed.
Different fonts can change the feel of your name in awesome ways.
One more thing – have you tried Fontleroy Brown font? It’s not as formal as Harrington, more of a handwritten, but also upright, not italic.
Hmm… I like Harrington better.
Throwing a bit of a curveball in here… I am with Pam and Allie in that I find Saginaw a bit cleaner and easier to read when it comes to the business card. However, like Amy, when I scrolled down and saw the example of the words “Earth, Wind & Fire,” the Harrington font seemed to do a better job with the product. Could it be possible to use 2 different fonts depending on the use? I know you want consistency and a “brand” across your line… but I find the Harrington a bit stuffy and dowdy, almost antiquated for the business card. And that’s not what you want to go for with your creations, I don’t think. Yet for the scarf title, perhaps it’s because the Capital letters and punctuation marks are so much wider with Saginaw (esp. the W!), it seemed like Harrington was a better fit. Maybe you can tame the width of the capital letters with font size adjustment and kerning?
Amy also makes a good point about the graphic on the business card. It could be scooched over to the left just a tad..
Good luck!!
I like Harringtons but I think the other one flows like your hand dyed fabrics and prefer that.
Now that Amy has pointed out the 2 groups of graphics I tend to agree with her perhaps you should only have one… or one coloured one and then how about the second one as a faint image underneath?
I like the Saginaw – a lot.
I love the Saginaw and think it’s a more contemporary, updated look than Harrington. It’s conveys “confidence” to me!
I like the Saginaw much better…has a more current feel ;o)
I also like the Saginaw better. I always tend to use the more “curvy” fonts. I like the more handwritten look of it.
I have to say that I find the capitals in Saginaw difficult to read. The F doesn’t make sense to me. (Maybe having English as a second language makes me more prone to question my first impressions when I stumble on difficulties?)
Also, I find that the i:s disappear, making it hard to read the actual words.
However, I find the Harrington to be a bit stiff. Especially on the business cards. And your work is more flowy…
If I were you, I’d keep looking for something else. I foyu don’t mind me saying…
i vote for saginaw!
SAGINAW!!!!!!!!!
I realize that I am now way late to the party here but I do like the clean and smooth look of the Saginaw. Your name “Candied Fabrics” is a cheery one and your font conveys cheery. Your fabrics are cheery colors. Your products are pleasant & happy to look at (if that all makes sense) and that is what that font reminds me of.
So if you are still taking votes, that is mine.