Designing with Hogem: A Spooky Display Font for Digital Projects
I was working on a redesign for a boutique online store that sells Halloween-themed decor and accessories. The client wanted something bold, eye-catching, and uniquely spooky to stand out in a crowded market. That’s when I stumbled upon Hogem, a display font with jagged, distorted letterforms that instantly gave off an unsettling yet playful vibe.
Hogem isn’t your typical typeface. It has a distinct personality—creepy, quirky, and slightly mischievous. The irregular shapes and uneven strokes make it feel like the letters are almost alive, which is perfect for projects that lean into horror or dark fantasy themes. But what really caught my attention was how well it could blend into a modern digital layout without feeling too over-the-top.
I first tested Hogem in the hero section of the website. Placing it over a dark background with a glowing image of a haunted house, the font stood out just enough to draw the eye but didn’t overwhelm the content. It felt like the right balance between being attention-grabbing and still readable at a glance.
One thing I noticed early on was how Hogem performed on mobile screens. Because of its exaggerated forms, it can be harder to read at smaller sizes. To counteract this, I made sure to use it only for larger headlines and kept the body text in a clean, legible sans serif font. This helped maintain visual hierarchy and ensured users could scan through the content easily without getting lost in the design.
For the product landing pages, I used Hogem as the main title for each item. It added a sense of mystery and intrigue, especially for products like “Cursed Candle Set” or “Witch’s Brew Kit.” Pairing it with a simple, modern sans serif for descriptions created a nice contrast and helped guide the user’s focus toward the most important information.
Another area where Hogem shone was in the call-to-action buttons. Using it for phrases like “Shop Now” or “Join the Coven” gave them a punchy, memorable feel. However, I limited its use to short phrases to avoid any issues with readability, especially on smaller screens.
When it came to font pairing, I found that Hogem worked best when paired with a minimalist sans serif. The contrast between the two styles helped keep the overall design balanced and professional. For example, using it alongside a font like Montserrat or Lato allowed the more decorative elements of Hogem to shine without making the page feel cluttered.
I also considered the practical aspects of using Hogem in a live project. Checking the font’s webfont availability, I confirmed that it supported all the necessary file formats and had good multilingual support. Since the store targeted an international audience, this was a crucial factor. Also, ensuring the font had proper commercial licensing was important to avoid any legal issues down the line.
One challenge I faced was making sure Hogem didn’t clash with the brand’s existing color palette. The deep reds and blacks used in the site’s design complemented the font’s eerie aesthetic, but I had to be careful not to overdo it. Subtle shadows and outlines helped make the text pop without becoming too busy.
As I continued testing Hogem across different sections of the site, I found it particularly effective in blog headers and promotional banners. Used sparingly, it added a touch of character without sacrificing usability. For instance, a blog post titled “The History of Halloween” looked much more engaging when the heading was in Hogem compared to a standard font.
Readability remained a top priority throughout the process. While Hogem is definitely a display font, I made sure it wasn’t used in areas where users would need to read long blocks of text. Instead, it was reserved for titles, subtitles, and key phrases—places where visual impact mattered more than pure legibility.
Overall, Hogem proved to be a versatile tool in the designer’s toolkit. Its unique style allowed me to create a brand experience that felt both spooky and polished. Whether it was used in a hero section, a product headline, or a campaign banner, it always managed to add a layer of creativity that set the site apart from competitors.
If you’re working on a project that needs a bit of edge, a dash of fun, or a full-on spooky vibe, Hogem might just be the font you’ve been looking for. Just remember to use it wisely—pair it with simpler fonts, test it across devices, and keep readability in mind. With the right approach, Hogem can help elevate your digital design and leave a lasting impression on your audience.
