Make It May: A Color Font That Elevates Digital Design
I was working on a landing page for a boutique lifestyle brand, and I needed a font that could bring warmth and personality to the hero section without overwhelming the layout. The designer had requested something playful yet professional — the kind of balance that’s hard to find in most Color Fonts. That’s when I discovered Make It May, and it quickly became one of my favorite tools for digital design.
A Whimsical Typeface with Real-World Charm
Make It May is a full-color SVG typeface featuring whimsical sans serif lettering in pastel tones. Its soft, hand-drawn aesthetic gives it an approachable, artisanal feel that feels right at home in creative industries like fashion, wellness, or small business branding. The alt case adds even more visual variety with additional colors per letter, making it perfect for subtle customization and dynamic display use.
As a web designer, I appreciate how it installs just like any standard .otf file but brings color to every glyph through OpenType features. This makes it incredibly versatile for brand identity elements and decorative text treatments across different platforms and devices.
Bringing Brand Identity to Life Online
One of the first places I tested Make It May was in a product header for a client’s online store. The brand focused on handmade goods and natural materials, so I wanted a font that reflected that cozy, curated vibe. When I applied Make It May to their hero title over a wooden texture background, the pastel hues brought a gentle glow that felt inviting rather than garish.
It worked especially well paired with a clean sans serif body font like Lato or Inter. The contrast between the whimsical headline and the straightforward supporting text created a strong visual hierarchy while keeping the tone warm and consistent. This pairing helped the brand stand out as both creative and trustworthy.
Responsive Layouts and Visual Hierarchy
When testing Make It May in a responsive context, I noticed how beautifully it adapts to screen sizes. On desktop, the pastel gradients add depth and charm; on mobile, it remains crisp and legible without losing its character. That’s not always the case with decorative fonts, but this one holds up impressively due to its optimized SVG structure.
I used it in a couple of section headers on a coaching website redesign, where it added just the right amount of personality without becoming distracting. For call-to-action buttons, I found it best to use smaller weights and limited color variation to avoid crowding the UI. But in larger formats — think hero banners, feature sections, or promotional headlines — it shines and encourages users to linger longer on the page.
Design Assets and Branded Web Content
In another project, I was creating a digital brand kit for a new stationery line. The team loved the idea of using color within the typography to match their packaging and social media visuals. Make It May allowed me to maintain consistency between print and digital assets by embedding the same pastel tones directly into the typeface. No extra work required to match colors manually — it just looked cohesive from the start.
This kind of integration is huge for maintaining brand identity across multiple touchpoints. Whether you're designing a blog header, a course sales page, or a portfolio site, having a premium font that carries its own color palette can streamline your workflow and elevate your design output.
Where to Use (and Avoid) Make It May
- Hero titles: Perfect for adding a pop of soft color and whimsy.
- Section headings: Works well in large sizes with clear spacing.
- Buttons & CTA areas: Use sparingly — opt for simpler versions if readability is key.
- Logo text: Adds unique flair to logo designs, especially for lifestyle or creative brands.
- Decorative accents: Ideal for highlighting keywords or taglines.
- Long paragraphs: Not recommended. It's a display font, and its style isn’t suited for extended reading.
- Form labels or dashboards: Avoid using it here. Stick to simple, functional typefaces for these interfaces.
I also tried placing it over image banners on a few mockups. The pastel tones were light enough to remain readable against most photos, though I did test with a few dark backgrounds. In those cases, adjusting the opacity slightly helped preserve legibility while still letting the color show through.
Font Pairing Tips for Web Design
Pairing Make It May with other fonts requires some thought. Because it has a distinct personality, it works best alongside minimalist styles that let it take center stage. Here are a few combinations I’ve successfully used:
- With a clean sans serif: Great for modern websites. Think Helvetica Neue or Montserrat as a base font.
- With a simple serif: Offers a nice balance for more editorial layouts. Georgia or Merriweather pair nicely.
- With a script or handwritten font: If you want a softer, more artistic look, consider pairing it with a delicate script for subheadings or quotes.
The key is to ensure that your body text doesn’t compete with the display font. Let Make It May be the star of the show and keep supporting text neutral and easy to scan.
Practical Considerations Before Launch
Before implementing any commercial font on a live site, it’s important to check what’s included in the package. With Make It May, I confirmed it supports several alternates and ligatures, which is helpful for customizing headlines and logos. It also comes in multiple file formats, including OpenType SVG, which is essential for compatibility across browsers and apps that support color fonts.
If you're building an online shop or a SaaS platform, make sure the licensing allows for such usage. Some color fonts have restrictions around commercial applications, especially when embedded in templates or digital products. Always read the fine print before deploying it in production environments.
For multilingual projects, double-check that the font includes glyphs for all necessary languages. While Make It May covers a broad range, it might not include every language variant, depending on the version you choose.
Fast-Loading Visual Content and Performance
Performance is always top of mind in web design. I ran a quick load-time test using Make It May in a high-traffic landing page prototype. Since it’s an OpenType SVG font, it loads efficiently and renders smoothly on both iOS and Android devices. I didn’t notice any performance hiccups, even when using animated text effects or hover states.
However, because it contains color layers, I recommend using it only where necessary. Overusing color fonts can increase page weight and slow down rendering, especially on lower-end devices. Keep it reserved for impactful headlines and branded content rather than throughout the entire site.
Real Projects That Benefited from Make It May
I’ve since used Make It May in a few other real-world scenarios, each time tailoring its application to fit the brand’s needs:
- Creative portfolio site: Used in the main headline and underlined with a matching gradient accent in the footer.
- Boutique online store: Featured in collection headers and gift guide titles to add a personal, curated touch.
- Course sales page: Applied to the main title and testimonials section to create a friendly, engaging tone.
- Social media graphics: Paired with solid-colored variations for Instagram posts and Pinterest pins to maintain brand continuity.
Each project benefited from the font’s ability to convey mood and creativity without being overly flashy. It’s the kind of font that feels intentional — a subtle nod to craftsmanship in the digital world.
Final Notes on Accessibility and Readability
Accessibility should never be overlooked. While Make It May is visually appealing, its decorative nature means it’s not ideal for accessibility-heavy interfaces. I always run a quick contrast check using tools like WebAIM to ensure it meets minimum standards when placed over images or colored backgrounds.
Also, consider how much detail is visible at smaller sizes. On tiny buttons or navigation menus, the pastel gradients can become muddy. Stick to larger sizes and limit color density for better usability in these spots.
Overall, Make It May is a standout addition to any designer’s toolkit. It brings a sense of joy and artistry to digital spaces, helping brands connect emotionally with their audiences. Just remember to use it where it will do the most good — in display text, headers, and brand elements — and pair it wisely to maintain clarity and professionalism.
