Start with a clear color path and check the intermediate colors as well as the endpoints. Text over a gradient must remain readable across the entire area it can occupy.
Finding palettes for this category.
Adding the next 30 matching palettes.
Use neighboring colors for smooth atmospheric backgrounds and more distant hues for expressive transitions. When a gradient carries text, judge readability across the entire area behind the text rather than checking only the first or last stop.
Use the palest rose as canvas and the darkest wine for text. Reorder the middle colors into a wine-to-pink progression for decorative gradients, then test the actual result.
Ink on Canvas: 9.86:1. Other pairs need their own check.
Use the yellow canvas for short, large-format messages. Choose either blue or pink as the main promotional accent on each composition; do not put small colored text over another bright fill.
Ink on Canvas: 9.33:1. Other pairs need their own check.
Use the light cyan as a calm canvas and navy for reading text. For a gradient, reorder the same colors from navy through blue to pale cyan, then inspect text at every stop.
Ink on Canvas: 14.65:1. Other pairs need their own check.
| Role | Practical direction |
|---|---|
| Start/end stops | Define the broad direction and strongest visual contrast. |
| Middle stops | Control the route between endpoints; they can smooth or deliberately bend the transition. |
| Overlay color | Text or icons need a stable contrast strategy across the region they occupy. |
| Fallback | Keep a solid color available when gradients are inappropriate or unsupported in a context. |