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What contrast should a zero baseline keep so sequential scale stays apart from diverging scale at 6 to 1?

A zero baseline fails when sequential scale and diverging scale sit too close in lightness, even if the hues differ. Aim for about 6 to 1 between text and the ground, and a clear step between neighboring series. The palettes page shows sets built for that, and the studio is where you apply one set instead of picking colors one by one.

At a glance

Lightness before hueTwo series in a zero baseline can share a hue family if their lightness…
Palettes before the canvasOpen palettes, pick a set that already separates sequential scale from…
Grey for the quiet seriesIf the zero baseline has one series that is only context, paint it grey and…
Twelve hues is a warning — sequential-vs-diverging-zeroA categorical zero baseline that needs more colors than you can name will not…

Pick the palette before you open the studio. For a zero baseline, keep text near 6 to 1 against the ground and keep sequential scale clearly lighter or darker than diverging scale. A rainbow that fails that step will still fail after you add a legend.

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Pick the palette before you open the studio. For a zero baseline, keep text near 6 to 1 against the ground and keep sequential scale clearly lighter or darker than diverging scale. A rainbow that fails that step will still fail after you add a legend.

Lightness before hue

Two series in a zero baseline can share a hue family if their lightness differs. sequential scale against diverging scale at about 6 to 1 is easier to see on a projector than a pair of bright colors with the same weight.

Palettes before the canvas

Open palettes, pick a set that already separates sequential scale from diverging scale, then carry it into the studio. Building the zero baseline with ad-hoc clicks rarely hits 6 to 1 on every label.

Grey for the quiet series

If the zero baseline has one series that is only context, paint it grey and keep the highlight for sequential scale. Do not spend the 6 to 1 step on two categories that are both shouting.

Twelve hues is a warning — sequential-vs-diverging-zero

A categorical zero baseline that needs more colors than you can name will not hold 6 to 1 between neighbors. Split it or switch form before the studio. The palette is not a rainbow picker.

This page is a contrast check for a zero baseline near 6 to 1. It does not recolor the studio for you and it does not replace a full accessibility audit.

Questions

Is 6 to 1 a studio setting for the zero baseline?
Treat it as a check you do with the palette, not as a slider that fixes a bad pair. If sequential scale and diverging scale still blend, change the set before you draw the zero baseline.
Will a color-blind viewer read the zero baseline?
Only if the palette does not rely on red versus green alone. A lightness step near 6 to 1, plus a direct label, carries the zero baseline when hue fails.
Should the studio invent colors for the zero baseline?
No. Bring a palette that already separates sequential scale from diverging scale. The studio applies it. Random picks will miss 6 to 1 on a projector.

Compare palettes · Open the studio

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