Red Line, Blue Number
From Archival · Colors chosen by Aesthetary, following the documented color rules
One brown-black ink on aged card stock, with red for subject headings and blue for call numbers.
#E9E0C8, canvas, 50%. #F1EAD6, surface, 25%. #2A241A, text and primary action, 14%. #5C5138, muted text, 3%. #2E4470, secondary action, 3%. #7A3B2E, accent, 5%.
Suggested proportions
- 50% Canvas
- 25% Surface
- 12% Text
- 5% Accent
- 3% Muted text
- 3% Secondary action
- 2% Primary action
In use
New
Parish registers, 1712 to 1904.
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Call number
PR 4/117
Error: that call number has no record.
Using it well
17 color pairs are approved for use. 4 pairs are not for text. Each is listed under Contrast, by use.
Roles
12 colors, their HEX values, what each is for and where it comes from
| Role | Color | Use | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canvas | #E9E0C8 | The page: aged stock, as art direction, never as evidence of age. | From the Archival page’s “ground” color. Basis: Aesthetary’s interpretation. |
| Surface | #F1EAD6 | Every card and unit. | From the Archival page’s “card” color. Basis: Aesthetary’s interpretation. |
| Text | #2A241A | Text and rulings: one uniform ink. | Named in the sources: “permanent ink of uniform colour” From the Archival page’s “ink” color. Basis: Aesthetary’s interpretation. |
| Muted text | #5C5138 | Field labels, counts. | From the Archival page’s “ink-2” color. Basis: Aesthetary’s interpretation. |
| Primary action | #2A241A | The action, in the card’s own ink, so red and blue keep their fields. | From the Archival page’s “ink” color; Aesthetary gives it this role. Basis: Aesthetary’s interpretation. |
| Text on primary | #F1EAD6 | Label on an ink button. | From the Archival page’s “card” color; Aesthetary gives it this role. Basis: Aesthetary’s interpretation. |
| Secondary action | #2E4470 | Call numbers; links and the secondary action. | Named in the sources: “call numbers in blue” From the Archival page’s “blue” color. Basis: Aesthetary’s interpretation. |
| Accent | #7A3B2E | The red lines and subject headings. | Named in the sources: “subject headings in red ink” From the Archival page’s “red” color. Basis: Aesthetary’s interpretation. |
| Border | #A89A78 | Card edges and field rulings. Never text, never an input’s only edge. | From the Archival page’s “rule” color. Basis: Aesthetary’s interpretation. |
| Input border | #7D6F50 | The edge of an input. | Added by Aesthetary. The Archival page’s rule is 2.11:1; a field’s only edge needs 3:1. |
| Focus | #2E4470 | Focus ring, in the call-number blue. | From the Archival page’s “blue” color; Aesthetary gives it this role. Basis: Aesthetary’s interpretation. |
| Error | #9A1C0E | Errors: always a word and an icon, never color alone. | Added by Aesthetary. The Archival page defines no status color. The red already means “subject heading”, so an error always carries the word and an icon. |
Contrast, by use
17 approved pairs, all passing · 4 not for text
WCAG 2 ratios, computed from the colors. Text needs 4.5:1; large text (24px, or 18.66px bold) and non-text (a focus ring, a field’s only edge, an icon) need 3:1. Only the pairs listed as approved are recommended.
Approved pairs
| Pair | Contrast | Needs | For | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Text on Canvas | 11.69:1 | 4.5:1 | TextReading text | Passes |
| Text on Surface | 12.80:1 | 4.5:1 | TextReading text | Passes |
| Muted text on Canvas | 5.94:1 | 4.5:1 | TextSecondary text, captions | Passes |
| Muted text on Surface | 6.50:1 | 4.5:1 | TextSecondary text, captions | Passes |
| Text on primary on Primary action | 12.80:1 | 4.5:1 | TextLabel on the primary action | Passes |
| Secondary action on Canvas | 7.33:1 | 4.5:1 | TextSecondary action: label and outline | Passes |
| Secondary action on Surface | 8.03:1 | 4.5:1 | TextSecondary action: label and outline | Passes |
| Primary action on Canvas | 11.69:1 | 4.5:1 | TextLinks and small text in the action color | Passes |
| Primary action on Surface | 12.80:1 | 4.5:1 | TextLinks and small text in the action color | Passes |
| Focus on Canvas | 7.33:1 | 3:1 | Non-text (3:1)Focus ring | Passes |
| Focus on Surface | 8.03:1 | 3:1 | Non-text (3:1)Focus ring | Passes |
| Input border on Canvas | 3.75:1 | 3:1 | Non-text (3:1)Input edge, the only boundary of a field | Passes |
| Input border on Surface | 4.10:1 | 3:1 | Non-text (3:1)Input edge, the only boundary of a field | Passes |
| Error on Canvas | 6.27:1 | 4.5:1 | TextStatus message, always with a word or icon | Passes |
| Error on Surface | 6.86:1 | 4.5:1 | TextStatus message, always with a word or icon | Passes |
| Accent on Canvas | 6.40:1 | 4.5:1 | TextAccent text | Passes |
| Accent on Surface | 7.01:1 | 4.5:1 | TextAccent text | Passes |
Not for text
- Border on Canvas 2.11:1. Not for text. Fill or decoration only. Under 3:1: a fill or decoration only. Never text, an icon or a field’s only edge.
- Border on Surface 2.31:1. Not for text. Fill or decoration only. Under 3:1: a fill or decoration only. Never text, an icon or a field’s only edge.
- Input border on Canvas 3.75:1. Not for text. Non-text only. An edge or ring, not a text color.
- Input border on Surface 4.10:1. Not for text. Non-text only. An edge or ring, not a text color.
What makes it characteristic
Color is a code, not a mood. One uniform ink writes the card; red marks the subject heading and the ruled line, blue the call number. Each color has one field to mark.
Limits of this palette
- The aged ground is art direction: the Archival page’s own rule keeps it from standing as evidence of age.
- Red and the error color are close in hue; the error is never shown by color alone.
What the sources say
3 color descriptions in their own words · 4 color rules, each marked documented or Aesthetary’s interpretation
Named in the sources
- “subject headings in red ink, call numbers in blue”
- “left red line … right red line”
- “permanent ink of uniform colour”
Color rules for this Aesthetic
- Color-code the fields: subject headings in red ink, call numbers in blue. a documented rule
- Call numbers may run in the red instead, as this page files them. Aesthetary’s interpretation
- Lay the cards on an aged-paper ground. a documented rule
- Keep the aged ground as art direction, never as evidence of age. Aesthetary’s interpretation
Related
AestheticArchival
Related palettesUnbleached, Brown Key, Black Blade, Wood and White, Stacked Film