Stacked Film
From New Wave Typography · Colors chosen by Aesthetary, following the documented color rules
Black type on paper is complete; color arrives only as flat, overlapping layers of film.
#F2F0EA, canvas, 55%. #FAF9F5, surface, 8%. #111111, text and primary action, 17%. #4D4B46, muted text, 2%. #B8006A, accent, 3%. #E6007E, fill 1, 6%. #009BD1, fill 2, 5%. #FFD500, fill 3, 4%.
Suggested proportions
- 55% Canvas
- 15% Text
- 8% Surface
- 6% Fill 1
- 5% Fill 2
- 4% Fill 3
- 3% Accent
- 2% Muted text
- 2% Primary action
In use
New
Posters, layered by hand.
Three films, one press, no gradients.
Book a workshopSee posters
#E6007E, fill 1. #009BD1, fill 2. #FFD500, fill 3.
Saturday workshop
Six places. Bring an idea.
Places
7
Six places at most.
Using it well
19 color pairs are approved for use. 10 pairs are not for text; the ones that matter most for this palette:
- Fill 1 on Canvas Not for text. Magenta is 3.95:1 on the paper: display type and film layers only.
- Fill 2 on Canvas Not for text. Cyan is 2.79:1 on the paper: a film layer, never text.
Roles
15 colors, their HEX values, what each is for and where it comes from
| Role | Color | Use | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canvas | #F2F0EA | The ground. | Named in the sources: “black and white” From the New Wave Typography page’s “paper” color. Basis: Aesthetary’s interpretation. |
| Surface | #FAF9F5 | Fields and panels. | Added by Aesthetary. The New Wave Typography page names no surface. |
| Text | #111111 | Type and rules. With paper, a complete palette. | Named in the sources: “black and white” From the New Wave Typography page’s “ink” color. Basis: Aesthetary’s interpretation. |
| Muted text | #4D4B46 | Secondary text. | Added by Aesthetary. The New Wave Typography page names no secondary text color. |
| Primary action | #111111 | The action, in black. | From the New Wave Typography page’s “ink” color; Aesthetary gives it this role. Basis: Aesthetary’s interpretation. |
| Text on primary | #F2F0EA | Label on a black button. | From the New Wave Typography page’s “paper” color; Aesthetary gives it this role. Basis: Aesthetary’s interpretation. |
| Secondary action | #111111 | Secondary action: a black outline. | From the New Wave Typography page’s “ink” color; Aesthetary gives it this role. Basis: Aesthetary’s interpretation. |
| Border | #D3D0C7 | Hairlines. Decorative only. | Added by Aesthetary. The New Wave Typography page names no rule. |
| Input border | #7F7C75 | The edge of an input. | Added by Aesthetary. A field’s only edge needs 3:1. |
| Accent | #B8006A | Small text in color: labels, the current page. | From the New Wave Typography page’s “deep” color. Basis: Aesthetary’s interpretation. |
| Focus | #B8006A | Focus ring. | From the New Wave Typography page’s “deep” color. Basis: Aesthetary’s interpretation. |
| Fill 1 | #E6007E | A film layer and display type only. | From the New Wave Typography page’s “magenta” color. Basis: Aesthetary’s interpretation. |
| Fill 2 | #009BD1 | A film layer only; never text. | From the New Wave Typography page’s “cyan” color. Basis: Aesthetary’s interpretation. |
| Fill 3 | #FFD500 | A film layer and hover ground. | From the New Wave Typography page’s “yellow” color. Basis: Aesthetary’s interpretation. |
| Error | #A61B12 | Errors, always with a word. | Added by Aesthetary. The New Wave Typography page defines no status color; a red apart from the magenta. |
Contrast, by use
19 approved pairs, all passing · 10 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 | 16.57:1 | 4.5:1 | TextReading text | Passes |
| Text on Surface | 17.92:1 | 4.5:1 | TextReading text | Passes |
| Muted text on Canvas | 7.64:1 | 4.5:1 | TextSecondary text, captions | Passes |
| Muted text on Surface | 8.27:1 | 4.5:1 | TextSecondary text, captions | Passes |
| Text on primary on Primary action | 16.57:1 | 4.5:1 | TextLabel on the primary action | Passes |
| Secondary action on Canvas | 16.57:1 | 4.5:1 | TextSecondary action: label and outline | Passes |
| Secondary action on Surface | 17.92:1 | 4.5:1 | TextSecondary action: label and outline | Passes |
| Primary action on Canvas | 16.57:1 | 4.5:1 | TextLinks and small text in the action color | Passes |
| Primary action on Surface | 17.92:1 | 4.5:1 | TextLinks and small text in the action color | Passes |
| Focus on Canvas | 5.68:1 | 3:1 | Non-text (3:1)Focus ring | Passes |
| Focus on Surface | 6.14:1 | 3:1 | Non-text (3:1)Focus ring | Passes |
| Input border on Canvas | 3.65:1 | 3:1 | Non-text (3:1)Input edge, the only boundary of a field | Passes |
| Input border on Surface | 3.95:1 | 3:1 | Non-text (3:1)Input edge, the only boundary of a field | Passes |
| Error on Canvas | 6.61:1 | 4.5:1 | TextStatus message, always with a word or icon | Passes |
| Error on Surface | 7.15:1 | 4.5:1 | TextStatus message, always with a word or icon | Passes |
| Accent on Canvas | 5.68:1 | 4.5:1 | TextAccent text | Passes |
| Accent on Surface | 6.14:1 | 4.5:1 | TextAccent text | Passes |
| Text on Fill 2 | 5.94:1 | 4.5:1 | TextText set on this fill | Passes |
| Text on Fill 3 | 13.28:1 | 4.5:1 | TextText set on this fill | Passes |
Not for text
- Fill 1 on Canvas 3.95:1. Not for text. Large text and non-text only. Magenta is 3.95:1 on the paper: display type and film layers only.
- Fill 2 on Canvas 2.79:1. Not for text. Fill or decoration only. Cyan is 2.79:1 on the paper: a film layer, never text.
- Border on Canvas 1.35:1. 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 1.46:1. 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 3.65:1. Not for text. Non-text only. An edge or ring, not a text color.
- Input border on Surface 3.95:1. Not for text. Non-text only. An edge or ring, not a text color.
- Fill 1 on Surface 4.27:1. Not for text. Large text and non-text only. Under 4.5:1: display-size text, icons and edges only.
- Fill 2 on Surface 3.02:1. Not for text. Large text and non-text only. Under 4.5:1: display-size text, icons and edges only.
- Fill 3 on Canvas 1.25:1. 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.
- Fill 3 on Surface 1.35:1. 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.
What makes it characteristic
Black on paper is a whole palette: the canonical poster in the sources is black and white. When color comes, it comes as flat transparent layers laid over each other, never as a gradient, and the layer colors do not carry small text.
Limits of this palette
- Magenta, cyan and yellow are Aesthetary’s values; the sources say only that there were more colors of type, “without naming any palette”.
What the sources say
2 color descriptions in their own words · 2 color rules, each marked documented or Aesthetary’s interpretation
Named in the sources
- “black and white”
- “more colours of type than the minimalist Swiss predecessor, without naming any palette”
Color rules for this Aesthetic
- Color is not defining: a canonical Weingart poster is black and white, so ink on paper is a complete palette. a documented rule
- Add color as flat layers of ink, magenta, cyan and yellow; never as a gradient. Aesthetary’s interpretation
Related
AestheticNew Wave Typography
Related palettesUnbleached, Brown Key, Black Blade, Red Line, Blue Number, Wood and White