#497DC6 · #BB5A61
Four independent scores (read the one that fits your goal): Readability 1/100 (fail) · Harmony 91/100 (split-complementary) · Distinguishable 100/100 (easy to tell apart) · Match 0/100 (different). There is no single “good/bad” — a pair can clash for text yet be great for an outfit.
Steel Blue and Indian Red are very different (ΔE 67). They have distinctly different hues (141° apart) and their lightness is similar, so they read as two same-weight colours.
Steel Blue text on Indian Red: 1.06:1 (Fail); Indian Red text on Steel Blue: 1.06:1 (Fail). Neither meets AA at body size — nudging one color to #000036 clears it.
Split-complementary — split-complementary — a recognised, balanced pairing (harmony 91/100). This is about how they look together (clothing, interiors, branding), independent of text contrast.
Not at body size — the best direction is only 1.1:1, below the 4.5:1 minimum. Nudging one colour to #000036 clears AA.
Their CIE76 ΔE is about 67 — very different.
clearly different colours (ΔE 67).
Explore each color: Steel Blue #497DC6 · Indian Red #BB5A61 · Shades: Steel Blue shades · Indian Red shades · Contrast checker →