Basil vs Indian Red — Difference, Contrast & Harmony

Basilnearest vs Indian Rednearest

#538E44 · #BA5B5E

Four independent scores (read the one that fits your goal): Readability 2/100 (fail) · Harmony 97/100 (triadic) · Distinguishable 57/100 (somewhat similar) · Match 0/100 (different). There is no single “good/bad” — a pair can clash for text yet be great for an outfit.

Readability2Fail

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

Fail1.1:1

Harmony97Triadic

Triadic

110° apart

Distinguishable57Somewhat similar

normal

protanopia

ΔE 75 (20 under CVD)

Match0Different

ΔE 75 — different

How different are Basil and Indian Red?

Basil and Indian Red are very different (ΔE 75). They have distinctly different hues (110° apart) and their lightness is similar, so they read as two same-weight colours.

Can you read one on the other?

Basil text on Indian Red: 1.12:1 (Fail); Indian Red text on Basil: 1.12:1 (Fail). Neither meets AA at body size — nudging one color to #000C00 clears it.

Common questions

Do Basil and Indian Red go well together?

Triadic — triadic — a recognised, balanced pairing (harmony 97/100). This is about how they look together (clothing, interiors, branding), independent of text contrast.

Is Basil readable as text on Indian Red?

Not at body size — the best direction is only 1.1:1, below the 4.5:1 minimum. Nudging one colour to #000C00 clears AA.

What is the colour difference (ΔE) between Basil and Indian Red?

Their CIE76 ΔE is about 75 — very different.

Are Basil and Indian Red the same colour?

clearly different colours (ΔE 75).

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