Ochre vs Scarlet — Difference, Contrast & Harmony

Ochrenearest vs Scarletnearest

#C96F00 · #F72E21

Four independent scores (read the one that fits your goal): Readability 1/100 (fail) · Harmony 100/100 (analogous) · Distinguishable 15/100 (hard to tell apart) · Match 5/100 (different). There is no single “good/bad” — a pair can clash for text yet be great for an outfit.

Readability1Fail

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

Fail1.1:1

Harmony100Analogous

Analogous

29° apart

Distinguishable15Hard to tell apart

normal

protanopia

ΔE 43 (3.8 under CVD)

Match5Different

ΔE 43 — different

How different are Ochre and Scarlet?

Ochre and Scarlet are very different (ΔE 43). They have distinctly different hues (29° apart) and their lightness is similar, so they read as two same-weight colours.

Can you read one on the other?

Ochre text on Scarlet: 1.07:1 (Fail); Scarlet text on Ochre: 1.07:1 (Fail). Neither meets AA at body size — nudging one color to #2D1100 clears it.

Common questions

Do Ochre and Scarlet go well together?

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

Is Ochre readable as text on Scarlet?

Not at body size — the best direction is only 1.1:1, below the 4.5:1 minimum. Nudging one colour to #2D1100 clears AA.

What is the colour difference (ΔE) between Ochre and Scarlet?

Their CIE76 ΔE is about 43 — very different.

Are Ochre and Scarlet the same colour?

clearly different colours (ΔE 43).

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