CommonTeal vs Clay — Difference, Contrast & Harmony

CommonTealexact vs Claynearest

#009193 · #B36469

Four independent scores (read the one that fits your goal): Readability 2/100 (fail) · Harmony 100/100 (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.

Readability2Fail

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

Fail1.1:1

Harmony100Complementary

Complementary

175° apart

Distinguishable100Easy to tell apart

normal

tritanopia

ΔE 67 (64 under CVD)

Match0Different

ΔE 67 — different

How different are CommonTeal and Clay?

CommonTeal and Clay are very different (ΔE 67). They have near-opposite hues (175° apart) and their lightness is different, giving a clear light/dark split.

Can you read one on the other?

CommonTeal text on Clay: 1.11:1 (Fail); Clay text on CommonTeal: 1.11:1 (Fail). Neither meets AA at body size — nudging one color to #001213 clears it.

Common questions

Do CommonTeal and Clay go well together?

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

Is CommonTeal readable as text on Clay?

Not at body size — the best direction is only 1.1:1, below the 4.5:1 minimum. Nudging one colour to #001213 clears AA.

What is the colour difference (ΔE) between CommonTeal and Clay?

Their CIE76 ΔE is about 67 — very different.

Are CommonTeal and Clay the same colour?

clearly different colours (ΔE 67).

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