Thistle vs Sandshell — Difference, Contrast & Harmony

Thistlenearest vs Sandshellexact

#D4C9DA · #D8CCBB

Four independent scores (read the one that fits your goal): Readability 0/100 (fail) · Harmony 99/100 (triadic) · Distinguishable 36/100 (hard to tell apart) · Match 61/100 (different). There is no single “good/bad” — a pair can clash for text yet be great for an outfit.

Readability0Fail

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

Fail1.0:1

Harmony99Triadic

Triadic

116° apart

Distinguishable36Hard to tell apart

normal

tritanopia

ΔE 18 (9.0 under CVD)

Match61Different

ΔE 18 — different

How different are Thistle and Sandshell?

Thistle and Sandshell are a clear pair (ΔE 18). They have distinctly different hues (116° apart) and their lightness is similar, so they read as two same-weight colours.

Can you read one on the other?

Thistle text on Sandshell: 1.01:1 (Fail); Sandshell text on Thistle: 1.01:1 (Fail). Neither meets AA at body size — nudging one color to #5E5463 clears it.

Common questions

Do Thistle and Sandshell go well together?

Triadic — triadic — a recognised, balanced pairing (harmony 99/100). This is about how they look together (clothing, interiors, branding), independent of text contrast.

Is Thistle readable as text on Sandshell?

Not at body size — the best direction is only 1.0:1, below the 4.5:1 minimum. Nudging one colour to #5E5463 clears AA.

What is the colour difference (ΔE) between Thistle and Sandshell?

Their CIE76 ΔE is about 18 — a clear pair.

Are Thistle and Sandshell the same colour?

clearly different colours (ΔE 18).

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