Colours spark imagination, guide the eye, and make content more appealing. But colour choices also have a major impact on accessibility. This article explains how to use colour smartly in your digital publication – and why it’s worth the effort.
Did you know that EU accessibility regulations require, for example, sufficient contrast between text and background to ensure readability? Colour choices must also take into account the needs of users with colour vision deficiencies, so that colour doesn’t become a barrier to understanding. This calls for careful consideration and precision in colour use from anyone designing content for the web.
We’ve gathered a few helpful tips on using colour to make accessible content creation easier.
1. Play with contrast
Adequate contrast helps text stand out clearly from its background. But this doesn’t have to mean just black on white (or white on black) – feel free to get creative with your colours! Try different combinations, but always make sure the contrast is sufficient. Remember: good contrast improves readability for everyone and enhances the overall user experience. You can test colour contrasts with tools like Colour Contrast Checker.
While contrast requirements don’t apply to logos, they do apply to all other text-based images. So when using infographics, ensure there’s enough contrast between text and background.
Left: sufficient contrast and appropriate font size.
Right: low contrast and small font size.
Contrast matters for non-text content too. For instance, adjacent colours in charts or diagrams should have enough contrast – especially when users need to distinguish colours to interpret the information. Using black outlines to separate sections in a chart is another effective way to improve clarity.
In addition to colours and outlines, you can use patterns and textures to differentiate elements. Just make sure all informative components are clearly distinguishable from one another. That way, your message gets through to everyone.
Left image: recognisable without colour.
Right image: indistinguishable shapes when colour is removed.
2. Keep it calm and clear
When building an accessible colour palette, less is often more. Stick to clear, calm tones and avoid overly bright or garish colours.
Make sure your colours are not problematic for users with colour blindness. You can check your combinations with tools like WhoCanUse.
Avoid overly vivid colours. Left image: clear primary tones.
3. Don’t rely on colour alone
It’s important not to use colour as the only way to convey information. For example, if red indicates an error, make sure the error is also marked with a symbol or descriptive text. Always check whether understanding your message relies solely on colour. Try converting your content to greyscale – is it still clear and understandable?
4. Be culturally aware
Colours can mean different things in different cultures – make sure your message comes across the way you intend.
For example, in Western cultures, red is often associated with passion, love, or warning. But in some Asian cultures, red can signify good luck, celebration, and prosperity. So if your publication uses lots of red to evoke festivity, this may feel joyful to an Asian audience but signal danger to a Western one.
We hope you found these tips helpful! Next time you sit down with a design tool, think about how colour can enhance your accessibility. Good design is accessible design.
Save these tips and share them with others. And if you need help designing or compiling a digital publication, don’t hesitate to ask us – we’re experts in colourful and accessible design!