COLOR AND CONTRAST

Too low contrast makes text difficult to read for everyone. This certainly applies to people with a visual impairment, but in fact everyone suffers from it. We quickly think of light colors on a white background, such as yellow text.

An incident where I had to give advice on an accessibility brochure for students. The brochure described their rights and obligations regarding accessible education. The designer had chosen light yellow letters on a white background. Even with my perfect eyesight, the text was unreadable. When I made a comment about this, the reaction was: “Yes, but children like colors!”

This answer completely missed the mark. The brochure was not for children, but for (young) adults who are looking for help with their education and future. Part of the target group consisted of people with a visual impairment. This example shows how a design, no matter how well-intentioned, can overshoot its target.

Too high contrast

What far fewer people think about is that contrast can also be too high. Text that stands out too sharply against the background can cause visual stress. Black on stark white is the classic example.

Experience it yourself:
Take a white sheet of paper and draw a black dot on it. Concentrate on this dot for about a minute. Then look at a white wall. There is a good chance that you will see a ‘ghost image’ of the dot, often with a red and green border and a light shadow.

This effect also occurs when people have to concentrate hard to read, such as with dyslexia or a visual impairment. Reading black letters on a stark white background – whether on paper or a bright screen – can be extremely tiring.

The complaints that result from this are serious:

• The letters seem to move or “dance”.
• Nausea, comparable to car sickness.
• Ocular migraine.

This can cause a downward spiral. You see light colored edges around the letters, which forces you to concentrate harder. This extra effort makes the symptoms worse, which requires even more concentration, and so on.

Good balance in contrast through color

Fortunately, there are simple solutions to make the reading experience more enjoyable for everyone.

For the reader: A simple and inexpensive solution is to use a colored, transparent sheet (a “reading ruler” or “overlay”). You can often find these at a hobby store for less than a dollar. Take a piece of text with you and lay the different colors over it to see what reads best for you. Red, green, and blue are popular choices that tone down the harsh contrast.

For the designer and writer: As the creator of the content, you can have the biggest impact.

• Dark mode: A common mistake is to simply invert the colors to white letters on a black background (dark mode). Although the light from the screen is less bright, the contrast remains the same. The red and green ghost edges then appear on the inside of the letters, which does not solve the problem. And is harder to read.

• Opt for soft colors: The most pleasant reading experience is often achieved with a combination of dark, but not completely black text on an off-white or light yellow background. Think dark blue or dark gray text. This combination has enough contrast to be bright, but is soft enough to avoid visual stress.

• Use natural tones: Avoid bright unnatural, harsh RGB screen colours. Instead, opt for softer, more natural CMYK tones that are easier on the eyes.

• Black White Use 80% black: If you are using print-on-demand (POD) and cannot use color, set the text color to 80% black instead of 100%. This small difference reduces the contrast to a much more pleasant level, without compromising readability.

A little effort, a world of difference

Adjusting color and contrast may seem like a small detail, but it’s a small effort with a huge result. Not only do you help people with dyslexia and visual impairments get the information they need, you also save them a lot of grief and frustration.

Ultimately, a design that is easier on the eyes is more pleasant for everyone. Let’s work together to create a world where information is truly accessible to everyone.