Shadow Play as a scale

Eleven steps from #2d1403, built by moving lightness in OKLCh and keeping the hue where it is. Every step is gamut-mapped by giving up chroma, never by clipping channels — clipping is what turns a light blue purple.

StopHexOKLCh LChromaOn whiteOn blackAPCA on whiteΔE00 from the step above
50#fff2eb97.0%0.017 ·capped1.09:119.19:10—
100#ffe5d493.8%0.036 ·capped1.21:117.38:1106.0
200#f1cdb787.4%0.0501.48:114.19:1235.8
300#dcb9a381.0%0.0501.83:111.49:1345.1
400#c7a59074.6%0.0502.29:19.19:1455.5
500#b2917c68.2%0.0502.90:17.25:1556.0
600#9e7e6961.8%0.0503.72:15.64:1656.6
700#8a6b5755.4%0.0504.84:14.33:1747.4
800#77594649.0%0.0506.36:13.30:1827.0
900#4c311e34.0%0.05011.93:11.76:19713.8
950#200b0018.0%0.045 ·capped18.93:11.11:110513.3

What is true of this ramp

  • 10 of the 10 adjacent pairs differ by ΔE00 2 or more. Every step here is a step a reader can see.
  • The tightest pair is 200 to300, at ΔE00 5.1.
  • 3 steps had to give up chroma to stay inside sRGB — 50, 100, 950. A wider display would show them more vividly.
  • 4 steps clear 4.5:1 on white (700, 800, 900, 950), and 7 on black (50, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600).

Harmonies from Shadow Play

complement

the hue directly opposite, at the same lightness. #001f2e (+180°) — chroma capped by sRGB.

analogous

the two neighbours 30° either side. #2f1110 (+-30°), #261900 (+30°) — chroma capped by sRGB.

split complement

the two hues either side of the opposite, 30° apart from it. #002124 (+150°), #0f1b33 (+210°) — chroma capped by sRGB.

triad

the circle divided in three. #00221a (+120°), #1d1630 (+240°) — chroma capped by sRGB.

tetrad

the circle divided in four. #0b210b (+90°), #001f2e (+180°), #271329 (+270°) — chroma capped by sRGB.

The ramp as CSS

:root {
  --shadow-play-50: #fff2eb;
  --shadow-play-100: #ffe5d4;
  --shadow-play-200: #f1cdb7;
  --shadow-play-300: #dcb9a3;
  --shadow-play-400: #c7a590;
  --shadow-play-500: #b2917c;
  --shadow-play-600: #9e7e69;
  --shadow-play-700: #8a6b57;
  --shadow-play-800: #775946;
  --shadow-play-900: #4c311e;
  --shadow-play-950: #200b00;
}

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