Font Color & Background Color Combinations
Font Color & Background Color Combinations
The colors you choose for lettering and the background behind it can have a profound impact on legibility. It is usually preferred to optimize visibility while balancing artistic design to achieve a highly visible sign that fits with a desired look.
Letter & Background Color Combinations
RANKED IN ORDER OF OPTIMUM LEGIBILITY
1. Black Lettering on a Yellow Background
2. Black Lettering on a White Background
3. Yellow Lettering on a Black Background
4. White Lettering on a Blue Background
5. Yellow Lettering on a Blue Background
6. Green Lettering on a White Background
7. Blue Lettering on a Yellow Background
8. White Lettering on a Green Background
9. White Lettering on a Brown Background
10. Brown Lettering on a Yellow Background
11. Brown Lettering on a White Background
12. Yellow Lettering on a Brown Background
13. Red Lettering on a White Background
14. Yellow Lettering on a Red Background
15. Red Lettering on a Yellow Background
16. White Lettering on a Red Background
RANKED IN ORDER OF OPTIMUM LEGIBILITY
1. Black Lettering on a Yellow Background
2. Black Lettering on a White Background
3. Yellow Lettering on a Black Background
4. White Lettering on a Blue Background
5. Yellow Lettering on a Blue Background
6. Green Lettering on a White Background
7. Blue Lettering on a Yellow Background
8. White Lettering on a Green Background
9. White Lettering on a Brown Background
10. Brown Lettering on a Yellow Background
11. Brown Lettering on a White Background
12. Yellow Lettering on a Brown Background
13. Red Lettering on a White Background
14. Yellow Lettering on a Red Background
15. Red Lettering on a Yellow Background
16. White Lettering on a Red Background
*Source: New York State Small Business Development Center
Notice how many signs that need to be highly visible use these color combos. Safety signs almost always use the most legible color combo of black on yellow. Stop signs use white letters on a red background. Hospital signs use white on blue. McDonald's uses yellow on red for their business signs. These custom lettering and background color choices are no accident.
The lettering and background color combinations listed above can all be safely used to help insure that the custom signs you design is highly legible. If the color combo you are thinking of using is not on this list, your design might suffer from poor legibility if there is lettering involved.
Visit our Custom Vinyl Lettering section if you want to design your own lettering. If you need a sign, you can visit our Custom Sign section to design signs with custom lettering and graphics. When using our design tools, you can choose from all the colors listed above and many more, so use this new found knowledge and make a great looking sign that is legible to its audience!