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Accessibility and Color

Per system policy, all UT websites aim to meet WCAG 2.0 AA guidelines. This includes a required contrast ratio for text and images of text of at least 4.5:1. This applies to live (HTML) text and image text (such as text in banners, images, or graphics).

Text and background color combinations from the UT color palettes that meet this contrast ratio are presented on this page. If you still have questions, refer to WebAim’s color contrast checker.

What is Large Text? This.

When using the UT templates, any text that is wrapped in the HTML headline tags <h1>, <h2>, <h3>, or <h4> qualifies as large text.

Standard paragraph text, like this, does not qualify as large text, even if it is bold.

For more technical details about what qualifies as large text, consult the WCAG 2.0 definition of large scale text.





Primary Colors

Accessible Background Colors for Tennessee Orange Text

None of our brand colors meets the minimum level of contrast when used in combination with Tennessee Orange. This includes orange text on a white background and white text on an orange background.

Accessible Background Colors for White Text

Background Color Text Size Example
Smokey All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Valley All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Leconte All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Globe All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Regalia All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Buckskin All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Torch Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

River Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Legacy Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Energy Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Fountain Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Accessible Background Colors for Smokey Text

Background Color Text Size Example
White All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Limestone All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Sunsphere All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Summitt All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Eureka! All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Switchgrass Large text only

Lorem Ipsum







Accent Colors

Accessible Background Colors for Valley Text

Background Color Text Size Example
White All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Limestone All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Summitt Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Eureka! Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Accessible Background Colors for Torch Text

Background Color Text Size Example
White Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Limestone Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Accessible Background Colors for Globe Text

Background Color Text Size Example
White All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Limestone All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Eureka! All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Sunsphere Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Summitt Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Accessible Background Colors for Limestone Text

Background Color Text Size Example
Smokey All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Valley All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Globe All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Leconte All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Regalia All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Buckskin All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Torch Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

River Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Legacy Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Energy Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Accessible Background Colors for River Text

Background Color Text Size Example
White Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Limestone Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Summitt Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Eureka! Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Accessible Background Colors for Leconte Text

Background Color Text Size Example
White All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Limestone All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Sunsphere All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Summitt All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Eureka! All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Accessible Background Colors for Regalia Text

Background Color Text Size Example
White All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Limestone All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Sunsphere All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Summitt All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Eureka! All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Accessible Background Colors for Sunsphere Text

Background Color Text Size Example
Regalia All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Buckskin All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Valley Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Globe Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

River Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Accessible Background Colors for Rock Text

None of our brand colors meets the minimum level of contrast when used in combination with Rock.

Accessible Background Colors for Legacy Text

Background Color Text Size Example
White Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Accessible Background Colors for Summitt Text

Background Color Text Size Example
Smokey All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Leconte All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Regalia All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Buckskin All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Valley Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Globe Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

River Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Accessible Background Colors for Buckskin Text

Background Color Text Size Example
White All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Limestone All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Sunsphere All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Summitt All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Eureka! All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Switchgrass Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Accessible Background Colors for Energy Text

Background Color Text Size Example
White Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Limestone Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Accessible Background Colors for Switchgrass Text

Background Color Text Size Example
Smokey Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Regalia Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Buckskin Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Accessible Background Colors for Fountain Text

Background Color Text Size Example
White Large text only

Lorem Ipsum

Accessible Background Colors for Eureka! Text

Background Color Text Size Example
Smokey All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Globe All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Leconte All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Regalia All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Buckskin All text sizes

Lorem Ipsum

Valley Large text only

Lorem Ipsum