Install Impeccable skill for Codex
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#!/usr/bin/env node
/**
* Brand-seed picker. Returns one OKLCH seed color + the mood it most
* naturally evokes, and teaches the model how to compose a full palette
* around it.
*
* The seed is the brand's anchor color. The 5-role palette (bg, surface,
* ink, accent, muted) is composed by the caller at runtime using their
* judgment + the brief (PRODUCT.md / DESIGN.md / user prompt), NOT picked
* from a frozen 4-color preset.
*
* Why: 4-color frozen palettes drift toward safe defaults (warm-cream bg,
* complementary accent on near-white) regardless of brief. A single seed +
* the model's own composition lets the same seed produce a dark-mode jazz
* club or a light-mode hospitality brand depending on what the brief calls
* for. Tested empirically against curated 4-color palettes; seed approach
* wins on mood-fit in 3 of 5 cases and ties on the rest.
*
* Usage:
* node scripts/palette.mjs # pick at random
* node scripts/palette.mjs --id seed-021 # pick a specific seed
* node scripts/palette.mjs --from <key> # hash <key> to a seed (deterministic)
*
* Env vars:
* IMPECCABLE_PALETTE_SEED same as --from; useful for the eval harness
* to make runs reproducible.
*/
import crypto from 'node:crypto';
// Seeds are inlined (129 entries, hand-curated via a tinder review of
// ~400 candidates from ColorHunt + synthesis + Radix/brand/Pantone anchors).
// Each carries a mood + strategy the judging model produced — surfaced as
// hints, not commands; the brief still drives composition.
const SEEDS = [
{ id: "seed-200", oklch: [0.360, 0.137, 0.0],
mood: "Aesop apothecary shelf — oxblood bottle glass against linen, considered and unhurried",
strategy: "Seed is a deep desaturated red-brown that reads as brand ink itself; I push primary darker toward bottle-glass oxblood, pair with a pure white surface so the red does the work, and use a clear pale-blush accent that can carry dark text in pills." },
{ id: "seed-000", oklch: [0.400, 0.130, 0.0],
mood: "oxblood leather banquette in a 1940s steakhouse — low lamplight on dark wood and burgundy",
strategy: "Near-black bg with the faintest red undertone lets the oxblood primary glow like lamplit leather; warm cream ink and a brass accent complete the chophouse register." },
{ id: "seed-002", oklch: [0.450, 0.150, 0.0],
mood: "darkroom red light — analog photography, blood-warm safelight glow on chemical trays",
strategy: "Near-black surface with a deep oxblood primary lets the seed function like a safelight in a darkroom — the bg disappears so the red becomes the only emotional signal." },
{ id: "seed-003", oklch: [0.500, 0.194, 0.0],
mood: "darkroom safelight — the deep oxblood glow of analog photography, chemical and contemplative",
strategy: "Anchored the seed as primary against pure near-black so the red reads like a single illuminated bulb in a developing room, with cool desaturated ink to evoke silver gelatin print tones." },
{ id: "seed-004", oklch: [0.546, 0.204, 3.4],
mood: "midnight boudoir — velvet rose under low lamplight, perfumed and intimate",
strategy: "Near-black surface lets the rose seed glow like silk in shadow; a warm champagne accent provides the candle-flame counterpoint without breaking the hush." },
{ id: "seed-005", oklch: [0.550, 0.180, 0.0],
mood: "smoldering vermillion at dusk — the last red ember in a blacksmith's forge, iron-rich and quietly violent",
strategy: "Near-black gallery surround lets the seed read as glowing forged metal; ink stays warm-off-white, accent shifts to a hotter ember orange so the primary feels like cooling steel against a fresh strike." },
{ id: "seed-201", oklch: [0.647, 0.262, 0.3],
mood: "Figma plugin marketplace red — confident product-brand crimson, the kind a modern dev tool uses for a 'live' indicator or a primary CTA on a pristine docs page",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets a high-chroma crimson primary do all the brand work, paired with a hue-shifted warm coral accent for hierarchy without competing saturation" },
{ id: "seed-006", oklch: [0.650, 0.160, 0.0],
mood: "1960s Italian cinema — Technicolor lipstick red against a darkened theater",
strategy: "Pure near-black surface lets a saturated cinematic red and its warm peach accent perform like film light projected in a dark room — the brand colors carry the drama, the bg disappears." },
{ id: "seed-008", oklch: [0.520, 0.200, 10.4],
mood: "Negroni hour at a Milanese bar — bittersweet crimson, vermouth and amaro under low tungsten",
strategy: "Seed is a saturated red-crimson with cinematic weight, so I sit it on near-black to let the primary glow like backlit liquor, with a warmer amber accent acting as the citrus twist against the bitter red." },
{ id: "seed-010", oklch: [0.563, 0.223, 11.0],
mood: "Negroni hour on a Milan rooftop — bittersweet crimson, aperitivo light, polished restraint",
strategy: "Seed is a vivid carmine-red with strong chroma, so the surface gets out of the way (pure white) and lets the primary do the aperitivo work, with a cooled garnet accent for tension." },
{ id: "seed-202", oklch: [0.643, 0.247, 7.0],
mood: "Glossier brand pink — modern beauty editorial, confident and current",
strategy: "Pure white bg lets a saturated rose-red primary do all the brand work, paired with a deeper crimson accent for hierarchy — the Stripe/Glossier move where the color carries the mood." },
{ id: "seed-013", oklch: [0.400, 0.130, 20.0],
mood: "Tuscan cellar at dusk — aged terracotta, oxidized iron, the deep red of decanted Sangiovese",
strategy: "Black surface lets the oxblood seed and copper accent glow like firelight on cellar stone; brand colors carry all the warmth while the room recedes." },
{ id: "seed-014", oklch: [0.450, 0.150, 20.0],
mood: "smoldering tannery — oxblood leather, cured under low workshop light",
strategy: "Anchor the deep oxblood seed as primary against a near-black architectural ground, then lift with a single warm ember accent so the leather reads burnished rather than bloody." },
{ id: "seed-016", oklch: [0.550, 0.180, 20.0],
mood: "Negroni hour on a Roman terrace — bitter campari red, vermouth, late golden light spilling on white linen",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets the campari-red primary do all the emotional work, paired with a deeper oxblood accent for bittersweet depth — Italian aperitivo restraint, not warmth-washed." },
{ id: "seed-205", oklch: [0.634, 0.254, 17.6],
mood: "Aesop apothecary bottle — considered red-coral on a clinical white surface, the kind of brand restraint where one saturated object does all the work",
strategy: "Default A pure white surface lets a single coral-red primary carry the entire brand voice; accent shifts to a deeper oxblood for hierarchy without competing chroma." },
{ id: "seed-011", oklch: [0.639, 0.207, 13.5],
mood: "Aperitivo hour in Milan — Campari glow on a white marble bar, crisp and effervescent",
strategy: "Pure white gallery backdrop lets the Campari-red primary ring like a single bitter note; ink is near-black with a whisper of warmth, accent shifts to a deeper oxblood for hierarchy without competing hues." },
{ id: "seed-015", oklch: [0.527, 0.202, 22.7],
mood: "Negroni hour on a Milanese terrace — bittersweet vermillion, aperitivo glassware catching low sun",
strategy: "Seed becomes a saturated aperitivo-red primary against pure white so the color carries the bittersweet warmth alone, paired with a deep oxblood accent for typographic gravitas." },
{ id: "seed-023", oklch: [0.427, 0.175, 29.2],
mood: "blacksmith's forge at dusk — iron heated to ember red, the deep glow of oxidized metal and quenching oil",
strategy: "Pure black bg lets the seed's ember-red glow radiate like hot iron in a dark forge; accent shifts to a copper-amber to suggest scaling metal and sparks, while ink stays near-white for tool-precise legibility." },
{ id: "seed-206", oklch: [0.614, 0.234, 28.2],
mood: "Aesop apothecary bottle — considered red-orange on lab-white, calm utility with a single confident pigment",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets a saturated vermilion primary do all the brand work, paired with a deep oxblood accent for hierarchy without introducing a second hue family" },
{ id: "seed-029", oklch: [0.665, 0.222, 25.7],
mood: "Negroni hour at a Milanese bar — bittersweet orange-red liqueur catching late afternoon light on polished marble",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets the seed's vermilion read like Campari in a glass; a deeper oxblood accent provides the bitter depth, with neutral graphite ink keeping the editorial restraint of Italian design." },
{ id: "seed-022", oklch: [0.418, 0.155, 27.2],
mood: "Pompeiian red fresco — oxidized cinnabar on a museum wall, archaeological gravity",
strategy: "Pure black gallery surface lets the seed's iron-oxide red read as a lit artifact; accent shifts to an aged terracotta amber, so primary and accent form a fired-clay duet against neutral void." },
{ id: "seed-024", oklch: [0.464, 0.169, 26.9],
mood: "Mid-century darkroom under the safelight — developer trays, oxblood leather, the quiet patience of a print emerging",
strategy: "Seed becomes a deep oxblood primary; surface stays pure black so the red glows like a safelight, with a warmer ember accent for hierarchy" },
{ id: "seed-026", oklch: [0.489, 0.190, 28.3],
mood: "smoldering ember in a blacksmith's forge — iron-hot rust, soot, and controlled fire",
strategy: "Near-black soot background lets the seed's red-orange glow like heated metal; ink is bone-white, accent is a cooler tempered-steel orange that creates internal heat gradient with the primary." },
{ id: "seed-027", oklch: [0.568, 0.208, 27.1],
mood: "Sicilian blood orange at golden hour — citrus rind, terracotta, sun on stucco",
strategy: "Seed reads as vivid blood-orange — picked pure white surface so the citrus-red primary and a deep oxblood accent do all the emotional work, like a Loro Piana editorial spread." },
{ id: "seed-028", oklch: [0.591, 0.172, 24.0],
mood: "Sienna-fired ceramic studio at dusk — terracotta cooling on a wheel, hands still dusted with slip",
strategy: "Pure black stage lets the fired-clay primary glow like a kiln ember, with a deeper oxblood accent providing tonal weight rather than hue contrast — a monochrome warm-axis play." },
{ id: "seed-033", oklch: [0.544, 0.169, 31.3],
mood: "1960s Italian terracotta workshop — fired clay, espresso, late-afternoon Mediterranean dust",
strategy: "Pure black ground lets the seed's burnt-sienna primary glow like a lit kiln, with a deeper oxblood accent for restrained warmth tension — the brand carries the heat, the surface stays out." },
{ id: "seed-207", oklch: [0.564, 0.231, 29.1],
mood: "Aesop apothecary bottle — considered red oxide, the calm authority of a well-made object on a white shelf",
strategy: "Seed becomes the singular brand voice against pure white, with a deeper oxblood accent for hierarchy — the surface disappears so the red does all the speaking." },
{ id: "seed-035", oklch: [0.663, 0.153, 32.1],
mood: "Aesop apothecary bottle — clay-fired warmth, considered retail",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets the terracotta primary do the brand work, paired with a deep umber ink and a cooler clay accent for editorial tension." },
{ id: "seed-037", oklch: [0.590, 0.188, 35.8],
mood: "Aesop apothecary bottle — considered terracotta, herbalist restraint, the warmth comes from the glass not the room",
strategy: "Seed becomes a muted terracotta primary against pure white so the brand's warmth carries entirely through the color itself; accent shifts to a deeper umber for quiet hierarchy." },
{ id: "seed-038", oklch: [0.652, 0.229, 34.8],
mood: "blown-glass furnace at dusk — molten orange iron pulled from the kiln, a craftsman's signature heat",
strategy: "Pure black stage so the seed reads as live ember; primary holds the seed's heat, accent shifts to a brass-amber a hue-step away for a 1.7+ contrast pairing without leaving the fire." },
{ id: "seed-039", oklch: [0.653, 0.185, 33.5],
mood: "Aesop apothecary bottle — considered terracotta, quiet retail craft",
strategy: "Seed becomes a grounded clay primary against pure white, paired with a deeper umber accent so the warmth lives entirely in the brand marks, not the surface." },
{ id: "seed-167", oklch: [0.495, 0.134, 36.0],
mood: "Aesop apothecary shelf — burnished terracotta on clinical white, considered craft pharmacy",
strategy: "Treat the seed as a brand-carrying burnt-sienna against a pure paper-white surface so the warmth lives entirely in the primary, with a deep umber accent pulled along the same warm axis for typographic gravity." },
{ id: "seed-147", oklch: [0.500, 0.151, 40.0],
mood: "Aesop apothecary shelf — considered terracotta, pharmacy restraint, the brand color does the work against clinical white",
strategy: "Anchor the seed's burnt-sienna primary against a pure white surface so the rust speaks alone, with a deep umber ink and a cooler clay accent to give the palette product-brand discipline rather than environmental warmth." },
{ id: "seed-040", oklch: [0.660, 0.201, 40.0],
mood: "Aesop apothecary bottle — amber glass on a clean dispensary shelf, considered and clinical-warm",
strategy: "Seed becomes a burnt-amber primary against pure white so the bottle-glass color does the emotional work; accent shifts to a deep olive-bronze for the apothecary-label pairing." },
{ id: "seed-041", oklch: [0.673, 0.217, 38.6],
mood: "Aesop apothecary shelf — considered orange glass, clinical retail restraint",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets the burnt-orange primary do all the brand work, with a deep ink-brown for editorial gravity and a muted clay accent that reads as a sibling, not a contrast." },
{ id: "seed-042", oklch: [0.688, 0.133, 35.8],
mood: "Aesop apothecary shelf — terracotta glass, considered retail",
strategy: "Seed becomes a warm clay primary against pure white so the bottle-on-marble retail feel comes from the brand color alone; a deeper umber accent gives the label-print contrast." },
{ id: "seed-043", oklch: [0.781, 0.119, 38.1],
mood: "Aesop apothecary catalogue — considered terracotta, dermatological restraint, the warm color doing all the work against clinical white",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets the seed's warm clay tone read as the entire brand voice, paired with a deeper umber accent for hierarchy without competing with the primary's warmth." },
{ id: "seed-168", oklch: [0.400, 0.103, 50.0],
mood: "Aesop apothecary bottle — amber glass on a clinical white shelf, considered and pharmaceutical",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets the deep amber primary act like tinted glass against a clean shelf; accent is a muted clay that complements without competing, keeping the brand quiet and product-led." },
{ id: "seed-044", oklch: [0.568, 0.149, 45.9],
mood: "1970s desert highway at golden hour — sun-faded terracotta, denim dust, the warmth of a Polaroid pulled from a glovebox",
strategy: "Seed becomes a burnt-sienna primary against pure white so the terracotta does all the emotional work; a deep indigo accent acts as the denim shadow opposing the sun, creating the era's signature warm/cool tension without tinting the page." },
{ id: "seed-045", oklch: [0.607, 0.163, 47.7],
mood: "Aesop apothecary shelf — considered amber glass, clinical restraint, craft pharmacy",
strategy: "Pure white bg lets the burnt-amber primary do the apothecary work alone, paired with a deeper umber accent and graphite ink for editorial calm." },
{ id: "seed-046", oklch: [0.653, 0.175, 45.0],
mood: "Aesop apothecary shelf — considered amber glass, quiet luxury, restrained craft",
strategy: "Pure black backdrop lets the warm amber primary glow like backlit apothecary glass, with a deeper rust accent providing tonal depth in the same hue family — monochromatic warm against neutral void." },
{ id: "seed-047", oklch: [0.695, 0.205, 43.2],
mood: "Aesop apothecary label — sun-warmed amber glass on a clinical countertop, restrained botanical pharmacy",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets the burnt-amber primary and a deeper sienna accent do all the brand work, like an apothecary bottle photographed under daylight." },
{ id: "seed-051", oklch: [0.704, 0.189, 49.0],
mood: "blacksmith's forge at dusk — glowing iron, hammered copper, ember light against cooling steel",
strategy: "Pure near-black surface lets the seed's molten orange burn like heated metal; accent shifts to a deeper amber-red to suggest the cooling end of the same iron, while ink stays a clean off-white so type reads like chalk on slate." },
{ id: "seed-171", oklch: [0.550, 0.124, 60.0],
mood: "Klim Type Foundry specimen page — considered ochre on paper, design-school-honest",
strategy: "Seed becomes a muted ochre primary on pure white; accent is a deep ink-navy pulled across the wheel for editorial contrast without warmth-pooling in the bg" },
{ id: "seed-148", oklch: [0.650, 0.146, 60.0],
mood: "Klim-style editorial gold — late-afternoon paper light on a serif specimen sheet, considered and dry",
strategy: "Hold the seed's amber as primary on a pure white page so the gold reads as ink rather than atmosphere, and pair with a deep aubergine accent for typographic contrast." },
{ id: "seed-052", oklch: [0.700, 0.130, 60.0],
mood: "late-afternoon terracotta studio — sun-warmed clay, hands-on craft, the hour before dusk",
strategy: "Seed is a saturated amber-ochre with strong environmental association (ceramics, adobe, sunlit plaster), so I lean into Exception (a) with a faintly warm bone surface that reads as lime-washed wall, then deepen the seed slightly for primary and pair it with a fired-clay rust accent for hand-thrown warmth." },
{ id: "seed-053", oklch: [0.773, 0.157, 56.6],
mood: "late-summer apricot orchard at golden hour — sun-warmed fruit, considered Californian craft",
strategy: "Seed is a juicy mid-warm orange at daylight luminance — leaning optimistic/editorial, so pure white surface lets the apricot primary glow without muddying it; a deep wine accent provides the bite." },
{ id: "seed-149", oklch: [0.600, 0.124, 70.0],
mood: "1970s desert highway — late-afternoon amber light on chrome and asphalt",
strategy: "Anchor the amber seed as primary against pure black so the warm hue reads as headlight glow against night; a cooler dusk-mauve accent provides the complementary tension of horizon vs. sun." },
{ id: "seed-054", oklch: [0.740, 0.162, 68.1],
mood: "late-afternoon honey on terracotta — Mediterranean stucco at golden hour, sun-baked amber",
strategy: "Seed is a saturated honey-amber at high lightness; pairing it with pure black lets the warmth read as luminous gold against gravity, like lamplight in a dark room." },
{ id: "seed-055", oklch: [0.774, 0.174, 65.1],
mood: "late-summer honey hour — amber light slanting through a west-facing window, optimistic and golden",
strategy: "Anchor a saturated honey-amber primary on pure white so the warmth radiates from the brand itself, then pair with a deep teak accent for grounded contrast rather than tinting the canvas." },
{ id: "seed-056", oklch: [0.691, 0.146, 74.6],
mood: "Klim-style modern publishing house — late-afternoon paper warmth, considered editorial gold",
strategy: "Pure white surface so the amber seed becomes the brand voice; ink stays near-black neutral and accent shifts to a deep ink-blue to give the gold something structural to lean on." },
{ id: "seed-150", oklch: [0.750, 0.148, 80.0],
mood: "Klim Type Foundry specimen page — late-summer editorial gold, considered and grown-up",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets a single restrained ochre primary do all the brand work, paired with a deep ink-blue accent for typographic contrast in the Klim/Commercial Type tradition." },
{ id: "seed-058", oklch: [0.764, 0.120, 77.1],
mood: "Klim Type Foundry specimen page — late-afternoon ochre, considered editorial typography",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets the ochre primary do the brand work, paired with a deep ink-blue accent for editorial contrast — the type-foundry move where one warm hue carries the whole feeling against neutral paper." },
{ id: "seed-059", oklch: [0.784, 0.144, 79.8],
mood: "late afternoon in a Tuscan limonaia — sun-cured amber on whitewashed plaster",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets the saffron-amber primary and a deep olive accent carry the Mediterranean warmth, with split-complementary tension between gold and a quiet evergreen." },
{ id: "seed-061", oklch: [0.817, 0.161, 75.1],
mood: "late-afternoon honey on Tuscan limestone — golden hour, slow and luminous",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets the amber primary glow like sunlight on a wall, paired with a deep terracotta accent for warm tonal contrast within the same hue family." },
{ id: "seed-063", oklch: [0.842, 0.165, 91.3],
mood: "late-afternoon Tuscan sun on limestone — golden hour, considered, optimistic",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets the amber-gold primary radiate as the mood-carrier, with a deep aubergine accent providing the long shadow that golden light needs to feel three-dimensional." },
{ id: "seed-174", oklch: [0.350, 0.075, 110.0],
mood: "olive grove at late afternoon — sun-cured leaves, dust, and quiet Mediterranean weight",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets a deep, sun-cured olive primary do the emotional work, with a burnt-terracotta accent providing the warm-earth counterpoint olive groves are known for." },
{ id: "seed-117", oklch: [0.650, 0.100, 110.0],
mood: "Klim-style editorial sage — late-summer foundry catalogue, considered olive-yellow on paper",
strategy: "Seed sits at olive-chartreuse; treating it as a quiet typographic primary on pure paper, with a deeper bronze-olive accent for hierarchy — the color does the work, the page disappears." },
{ id: "seed-118", oklch: [0.750, 0.090, 110.0],
mood: "Klim Type Foundry specimen page — late-summer olive light on a working specimen, the honesty of a type designer showing their work",
strategy: "Pure white bg lets a desaturated olive-yellow primary do the editorial work, with a deeper olive-bronze accent providing typographic emphasis the way a specimen uses one heavy weight against the body roman." },
{ id: "seed-065", oklch: [0.797, 0.166, 113.1],
mood: "late-summer olive grove at noon — sun-bleached leaves, dry stone, Mediterranean glare",
strategy: "Hold the seed as a luminous chartreuse-olive primary against pure white so the color reads as sunlit foliage, pairing it with a deep umber accent for the dry-stone contrast." },
{ id: "seed-176", oklch: [0.300, 0.071, 120.0],
mood: "moss-darkened apothecary jar — herbal, shadowed, mid-19th-century botanical study",
strategy: "Seed is a deep desaturated olive-green that reads as preserved botanical pigment; I anchor it on pure white so the dim moss-green primary feels like ink on a herbarium page, with a warm ochre accent supplying the aged-paper counterpoint." },
{ id: "seed-155", oklch: [0.550, 0.142, 130.0],
mood: "moss-bed forest floor at noon — chlorophyll, lichen, sunlit fern",
strategy: "Seed is a confident mid-olive green with strong chroma; mood is daylight botanical, so I let the brand greens do the work on a pure paper-white bg and pair with a warm umber accent for fern-against-bark contrast." },
{ id: "seed-119", oklch: [0.600, 0.154, 130.0],
mood: "moss garden at Saihō-ji — damp stone, filtered green light through old cedar",
strategy: "Pure near-black bg lets the seed's mossy green glow like wet lichen under low light; accent shifts to a pale ochre-gold like sun catching through canopy." },
{ id: "seed-179", oklch: [0.300, 0.096, 140.0],
mood: "moss on wet stone — forest floor at dusk, deep botanical hush",
strategy: "Kept the seed's deep moss green as primary against a near-black surface so the green reads as living shadow, with a pale lichen accent providing the single point of light." },
{ id: "seed-180", oklch: [0.350, 0.110, 140.0],
mood: "moss-darkened apothecary — herbal tinctures in amber glass, pressed botanicals, the deep green of a conservatory at dusk",
strategy: "Near-black bg with a whisper of green undertone lets the seed's deep moss read as luminous foliage; a warm parchment accent provides the apothecary-label counterpoint without breaking the herbal register." },
{ id: "seed-120", oklch: [0.650, 0.100, 140.0],
mood: "moss on weathered stone — quiet botanical garden conservatory at midday",
strategy: "Pure white bg lets the muted sage-green primary read as a considered botanical mark, with a deeper terracotta accent providing earthen counterpoint without breaking the gallery-like restraint." },
{ id: "seed-121", oklch: [0.750, 0.090, 140.0],
mood: "moss garden at Saihō-ji — diffuse green light filtered through wet stone and lichen",
strategy: "Pure near-black bg lets the muted sage-green primary glow like lichen under low light; a warm pale-bone accent acts as the single ray of sun cutting through canopy." },
{ id: "seed-182", oklch: [0.400, 0.106, 150.0],
mood: "moss garden at Saiho-ji — deep cultivated green under wet stone shadow, contemplative and damp",
strategy: "Near-black bg with the faintest cool-green undertone evokes shaded stone; primary holds the seed's moss tone while accent shifts to a lichen-yellow for organic counterpoint without breaking the hush." },
{ id: "seed-157", oklch: [0.550, 0.145, 150.0],
mood: "moss garden at Saiho-ji — damp stone, filtered green light through cedar canopy",
strategy: "Near-black bg with a faint green undertone evokes deep forest shadow; primary holds the seed's verdant register while accent shifts to a pale lichen-cream to mimic light catching moss." },
{ id: "seed-122", oklch: [0.600, 0.158, 150.0],
mood: "forest floor at first light — moss, lichen, and clean morning air",
strategy: "Seed reads as a living, daylight green; surface stays pure white so the green carries the freshness, with a cool teal accent pulling it toward dew rather than earth." },
{ id: "seed-195", oklch: [0.650, 0.150, 145.0],
mood: "Considered horticulture brand — botanical research lab, the green of a healthy stem photographed in clean daylight",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets the seed's vegetal green carry the entire brand voice, paired with a deep forest ink and a warm clay accent for editorial contrast." },
{ id: "seed-183", oklch: [0.350, 0.077, 160.0],
mood: "moss-stained apothecary — deep forest glass, herbal tinctures shelved in low candlelight",
strategy: "Anchored the seed as primary and built a near-black dark surface with whisper-tinted green to evoke aged apothecary glass, letting the green glow rather than shout." },
{ id: "seed-184", oklch: [0.400, 0.087, 160.0],
mood: "deep forest apothecary — moss, bottle glass, and herbal tincture under afternoon light",
strategy: "Seed becomes a botanical-bottle-green primary on pure white, paired with a warm clove-amber accent to evoke herbal pharmacy contrast without tinting the surface." },
{ id: "seed-158", oklch: [0.550, 0.119, 160.0],
mood: "moss on wet stone — forest floor after rain, mineral and quiet",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets the deep mossy green carry the entire mood; accent shifts to a damp slate-teal to sit beside primary like lichen on stone without competing." },
{ id: "seed-159", oklch: [0.600, 0.130, 160.0],
mood: "moss-covered forest apothecary — herbal tinctures in amber glass, eucalyptus shadow",
strategy: "Anchored the green seed in a near-black backdrop so it reads like botanical glassware lit from within, with a warm amber accent pulled across the wheel to evoke tincture bottles against dark wood." },
{ id: "seed-185", oklch: [0.450, 0.086, 170.0],
mood: "weathered copper patina on a Pacific Northwest greenhouse — oxidized teal, glass light, botanical hush",
strategy: "Seed sits as a deep oxidized-teal primary against pure white so the patina reads as pigment, not atmosphere; a rust-copper accent completes the verdigris/oxidation story across the warm-cool axis." },
{ id: "seed-124", oklch: [0.750, 0.080, 170.0],
mood: "sea-glass on a foggy Pacific shoreline — weathered, mineral, quietly oxidized",
strategy: "Seed is a soft desaturated teal-green; pairing it on pure white lets the mineral primary read as patinated copper-glass, with a deeper kelp-toned primary and a rusted coral accent to spark the muted teal against its complement." },
{ id: "seed-160", oklch: [0.550, 0.095, 180.0],
mood: "weathered copper patina on a museum bronze — oxidized teal, conservatorial quiet",
strategy: "Pure near-black gallery surround lets the patina-teal primary glow like a lit artifact, with a warm verdigris-adjacent accent providing the oxidation contrast against the cool seed." },
{ id: "seed-161", oklch: [0.720, 0.100, 188.0],
mood: "climate-tech dashboard — calm verdigris on plain paper, the quiet confidence of an instrument that just works",
strategy: "Seed teal carries the entire mood as a single considered brand color on pure white, with a desaturated copper accent providing warm signal against the cool primary without competing for attention." },
{ id: "seed-186", oklch: [0.450, 0.074, 200.0],
mood: "deep hydrothermal vent — mineral teal under pressure, the cold blue-green of oxidized copper in submerged light",
strategy: "Near-black surface lets the mineral teal glow as if lit from within; accent shifts toward verdigris-copper to suggest patina on submerged metal, while ink stays cool-neutral to keep the register austere rather than aquatic-cute." },
{ id: "seed-125", oklch: [0.650, 0.100, 200.0],
mood: "climate-tech dashboard — calm operational teal, the color of clean water data and atmospheric sensors",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets a single muted-teal primary do all the brand work, with a deeper marine accent providing hierarchy without competing chroma." },
{ id: "seed-126", oklch: [0.750, 0.080, 200.0],
mood: "climate-tech product brand — quiet competence, dashboards for hard infrastructure problems",
strategy: "Hold the seed's muted teal as primary, pair with a sharper cyan-leaning accent for interactive lift, and let a pure white surface do the disappearing act so the brand reads as a tool, not an atmosphere." },
{ id: "seed-162", oklch: [0.550, 0.091, 210.0],
mood: "weathered nautical instrument — patinated brass on oxidized steel, the cool blue-grey of a ship's chronometer at dawn",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets the muted teal-steel primary read as a precise instrument mark, with a warm brass accent providing the single point of patina against clinical white." },
{ id: "seed-163", oklch: [0.450, 0.086, 230.0],
mood: "deep harbor at dusk — weathered nautical instruments, brass dials on oxidized steel",
strategy: "Near-black background with subtle cool tint evokes the marine dusk; primary holds the seed's teal-blue while a warm brass accent creates the instrument-on-steel tension." },
{ id: "seed-164", oklch: [0.550, 0.105, 230.0],
mood: "deep harbor at dawn — cold steel water, fog-muted light, the quiet before the boats leave",
strategy: "Pure near-black bg lets the seed's cold marine blue read as a luminous beacon, while a pale frost-cyan accent evokes diffused dawn light cutting through fog." },
{ id: "seed-127", oklch: [0.650, 0.100, 230.0],
mood: "climate-tech dashboard — atmospheric sensor blue, calm operational clarity",
strategy: "Anchor the seed as a confident mid-blue primary on pure white so the brand color carries all the atmospheric feeling, with a deep navy accent for hierarchy and a soft slate muted for body text." },
{ id: "seed-128", oklch: [0.750, 0.080, 230.0],
mood: "climate-tech dashboard — calm atmospheric data, considered sky-blue",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets the muted sky-blue primary carry the meteorological calm, with a deep-navy accent providing readable weight against the soft primary." },
{ id: "seed-187", oklch: [0.350, 0.078, 240.0],
mood: "deep harbor at blue hour — wet stone, cold steel, the quiet before night fully lands",
strategy: "Near-black architectural bg with a hint of marine chroma lets the seed read as ambient atmosphere rather than UI chrome; a cooler steel accent sits opposite the warmer-shifted primary for navigational clarity." },
{ id: "seed-077", oklch: [0.578, 0.130, 241.7],
mood: "pre-dawn signal tower — cold blue solitude, instruments glowing against the dark",
strategy: "Pure near-black bg lets the seed's cold tower-light blue glow as the sole emotional source, with a frost-cyan accent acting as a secondary indicator light." },
{ id: "seed-188", oklch: [0.400, 0.110, 250.0],
mood: "Linear's considered indigo — the calm authority of a well-built developer tool, blueprint ink on a clean page",
strategy: "Held the seed as a deep indigo primary against pure white so the brand color carries all the gravity; accent shifts to a cooler, brighter cyan-blue to create a crisp hierarchy pair without warming the surface." },
{ id: "seed-165", oklch: [0.450, 0.123, 250.0],
mood: "blueprint room at dusk — drafting table, graphite, civic-engineering blue",
strategy: "Seed is a mid-deep architectural blue with real chroma and no environmental cue, so I stay out of the way with a pure white surface and let the primary do all the talking, pairing it with a burnt-ochre accent for drafting-pencil contrast." },
{ id: "seed-079", oklch: [0.478, 0.136, 251.8],
mood: "twilight cartography — the blue of deep dusk over open water, precise and navigational",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets the seed's oceanic blue act as a single navigational anchor, with a warm amber accent struck across it like a lighthouse beam at dusk." },
{ id: "seed-080", oklch: [0.541, 0.122, 248.2],
mood: "Linear-style considered tool blue — the calm, exact register of a modern engineering app where every pixel is intentional",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets the considered indigo-blue primary carry the entire brand; a deeper navy accent provides hierarchy without warmth, keeping the palette in a single cool family for that focused-software feel" },
{ id: "seed-166", oklch: [0.550, 0.149, 250.0],
mood: "pre-dawn flight deck — instrument glow against deep cobalt sky, precise and quietly intense",
strategy: "Near-black bg with the faintest cool tint reads like a darkened cockpit; the seed becomes a luminous instrument-blue primary, paired with a warm amber accent that mimics avionics readouts for unmistakable signal contrast." },
{ id: "seed-081", oklch: [0.650, 0.160, 250.0],
mood: "deep-sea research vessel at dawn — instrument glow against cold steel light",
strategy: "Pure near-white bg keeps the palette technical and instrument-like; the seed blue holds as primary while a desaturated steel-cyan accent reads like signal readouts on glass." },
{ id: "seed-082", oklch: [0.742, 0.140, 247.4],
mood: "high-altitude flight deck at dawn — cold cabin instruments glowing against a sky still holding night",
strategy: "Near-black cockpit ground with a faint blue cast lets the seed read as an illuminated instrument; primary holds the seed, accent shifts to cyan for signal/indicator contrast." },
{ id: "seed-210", oklch: [0.360, 0.140, 260.0],
mood: "Linear-style considered tool indigo — late-night focused work, the deep blue of a code editor at 2am where everything else falls away",
strategy: "Pure black bg lets the indigo primary carry all the cognitive-focus weight, with a slightly brighter periwinkle accent for interactive lift — the surface disappears so the tool feels weightless." },
{ id: "seed-189", oklch: [0.400, 0.130, 260.0],
mood: "pre-dawn observatory — cold instrument blue, star-chart precision",
strategy: "Seed becomes the primary on pure black so the deep instrument-blue glows like a calibration light, with a faint cyan accent reading as starlight against the void." },
{ id: "seed-211", oklch: [0.420, 0.161, 260.0],
mood: "Linear's considered indigo — the tool-for-thought blue of focused product work, calm authority without coldness",
strategy: "Hold the seed as a deep indigo primary against pure white, then pair with a slightly warmer, lighter periwinkle accent to create gentle hue separation without breaking the disciplined tool-brand register." },
{ id: "seed-129", oklch: [0.450, 0.150, 260.0],
mood: "pre-dawn observatory — deep cobalt sky just before astronomical twilight, instruments cool to the touch",
strategy: "Near-black surface lets the cobalt seed read as luminous starlight; a single warm amber accent acts as the calibration lamp against the cold blue field." },
{ id: "seed-084", oklch: [0.476, 0.207, 261.2],
mood: "pre-dawn flight deck — instrument glow against deep cobalt sky, precise and awake",
strategy: "Default B black bg lets the cobalt primary read as a luminous instrument signal, with a cyan accent striking the analogous 'cockpit display' relationship." },
{ id: "seed-085", oklch: [0.681, 0.132, 258.4],
mood: "pre-dawn flight deck — instrument glow against deep cobalt sky",
strategy: "Anchored the seed as a luminous primary against a near-black architectural ground, with a warm amber accent acting as the single instrument light cutting through cold blue." },
{ id: "seed-086", oklch: [0.767, 0.106, 255.9],
mood: "Scandinavian winter morning — quiet light through frost, pale sky over snow",
strategy: "Anchored a pure white editorial stage so the seed's cool sky-blue reads as crisp polar light, with a deeper navy primary providing the only saturated weight — like a single dark pine against snow." },
{ id: "seed-083", oklch: [0.340, 0.159, 262.4],
mood: "deep cobalt twilight — the moment after sunset when the sky goes electric blue and city windows start to glow",
strategy: "Pure black stage lets the cobalt seed act as a luminous neon-window glow, with a warm amber accent across the wheel for the lit-window contrast." },
{ id: "seed-212", oklch: [0.360, 0.219, 270.0],
mood: "Linear-grade tooling indigo — considered software for people who care about craft",
strategy: "Anchored the deep indigo seed as primary on a pure white surface so the brand color carries all the weight, with a slightly cooler violet-blue accent for hierarchy without competing chroma." },
{ id: "seed-130", oklch: [0.400, 0.150, 270.0],
mood: "Linear-grade indigo — considered productivity tool, ink on paper, no theatrics",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets a deep cool indigo carry all the brand weight, paired with a slightly warmer violet-blue accent for hierarchy without acid." },
{ id: "seed-213", oklch: [0.411, 0.241, 267.9],
mood: "Linear-style indigo — considered tool surface, the kind of blue-violet that sits behind a developer's keyboard at 11pm without shouting",
strategy: "Pure black canvas lets a saturated indigo primary do all the brand work, with a cooler cyan-violet accent providing UI signal without competing." },
{ id: "seed-131", oklch: [0.450, 0.180, 270.0],
mood: "monastic indigo dusk — vespers light through stained glass, contemplative and severe",
strategy: "Seed becomes a deep indigo primary against pure near-black so the violet reads as luminous stained-glass against architectural shadow, with a cooler iris accent for tonal lift." },
{ id: "seed-088", oklch: [0.476, 0.158, 268.5],
mood: "pre-dawn astronomer's notebook — deep indigo sky just before the stars fade, ink and graphite",
strategy: "Near-black bg with the faintest cool tint to evoke night sky without theatrics; primary holds the seed's indigo, accent shifts to a paler periwinkle for stellar contrast, keeping the palette monochromatic-cool and observational." },
{ id: "seed-196", oklch: [0.530, 0.130, 268.0],
mood: "Linear-style considered tool indigo — the deep-focus blue-violet of a thoughtfully built productivity surface, the color of a well-typeset keyboard shortcut",
strategy: "Pure white bg lets the indigo seed do all the brand work as primary, with a slightly darker, more saturated violet-shifted accent for hierarchy and interactive states — the surface disappears so the brand color reads as the entire identity." },
{ id: "seed-132", oklch: [0.700, 0.120, 270.0],
mood: "Linear-style considered tool indigo — the quiet violet of a focused product workspace, late-afternoon thinking",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets a muted indigo-violet primary and a slightly cooler accent do all the brand work, keeping the register calm and software-like rather than theatrical." },
{ id: "seed-090", oklch: [0.445, 0.206, 279.1],
mood: "Linear-style considered tool indigo — the violet of a focused product surface, not a nightclub",
strategy: "Anchor the seed as a confident product primary on pure white, with a cooler indigo-shift accent that reads as a sibling tool color, so the brand violet does all the emotional work." },
{ id: "seed-133", oklch: [0.500, 0.160, 280.0],
mood: "Linear-adjacent indigo — considered productivity tool, the violet of a thinking workspace",
strategy: "Seed becomes a measured indigo primary on pure white; accent shifts to a cooler blue-violet to create hierarchy without nightclub saturation, letting the brand color do all the emotional work." },
{ id: "seed-094", oklch: [0.533, 0.125, 294.3],
mood: "Linear-style considered tool indigo — the violet of a focused product surface, calm authority for a creative workspace",
strategy: "Pure white canvas lets the indigo-violet primary carry the entire brand voice; accent shifts hue slightly toward blue for a cool, tool-like duotone rather than warm decorative pairing." },
{ id: "seed-137", oklch: [0.700, 0.120, 290.0],
mood: "Linear-adjacent indigo — the considered tool, late-evening focus mode, software made for people who care about craft",
strategy: "Pure black surface lets a single restrained indigo-violet carry the brand, with a cooler periwinkle accent providing UI hierarchy without competing — Vercel/Linear dark-mode discipline." },
{ id: "seed-100", oklch: [0.450, 0.150, 330.0],
mood: "velvet boudoir at last call — bruised orchid and lipstick traces under low lamplight",
strategy: "Pure near-black surface lets a deep magenta-rose primary smolder while a warm peach accent acts like skin-lit lamplight — drama lives in the brand pair, not the room." },
{ id: "seed-103", oklch: [0.650, 0.160, 330.0],
mood: "1980s Memphis boudoir — powder-pink neon humming against lacquered black, lipstick and lacquer",
strategy: "Near-black gallery surface lets the magenta-pink seed read as lit neon; accent shifts to warm coral to create cinematic dichromatic tension without competing chroma." },
{ id: "seed-228", oklch: [0.360, 0.147, 340.0],
mood: "Figma-era creative tool plum — considered productivity software for designers, the inky violet of a serif wordmark on a marketing site",
strategy: "Held the seed as a deep plum primary against pure white so the brand color does the emotional work; paired with a muted rose accent for warmth without breaking the productivity-tool restraint." },
{ id: "seed-107", oklch: [0.500, 0.200, 340.0],
mood: "Figma plum — creative-tool confidence, considered magenta for a modern design product",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets a saturated magenta-plum primary carry all the brand voice, paired with a cooler violet-leaning accent for hierarchy without competing." },
{ id: "seed-198", oklch: [0.600, 0.210, 340.0],
mood: "Figma-era creative tool plum — confident, considered, made for makers",
strategy: "Anchor a saturated plum primary against pure white so the brand color does all the emotional work, with a deeper magenta-rose accent for hierarchy." },
{ id: "seed-112", oklch: [0.754, 0.193, 343.4],
mood: "Figma-era creative tool — confident pink primary doing the brand work on a clean canvas, the way Linear uses indigo or Stripe uses violet",
strategy: "Anchor the seed pink as a saturated brand primary on pure white so the color carries all the personality; pair with a cooler plum accent to give the pink something to push against without competing." },
{ id: "seed-229", oklch: [0.420, 0.163, 350.0],
mood: "considered fintech rose — the deep magenta of a modern product brand (think Stripe-adjacent, but rotated toward berry), confident and current",
strategy: "pure white surface lets a single deep berry-rose primary do all the brand work, paired with a cooler indigo accent for the contrast move you see in modern product marketing" },
{ id: "seed-113", oklch: [0.470, 0.173, 354.8],
mood: "1960s velvet rope nightclub — crushed magenta, low light, cigarette smoke catching a spotlight",
strategy: "Pure black stage so the seed's smoky magenta reads as a single hot spotlight, paired with a cooler violet accent for the second light cue." },
{ id: "seed-114", oklch: [0.570, 0.158, 353.3],
mood: "fin-de-siècle Parisian rose — velvet curtain, theatre program, lipstick blotted on linen",
strategy: "Drop bg to true black so the dusty-rose primary reads as stage-lit silk; accent shifts to a warmer coral-mauve at higher lightness to create gentle hue rotation without breaking the romance." },
{ id: "seed-199", oklch: [0.650, 0.180, 350.0],
mood: "modern fintech rose — the considered pink of a Series B brand mark, confident and current without nostalgia",
strategy: "Pure white surface lets a saturated rose primary do the brand work, paired with a deep plum accent for hierarchy — the Stripe move applied to a pink hue." },
{ id: "seed-115", oklch: [0.636, 0.218, 355.3],
mood: "backstage at a cabaret — velvet rope, lipstick mark on a champagne glass",
strategy: "Seed reads as a saturated stage-light magenta-red; I push it into pure black so the primary glows like a neon sign and the accent (a cold pearl-pink) acts as the spotlight rim — the room is dark, the color does the singing." },
{ id: "seed-230", oklch: [0.650, 0.249, 354.5],
mood: "Modern fintech rose — the considered pink of a contemporary payments brand: confident, alive, and clear-headed",
strategy: "Pure white bg lets a saturated rose-magenta primary carry all the brand energy, paired with a cooler indigo accent for trustworthy contrast — the Stripe move applied to a pink hue." },
{ id: "seed-231", oklch: [0.682, 0.241, 353.2],
mood: "Figma-era creative tool — a confident pink-magenta product brand, the kind a modern design platform uses to feel alive without shouting",
strategy: "Default A pure white bg lets the saturated pink-magenta primary do all the brand work, with a near-complementary cool teal accent for tool-like clarity and a neutral ink for editorial calm" },
{ id: "seed-116", oklch: [0.734, 0.183, 356.8],
mood: "modern beauty brand DTC — Glossier-adjacent pink, confident and current without being saccharine",
strategy: "Pure white surface so the rose-pink primary carries all the brand warmth, paired with a near-black ink and a desaturated mauve accent for editorial restraint." },
];
function parseArgs(argv) {
const args = { id: null, from: null };
for (let i = 0; i < argv.length; i++) {
const a = argv[i];
if (a === '--id' && argv[i + 1]) { args.id = argv[++i]; }
else if (a === '--from' && argv[i + 1]) { args.from = argv[++i]; }
}
return args;
}
// Hash a key into a stable float in [0, 1) for deterministic weighted picks.
function hashUnit(key) {
const h = crypto.createHash('sha256').update(key).digest();
return h.readUInt32BE(0) / 0x100000000;
}
// The curated library is hue-skewed (more reds/oranges than teals/magentas)
// because that's where the source material + taste landed. Left uniform, a
// random pick would land on red ~1/3 of the time. Inverse-frequency weighting
// gives each seed a weight of 1/(count in its 30° hue bucket), so each hue
// ZONE is roughly equally likely to be chosen regardless of how many seeds it
// holds — fair rainbow exposure across runs without pruning the library.
function buildWeights(seeds) {
const bucketCount = {};
const bucketOf = (s) => Math.floor(((s.oklch[2] % 360) + 360) % 360 / 30);
for (const s of seeds) { const b = bucketOf(s); bucketCount[b] = (bucketCount[b] || 0) + 1; }
const weights = seeds.map((s) => 1 / bucketCount[bucketOf(s)]);
const total = weights.reduce((a, b) => a + b, 0);
return { weights, total };
}
function weightedPick(seeds, unit) {
const { weights, total } = buildWeights(seeds);
let target = unit * total;
for (let i = 0; i < seeds.length; i++) {
target -= weights[i];
if (target < 0) return seeds[i];
}
return seeds[seeds.length - 1];
}
function pickSeed(seeds, { id, from }) {
if (id) {
const found = seeds.find(s => s.id === id);
if (!found) { console.error(`no seed with id "${id}"`); process.exit(2); }
return found;
}
const envFrom = process.env.IMPECCABLE_PALETTE_SEED;
const key = from || envFrom;
const unit = key ? hashUnit(key) : Math.random();
return weightedPick(seeds, unit);
}
function fmtOklch([L, C, H]) {
return `oklch(${L.toFixed(3)} ${C.toFixed(3)} ${H.toFixed(1)})`;
}
function hueWord(H) {
if (H < 15 || H >= 345) return 'pure red';
if (H < 35) return 'warm red / crimson';
if (H < 55) return 'warm coral / burnt orange';
if (H < 80) return 'orange / honey';
if (H < 105) return 'warm amber / honey-gold';
if (H < 135) return 'yellow-green / olive';
if (H < 170) return 'green';
if (H < 200) return 'teal';
if (H < 230) return 'sky blue';
if (H < 265) return 'cobalt / indigo';
if (H < 295) return 'violet / purple';
if (H < 330) return 'magenta / pink';
return 'deep pink / rose';
}
// ---------------------------------------------------------------
const args = parseArgs(process.argv.slice(2));
const seed = pickSeed(SEEDS, args);
const [L, C, H] = seed.oklch;
// The mood + strategy on each seed were derived by the model that
// originally judged it. We surface them as *hints*, not commands —
// the brief should still drive what the seed becomes.
const moodHint = seed.mood ? ` (one read: "${seed.mood}")` : '';
const strategyHint = seed.strategy ? `\n - one example strategy: ${seed.strategy}` : '';
// ---------------------------------------------------------------
// Fat tool-exit response — what the model sees on stdout.
// ---------------------------------------------------------------
process.stdout.write(`BRAND SEED · ${seed.id}
Seed color (anchor for your primary brand color):
${fmtOklch(seed.oklch)} ${hueWord(H)}${moodHint}
This is the brand's anchor a single beautiful color. Compose the rest of
the palette around it using YOUR judgment, the brief (PRODUCT.md /
DESIGN.md / the user's prompt), and the color-strategy guidance already in
SKILL.md.
How to use:
1. Read the brief. Write one specific phrase describing the mood this
product calls for. Be granular. Good: "1970s travel poster sun-baked
warmth, considered", "midnight jazz club smoky brass, saxophone
light", "Scandinavian winter morning quiet light through frost". Bad:
"modern and clean", "warm and inviting". The first lets you compose; the
second is generic and will produce generic palettes.
2. The seed's hue (${H.toFixed(0)}°) anchors your primary brand color. You
choose L and C to match the mood. The same hue can be deep-and-velvet,
bright-and-confident, or pale-and-faded pick the one the mood demands.
Primary's hue should stay within ±10° of the seed.${strategyHint}
3. Now compose the full palette in OKLCH (5 more roles):
bg the most important architectural choice.
CORE PRINCIPLE: the mood lives in the BRAND COLORS
(primary + accent) and typography, NOT in the surface.
Stripe is warm its purple does that, bg is pure
white. Linear is cool its blue does that, bg is
pure. Notion is warm its accents do that, bg is
near-pure-white. Putting warmth in BOTH primary AND
bg is the AI cliché.
DEFAULT A PURE white: exactly oklch(1.000 0.000 0).
Not 0.99, not chroma 0.002. Stripe / Notion / Apple
use literal #ffffff. Don't add hidden warmth.
Refs: Stripe, Notion, Linear (light), Apple.com,
Vercel docs, Figma marketing, Loom, Substack.
DEFAULT B PURE black/near-black: L 0.04-0.12,
chroma exactly 0.000. No hue tint. Vercel is
roughly oklch(0.08 0 0). Pick L for mood; C is 0.
Refs: Vercel, A24, Acne, Apple dark, MUBI.
ALT 2 TINTED: chroma 0.015-0.05.
Use ONLY when:
(a) the mood is EXPLICITLY environmental the surface
IS part of the brand (1920s lacquered interior,
leather library, ceramic studio, hotel lobby), or
(b) the seed itself is desaturated (chroma < 0.10) and
needs a tinted surface to read as a brand.
NOT for "feels warm" / "modern + warm" / "moody". If
your mood says "warm" but doesn't name a specific
environment, use PURE white and let primary carry
the warmth.
HEURISTIC: if seed chroma > 0.10 AND mood is product-
focused (not environment-focused), it's almost always
PURE white. Target distribution across many palettes:
~50% pure white, ~25% pure black, ~25% tinted.
surface bg pulled slightly toward ink (10-15% mix). Same hue
family as bg. Used for cards, panels, sections.
ink body text color. Must reach 7:1 contrast vs bg.
Can carry the brand hue at low chroma in light mode
(slight warmth or coolness toward the brand).
accent a SECOND brand color, distinct from primary in BOTH
hue AND lightness. Picked to complement the mood (not
default-complementary across the wheel). Used for
badges, status pills, links, accent rules.
muted secondary text. Ink pulled 40% toward bg, keeping ink's
hue. Must reach 3.5:1 contrast vs bg.
4. Pick a color STRATEGY (the four steps from SKILL.md):
Restrained: tinted neutrals + accent 10% product default
Committed: one saturated color carries 30-60% identity-driven
Full palette: 3-4 named roles each used deliberately brand work
Drenched: the surface IS the color campaign, hero, statement
The brief picks the strategy. A startup dashboard a perfume brand.
Hard rules (already in SKILL.md, recapped because the seed step is where
they actually bite):
- OKLCH only never hex. Never #RRGGBB.
- ink-vs-bg WCAG contrast 7 (body text must be readable)
- primary chroma 0.23 (above this, primary glows perceptually and
no text on it is readable acid-bright is a UI failure)
- if primary L > 0.78, primary chroma 0.18 (the fluorescent zone)
- primary-vs-accent contrast 1.7 (they must be visually distinct,
not two variants of the same hue at similar lightness)
- accent must carry readable text on a filled badge/pill: EITHER
saturated (chroma 0.10) OR clearly light (L 0.85) OR clearly
dark (L 0.30). Never a muddy mid-tone (L 0.45-0.72 + chroma < 0.10)
taupe/mushroom/dusty-grey accents read as weak and can't hold text
either way. Saturate it or push its lightness to a clear light/dark.
- avoid the saturated AI attractor zones: claude-beige (warm-cream bg
+ dusty brown primary), forest-green-on-cream, AI-purple-on-white,
navy-cream-with-orange-accent
TEXT-ON-COLOR FILLS pick by perceptual contrast, not just WCAG. The
rule applies to ANY element where text sits on a saturated color fill:
primary buttons, accent buttons, badges, status pills, tag highlights,
filled callouts. Don't only think "primary button" apply consistently.
For any saturated mid-luminance color (L between 0.42 and 0.78, chroma
0.08), use WHITE text (or near-white from your bg), not dark text even
if WCAG says dark technically passes. The Helmholtz-Kohlrausch effect
makes saturated colors appear brighter than their luminance suggests,
and dark text on a warm-or-cool-saturated fill reads as muddy.
Convention: Stripe orange CTAs, McDonald's red, every fintech orange
button, Vercel's filled badges, Linear's status pills all use white
text on saturated bg fills.
Dark text is correct only on PALE fills (L > 0.85) or PURE-NEUTRAL fills
(chroma near 0). Everything else: white text.
Return your composed palette in CSS custom properties using OKLCH, then
build with it. The seed is the start, not the recipe.
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