logocene

Tracefold brand guidelines

TypeAI pick
Space Grotesk / Inter
ColourAI pick
tracefold-2.
flat screen monitor turned near MacBook Air turned on on white wooden table
Brand guidelinesVersion 1.0
Tracefold

See what a code change will touch

Tech
TracefoldChapter 01

Brand

The name, the line, and how to use this guide.

01.1 Overview

About Tracefold

This guide sets out how the Tracefold identity works: the logo, colour, typography and how they come together.

Follow it and everything, from a business card to a website, looks like it came from the same place.

Start with the logo, then colour and type, before any layout.

See what a code change will touch

Name
Tracefold
Category
Tech
Typefaces
Space Grotesk and Inter
Palette
Tracefold 2
TracefoldChapter 03

Colour

The palette, the values, and which combinations to set type in.

03.1 Colour

Palette

Five colours, used in roughly these proportions. Surface sets the page, primary carries the brand, ink is for text, and secondary and accent support and highlight.

Surface
#F0F7FF
38%
Primary
#0972FE
24%
Ink
#0A1F33
14%
Secondary
#D3E6FF
13%
Accent
#0972FE
11%
03.2 Colour

Colour values

Use HEX or RGB on screen. CMYK values are approximate conversions: print colour depends on the press and the paper, so ask your printer for a proof.
  • Primary
    HEX
    #0972FE
    RGB
    9, 114, 254
    HSL
    214, 99%, 52%
    CMYK
    96, 55, 0, 0
    On surface 4.0:1 · large text only
  • Secondary
    HEX
    #D3E6FF
    RGB
    211, 230, 255
    HSL
    214, 100%, 91%
    CMYK
    17, 10, 0, 0
    On surface 1.2:1 · shapes only
  • Accent
    HEX
    #0972FE
    RGB
    9, 114, 254
    HSL
    214, 99%, 52%
    CMYK
    96, 55, 0, 0
    On surface 4.0:1 · large text only
  • Surface
    HEX
    #F0F7FF
    RGB
    240, 247, 255
    HSL
    212, 100%, 97%
    CMYK
    6, 3, 0, 0
    Ink on it 15.5:1 · AAA
  • Ink
    HEX
    #0A1F33
    RGB
    10, 31, 51
    HSL
    209, 67%, 12%
    CMYK
    80, 39, 0, 80
    On surface 15.5:1 · AAA

03.3 Colour

Tints

Tints mix each colour toward white, for backgrounds, borders and charts. Shades, on the rows below, mix toward black and stop short of it. Keep text on a step that passes contrast.
Primary
100#0972FE
80#4B92FF
60#7AAFFF
40#A6CAFF
20#D2E5FF
10#E9F2FF
Secondary
100#D3E6FF
80#DCEBFF
60#E5F0FF
40#EDF5FF
20#F6FAFF
10#FBFDFF
Accent
100#0972FE
80#4B92FF
60#7AAFFF
40#A6CAFF
20#D2E5FF
10#E9F2FF
Surface
100#F0F7FF
80#F3F9FF
60#F6FAFF
40#F9FCFF
20#FCFDFF
10#FDFEFF
Ink
100#0A1F33
80#354658
60#62707F
40#949EA8
20#C8CDD3
10#E3E6E9
Ink shade
100#0A1F33
80#091C2F
60#07192B
40#061627
20#051322
10#04101D
Primary shade
100#0972FE
80#0660D9
60#044FB6
40#033F94
20#012E71
10#011B48
03.4 Colour

Colour pairings

Body text needs a contrast of at least 4.5:1 (AA). Large headings, 24 px and up, can go down to 3:1.

Pairs marked ✕ are for shapes and decoration only, never for text.

Contrast of each palette colour as text (columns) on each palette colour as background (rows)
BackgroundPrimarySecondaryAccentSurfaceInk
OnPrimarySame colour
Secondary on primary: 3.4
Accent on primary: 1.0 , fails
Surface on primary: 4.0
Ink on primary: 3.9
OnSecondary
Primary on secondary: 3.4
Same colour
Accent on secondary: 3.4
Surface on secondary: 1.2 , fails
Ink on secondary: 13.2
OnAccent
Primary on accent: 1.0 , fails
Secondary on accent: 3.4
Same colour
Surface on accent: 4.0
Ink on accent: 3.9
OnSurface
Primary on surface: 4.0
Secondary on surface: 1.2 , fails
Accent on surface: 4.0
Same colour
Ink on surface: 15.5
OnInk
Primary on ink: 3.9
Secondary on ink: 13.2
Accent on ink: 3.9
Surface on ink: 15.5
Same colour

Swipe for more

TracefoldChapter 04

Typography

The two typefaces and the sizes they are set at.

04.1 Headings

Space Grotesk

Space Grotesk sets the name, headlines and short display lines. Use it at Semibold with tight line spacing.

Space Grotesk on Google Fonts (opens in a new tab)

SIL Open Font License 1.1. Free for commercial use, including in logos, apps and print.
Semibold 600
04.2 Text

Inter

Inter is for paragraphs, captions, buttons and anything people read at length. Use it at Regular, with generous line spacing.

Inter on Google Fonts (opens in a new tab)

SIL Open Font License 1.1. Free for commercial use, including in logos, apps and print.
Regular 400

See what a code change will touch. Tracefold writes in Inter: clear, even and easy to read, from the first line of a website to the small print on a receipt.

04.3 Typography

Type scale

Five sizes cover almost everything. Each step is roughly 1.4 times the one below it; do not add sizes in between.
Display
Space Grotesk 600 · 56/67
See what a code change will touch
Heading
Space Grotesk 600 · 40/50
Welcome to Tracefold
Subheading
Space Grotesk 600 · 28/32
A short section heading
Body
Inter 400 · 16/24
Body text at 16 px with 1.5 line spacing keeps long reads comfortable on any screen.
Caption
Inter 400 · 12/17
Captions, labels and small print
TracefoldChapter 05

Graphic elements

Icons, a pattern, and the photography to aim for.

05.1 Graphic elements

App icon and avatar

Where space is small and square, use the symbol alone. On app icons it sits on primary at a little over half the icon width; on avatars and profile pictures, on surface.

iOS · 1024 px
Android · adaptive
Avatar · 400 px
Tracefold
tracefold.com
Favicon · 32 and 16 px

05.2 Pattern

Symbol upright on an offset grid, mirrored on alternate columns. For packaging, backgrounds and merchandise, never behind text.

05.3 Graphic elements

Imagery

Natural light, real places and real people. Keep rooms neutral and let brand colour appear on one object or a single overlay.

Photos here are samples from Unsplash, to show the direction.

TracefoldChapter 06

Applications

The identity on a screen, on paper, and in a place.

Campaign

MacBook Air beside gold-colored study lamp and spiral books
Tracefold
Campaign · photography
06.2 Applications

Digital

On screen the logo sits in the corner, small, and the brand colour is reserved for one action.
Website · 1440 desktop
Instagram post · 1080 × 1350
06.3 Applications

Print

In print, keep the clear space and stay above the minimum size. The card is 85 × 55 mm; the letterhead is A4.
Business card · 85 × 55 mm
Letterhead · A4
06.4 Applications

In the world

Outdoors and on a product, the logo is one element among the photograph. The room stays neutral.
Poster · in situ
Label · packaging
Your turn

Make one like this

This is an example brand. Describe your business to explore nine logo concepts, each with colours, fonts and a guide like this one. Your first watermarked preview is free; download credits start at $9.99 for 10.

  • Logo symbolSVG in colour, black and white
  • Logo symbolPNG at 512, 1024 and 2048 px
  • palette.json, palette.cssThe five colours as code
  • FONTS.txtBoth typefaces, with links
  • LICENSE.txtCommercial use for your brand
Make mine like this

Sample photos by Piotr Wilk, Arnel Hasanovic, Shpëtim Ujkani, Ellie Ellien, Hannes Köttner, Sebastian Schuster, LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash. Not included in the download.