Tracefold brand guidelines
See what a code change will touch
Inside this guide
6 chapters, from the logo to how Tracefold looks in the world. Each page states one rule.
Brand
The name, the line, and how to use this guide.
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 4
Logo
The primary lockup, the space around it, and the versions to use.
02.1 Primary logo
The horizontal lockup. Use it wherever there is room for it.
Clear space
Keep at least x of empty space on every side of the logo, where x is half the height of the symbol.
Text, images and the edge of the page all stay outside this area.
Minimum size
Below these sizes the symbol starts to lose detail. Sizes are the height of the symbol.
Lockup: at least 20 px on screen, 6 mm in print. Symbol alone: at least 16 px or 5 mm.
Variations
Use the horizontal lockup by default and the stacked one in square or narrow spaces.
The symbol works alone where the name is already clear, such as app icons and avatars.
Colour versions
Misuse
- Do not stretch or squash it
- Do not rotate it
- Do not use colours outside the palette
- Do not add shadows, glows or outlines
- Do not place it on a low-contrast colour
- Do not change the typeface
Colour
The palette, the values, and which combinations to set type in.
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.
Colour values
- Primary
- HEX
- #0A1F32
- RGB
- 10, 31, 50
- HSL
- 209, 67%, 12%
- CMYK
- 80, 38, 0, 80
On surface 14.9:1 · AAA - Secondary
- HEX
- #D3D7DA
- RGB
- 211, 215, 218
- HSL
- 206, 9%, 84%
- CMYK
- 3, 1, 0, 15
On surface 1.3:1 · shapes only - Accent
- HEX
- #717D88
- RGB
- 113, 125, 136
- HSL
- 209, 9%, 49%
- CMYK
- 17, 8, 0, 47
On surface 3.7:1 · large text only - Surface
- HEX
- #F0F2F3
- RGB
- 240, 242, 243
- HSL
- 200, 11%, 95%
- CMYK
- 1, 0, 0, 5
Ink on it 14.9:1 · AAA - Ink
- HEX
- #0A1F32
- RGB
- 10, 31, 50
- HSL
- 209, 67%, 12%
- CMYK
- 80, 38, 0, 80
On surface 14.9:1 · AAA
Tints
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.
| Background | Primary | Secondary | Accent | Surface | Ink |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OnPrimaryon Primary | Same colour | Secondary on primary: 11.6 AAA | Accent on primary: 4.0 Large | Surface on primary: 14.9 AAA | Ink on primary: 1.0 ✕, fails |
| OnSecondaryon Secondary | Primary on secondary: 11.6 AAA | Same colour | Accent on secondary: 2.9 ✕, fails | Surface on secondary: 1.3 ✕, fails | Ink on secondary: 11.6 AAA |
| OnAccenton Accent | Primary on accent: 4.0 Large | Secondary on accent: 2.9 ✕, fails | Same colour | Surface on accent: 3.7 Large | Ink on accent: 4.0 Large |
| OnSurfaceon Surface | Primary on surface: 14.9 AAA | Secondary on surface: 1.3 ✕, fails | Accent on surface: 3.7 Large | Same colour | Ink on surface: 14.9 AAA |
| OnInkon Ink | Primary on ink: 1.0 ✕, fails | Secondary on ink: 11.6 AAA | Accent on ink: 4.0 Large | Surface on ink: 14.9 AAA | Same colour |
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Typography
The two typefaces and the sizes they are set at.
Space Grotesk
Space Grotesk sets the name, headlines and short display lines. Use it at Semibold with tight line spacing.
Inter
Inter is for paragraphs, captions, buttons and anything people read at length. Use it at Regular, with generous line spacing.
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.
Type scale
- DisplaySpace Grotesk 600 · 56/67
- See what a code change will touch
- HeadingSpace Grotesk 600 · 40/50
- Welcome to Tracefold
- SubheadingSpace Grotesk 600 · 28/32
- A short section heading
- BodyInter 400 · 16/24
- Body text at 16 px with 1.5 line spacing keeps long reads comfortable on any screen.
- CaptionInter 400 · 12/17
- Captions, labels and small print
Graphic elements
Icons, a pattern, and the photography to aim for.
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.
05.2 Pattern
Symbol upright on an offset grid, mirrored on alternate columns. For packaging, backgrounds and merchandise, never behind text.
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.
Applications
The identity on a screen, on paper, and in a place.
Campaign
Digital
In the world
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
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.