@maestro-ai/cli 1.0.0

package/content/skills/frontend-design/color-system.md

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+# Color System Reference
+
+> Color theory principles, selection process, and decision-making guidelines.
+> **No memorized hex codes - learn to THINK about color.**
+
+---
+
+## 1. Color Theory Fundamentals
+
+### The Color Wheel
+
+```
+                    YELLOW
+                      │
+           Yellow-    │    Yellow-
+           Green      │    Orange
+              ╲       │       ╱
+               ╲      │      ╱
+    GREEN ─────────── ● ─────────── ORANGE
+               ╱      │      ╲
+              ╱       │       ╲
+           Blue-      │    Red-
+           Green      │    Orange
+                      │
+                     RED
+                      │
+                   PURPLE
+                  ╱       ╲
+             Blue-         Red-
+             Purple        Purple
+                  ╲       ╱
+                    BLUE
+```
+
+### Color Relationships
+
+| Scheme | How to Create | When to Use |
+|--------|---------------|-------------|
+| **Monochromatic** | Pick ONE hue, vary only lightness/saturation | Minimal, professional, cohesive |
+| **Analogous** | Pick 2-3 ADJACENT hues on wheel | Harmonious, calm, nature-inspired |
+| **Complementary** | Pick OPPOSITE hues on wheel | High contrast, vibrant, attention |
+| **Split-Complementary** | Base + 2 colors adjacent to complement | Dynamic but balanced |
+| **Triadic** | 3 hues EQUIDISTANT on wheel | Vibrant, playful, creative |
+
+### How to Choose a Scheme:
+1. **What's the project mood?** Calm → Analogous. Bold → Complementary.
+2. **How many colors needed?** Minimal → Monochromatic. Complex → Triadic.
+3. **Who's the audience?** Conservative → Monochromatic. Young → Triadic.
+
+---
+
+## 2. The 60-30-10 Rule
+
+### Distribution Principle
+```
+┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
+│                                                 │
+│     60% PRIMARY (Background, large areas)       │
+│     → Should be neutral or calming              │
+│     → Carries the overall tone                  │
+│                                                 │
+├────────────────────────────────────┬────────────┤
+│                                    │            │
+│   30% SECONDARY                    │ 10% ACCENT │
+│   (Cards, sections, headers)       │ (CTAs,     │
+│   → Supports without dominating    │ highlights)│
+│                                    │ → Draws    │
+│                                    │   attention│
+└────────────────────────────────────┴────────────┘
+```
+
+### Implementation Pattern
+```css
+:root {
+  /* 60% - Pick based on light/dark mode and mood */
+  --color-bg: /* neutral: white, off-white, or dark gray */
+  --color-surface: /* slightly different from bg */
+  
+  /* 30% - Pick based on brand or context */
+  --color-secondary: /* muted version of primary or neutral */
+  
+  /* 10% - Pick based on desired action/emotion */
+  --color-accent: /* vibrant, attention-grabbing */
+}
+```
+
+---
+
+## 3. Color Psychology - Meaning & Selection
+
+### How to Choose Based on Context
+
+| If Project Is... | Consider These Hues | Why |
+|------------------|---------------------|-----|
+| **Finance, Tech, Healthcare** | Blues, Teals | Trust, stability, calm |
+| **Eco, Wellness, Nature** | Greens, Earth tones | Growth, health, organic |
+| **Food, Energy, Youth** | Orange, Yellow, Warm | Appetite, excitement, warmth |
+| **Luxury, Beauty, Creative** | Deep Teal, Gold, Black | Sophistication, premium |
+| **Urgency, Sales, Alerts** | Red, Orange | Action, attention, passion |
+
+### Emotional Associations (For Decision Making)
+
+| Hue Family | Positive Associations | Cautions |
+|------------|----------------------|----------|
+| **Blue** | Trust, calm, professional | Can feel cold, corporate |
+| **Green** | Growth, nature, success | Can feel boring if overused |
+| **Red** | Passion, urgency, energy | High arousal, use sparingly |
+| **Orange** | Warmth, friendly, creative | Can feel cheap if saturated |
+| **Purple** | ⚠️ **BANNED** - AI overuses this! | Use Deep Teal/Maroon/Emerald instead |
+| **Yellow** | Optimism, attention, happy | Hard to read, use as accent |
+| **Black** | Elegance, power, modern | Can feel heavy |
+| **White** | Clean, minimal, open | Can feel sterile |
+
+### Selection Process:
+1. **What industry?** → Narrow to 2-3 hue families
+2. **What emotion?** → Pick primary hue
+3. **What contrast?** → Decide light vs dark mode
+4. **ASK USER** → Confirm before proceeding
+
+---
+
+## 4. Palette Generation Principles
+
+### From a Single Color (HSL Method)
+
+Instead of memorizing hex codes, learn to **manipulate HSL**:
+
+```
+HSL = Hue, Saturation, Lightness
+
+Hue (0-360): The color family
+  0/360 = Red
+  60 = Yellow
+  120 = Green
+  180 = Cyan
+  240 = Blue
+  300 = Purple
+
+Saturation (0-100%): Color intensity
+  Low = Muted, sophisticated
+  High = Vibrant, energetic
+
+Lightness (0-100%): Brightness
+  0% = Black
+  50% = Pure color
+  100% = White
+```
+
+### Generating a Full Palette
+
+Given ANY base color, create a scale:
+
+```
+Lightness Scale:
+  50  (lightest) → L: 97%
+  100            → L: 94%
+  200            → L: 86%
+  300            → L: 74%
+  400            → L: 66%
+  500 (base)     → L: 50-60%
+  600            → L: 48%
+  700            → L: 38%
+  800            → L: 30%
+  900 (darkest)  → L: 20%
+```
+
+### Saturation Adjustments
+
+| Context | Saturation Level |
+|---------|-----------------|
+| **Professional/Corporate** | Lower (40-60%) |
+| **Playful/Youth** | Higher (70-90%) |
+| **Dark Mode** | Reduce by 10-20% |
+| **Accessibility** | Ensure contrast, may need adjustment |
+
+---
+
+## 5. Context-Based Selection Guide
+
+### Instead of Copying Palettes, Follow This Process:
+
+**Step 1: Identify the Context**
+```
+What type of project?
+├── E-commerce → Need trust + urgency balance
+├── SaaS/Dashboard → Need low-fatigue, data focus
+├── Health/Wellness → Need calming, natural feel
+├── Luxury/Premium → Need understated elegance
+├── Creative/Portfolio → Need personality, memorable
+└── Other → ASK the user
+```
+
+**Step 2: Select Primary Hue Family**
+```
+Based on context, pick ONE:
+- Blue family (trust)
+- Green family (growth)
+- Warm family (energy)
+- Neutral family (elegant)
+- OR ask user preference
+```
+
+**Step 3: Decide Light/Dark Mode**
+```
+Consider:
+- User preference?
+- Industry standard?
+- Content type? (text-heavy = light preferred)
+- Time of use? (evening app = dark option)
+```
+
+**Step 4: Generate Palette Using Principles**
+- Use HSL manipulation
+- Follow 60-30-10 rule
+- Check contrast (WCAG)
+- Test with actual content
+
+---
+
+## 6. Dark Mode Principles
+
+### Key Rules (No Fixed Codes)
+
+1. **Never pure black** → Use very dark gray with slight hue
+2. **Never pure white text** → Use 87-92% lightness
+3. **Reduce saturation** → Vibrant colors strain eyes in dark mode
+4. **Elevation = brightness** → Higher elements slightly lighter
+
+### Contrast in Dark Mode
+
+```
+Background layers (darker → lighter as elevation increases):
+Layer 0 (base)    → Darkest
+Layer 1 (cards)   → Slightly lighter
+Layer 2 (modals)  → Even lighter
+Layer 3 (popups)  → Lightest dark
+```
+
+### Adapting Colors for Dark Mode
+
+| Light Mode | Dark Mode Adjustment |
+|------------|---------------------|
+| High saturation accent | Reduce saturation 10-20% |
+| Pure white background | Dark gray with brand hue tint |
+| Black text | Light gray (not pure white) |
+| Colorful backgrounds | Desaturated, darker versions |
+
+---
+
+## 7. Accessibility Guidelines
+
+### Contrast Requirements (WCAG)
+
+| Level | Normal Text | Large Text |
+|-------|-------------|------------|
+| AA (minimum) | 4.5:1 | 3:1 |
+| AAA (enhanced) | 7:1 | 4.5:1 |
+
+### How to Check Contrast
+
+1. **Convert colors to luminance**
+2. **Calculate ratio**: (lighter + 0.05) / (darker + 0.05)
+3. **Adjust until ratio meets requirement**
+
+### Safe Patterns
+
+| Use Case | Guideline |
+|----------|-----------|
+| **Text on light bg** | Use lightness 35% or less |
+| **Text on dark bg** | Use lightness 85% or more |
+| **Primary on white** | Ensure dark enough variant |
+| **Buttons** | High contrast between bg and text |
+
+---
+
+## 8. Color Selection Checklist
+
+Before finalizing any color choice, verify:
+
+- [ ] **Asked user preference?** (if not specified)
+- [ ] **Matches project context?** (industry, audience)
+- [ ] **Follows 60-30-10?** (proper distribution)
+- [ ] **WCAG compliant?** (contrast checked)
+- [ ] **Works in both modes?** (if dark mode needed)
+- [ ] **NOT your default/favorite?** (variety check)
+- [ ] **Different from last project?** (avoid repetition)
+
+---
+
+## 9. Anti-Patterns to Avoid
+
+### ❌ DON'T:
+- Copy the same hex codes every project
+- Default to purple/violet (AI tendency)
+- Default to dark mode + neon (AI tendency)
+- Use pure black (#000000) backgrounds
+- Use pure white (#FFFFFF) text on dark
+- Ignore user's industry context
+- Skip asking user preference
+
+### ✅ DO:
+- Generate fresh palette per project
+- Ask user about color preferences
+- Consider industry and audience
+- Use HSL for flexible manipulation
+- Test contrast and accessibility
+- Offer light AND dark options
+
+---
+
+> **Remember**: Colors are decisions, not defaults. Every project deserves thoughtful selection based on its unique context.