Guidelines for Selecting Colors for Diverging Schemes on Maps

AbstractAbstractResults from research on the consistent use of basic color names, on colors that look the same with impaired color vision, and on changes in color appearance caused by surrounding colors have application in cartography. These results are synthesized to recommend the following pairs of hues for use on thematic maps suited to diverging color schemes: red/blue, orange/blue, orange/purple, and yellow/purple. These recommendations are robust because they may be communicated verbally and require no particular color charts or color measurements for use. These color pairs will aid in producing maps of differences and of changes that can be read accurately by all map users.