Echoes Brand Identity

Visual identity and brand assets for Echoes - a multi-POV digital storytelling platform.

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Repository Structure
• Color System
• Typography
• Usage Guidelines
• Usage
• Development
• Development Status
• License

Overview

This repository contains the brand guidelines, color palettes, typography, and visual assets for the Echoes project.

Concept: "Echoes" represents the resonance between characters across different timelines - voices that echo through interconnected stories.

Tone: Literary yet accessible, with varying levels of intimacy depending on the narrative context.

Repository Structure

brand/
├── colors/
│   └── index.ts         # Color definitions (single source of truth)
├── typography/
│   └── index.ts         # Typography definitions (fonts, metadata)
├── exports/             # Generated exports (CSS, Tailwind, Figma, HTML)
├── scripts/
│   ├── export.ts        # Generate all exports
│   └── colors-check.ts  # Verify WCAG AA compliance
├── logo/                # Logo and wordmark variants (TODO)
└── guidelines.md        # Usage guidelines (TODO)

Color System

Source

All colors are defined in colors/index.ts and typography in typography/index.ts as single sources of truth. All exports are generated from these files.

Palettes

Neutral - GitHub-inspired neutral colors for UI elements

• Light mode: 50-300 for backgrounds, 600-950 for text
• Dark mode: 800-950 for backgrounds, 50-300 for text

Anima - Sage green / Soft teal

• Mood: Growth, support, tenderness
• Use: Reassuring, hopeful, organic growth themes

Eros - Deep red / Bordeaux

• Mood: Passion, intensity, rawness
• Use: Mature, carnal, direct themes

Bloom - Peach / Coral

• Mood: Blossoming, balance, discovery
• Use: Romantic with character, warm without being saccharine

Color Scales

All palettes use a Tailwind-inspired scale (50-950):

• 50-100: Lightest tints (backgrounds, subtle highlights)
• 200-400: Light variants (borders, hover states, disabled)
• 500: Base color (primary actions, brand identity)
• 600-800: Dark variants (text on light, active states)
• 900-950: Darkest shades (text, high contrast elements)

Export Formats

Generated in exports/:

• variables.css - CSS custom properties (colors + fonts)
• tailwind.config.cjs - Tailwind CSS preset
• figma-tokens.json - Figma design tokens
• index.html - Visual preview (deployed to GitHub Pages)

Usage Examples

CSS Variables:

.anima-card {
  background: var(--echoes-anima-50);
  color: var(--echoes-anima-900);
  font-family: var(--echoes-font-body);
}

.chapter-title {
  font-family: var(--echoes-font-heading);
}

Tailwind CSS:

<div className="bg-anima-50 text-anima-900">
  Anima timeline content
</div>

Direct from GitHub:

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/echoes-io/brand/main/exports/variables.css

Accessibility

All combinations meet WCAG AA standards (4.5:1 minimum contrast for normal text).

Test locally: npm run colors:check

Preview: https://echoes-io.github.io/brand/

Automated testing and deployment run on every push via GitHub Actions.

Development

Scripts

• npm run export - Generate all exports (colors + typography)
• npm run colors:check - Verify WCAG AA contrast ratios
• npm run lint - Run all linters

Workflow

1. Edit colors/index.ts or typography/index.ts
2. Run npm run export to build and verify
3. Commit and push to main
4. GitHub Actions will:
   • Run quality checks (lint, accessibility, build)
   • Release to NPM (semantic versioning)
   • Build and commit updated exports
   • Deploy preview to GitHub Pages

Typography

Typography choices prioritize readability for long-form content across devices:

• Headings: Crimson Text - Literary serif for distinctive, readable headings
• Body: Inter - Optimized for extended reading on mobile and desktop
• Monospace: JetBrains Mono - For CLI and code examples

All fonts are available via Google Fonts and exported as CSS variables, Tailwind classes, and Figma tokens.

Usage Guidelines

Color Palette Application

Anima - Growth & Support

Mood: Organic growth, reassurance, hope, tenderness
Narrative Context:

• Healing and recovery scenes
• Supportive relationships
• Nature and growth metaphors
• Hopeful, nurturing moments

Recommended Usage:

/* Primary actions in supportive contexts */
.support-button { background: var(--echoes-anima-500); }

/* Gentle backgrounds for positive content */
.growth-section { background: var(--echoes-anima-50); }

/* Success states and positive feedback */
.success-message { color: var(--echoes-anima-700); }

Eros - Passion & Intensity

Mood: Raw emotion, passion, intensity, vulnerability
Narrative Context:

• Intimate and romantic scenes
• Emotional confrontations
• Moments of vulnerability
• Mature, complex relationships

Recommended Usage:

/* Emphasis for emotional content */
.intense-moment { border-left: 4px solid var(--echoes-eros-500); }

/* Warning states and critical actions */
.critical-action { background: var(--echoes-eros-600); }

/* Highlighting passionate dialogue */
.emotional-quote { color: var(--echoes-eros-700); }

Bloom - Discovery & Balance

Mood: Romantic discovery, balanced growth, warm exploration
Narrative Context:

• New relationships forming
• Character development arcs
• Moments of realization
• Warm, authentic connections

Recommended Usage:

/* Warm call-to-actions */
.discover-button { background: var(--echoes-bloom-500); }

/* Highlighting new content */
.new-chapter { background: var(--echoes-bloom-100); }

/* Warm accent elements */
.connection-indicator { color: var(--echoes-bloom-600); }

Neutral - Foundation & Structure

Mood: Reliable, clean, literary foundation
Usage: UI elements, text, backgrounds, structural elements

Typography Guidelines

Heading Hierarchy

/* Main titles - Literary impact */
h1 { 
  font-family: var(--echoes-font-heading);
  font-weight: 700;
  font-size: 2.5rem;
}

/* Chapter/Section titles */
h2 { 
  font-family: var(--echoes-font-heading);
  font-weight: 600;
  font-size: 2rem;
}

/* Subsections */
h3 { 
  font-family: var(--echoes-font-heading);
  font-weight: 400;
  font-size: 1.5rem;
}

Body Text Best Practices

/* Long-form content */
.narrative-text {
  font-family: var(--echoes-font-body);
  font-size: 1rem;
  line-height: 1.6;
  max-width: 65ch; /* Optimal reading width */
}

/* UI text */
.interface-text {
  font-family: var(--echoes-font-body);
  font-size: 0.875rem;
  line-height: 1.5;
}

Color Combinations

Recommended Pairings

/* Anima + Neutral - Supportive interfaces */
.support-card {
  background: var(--echoes-anima-50);
  color: var(--echoes-neutral-800);
  border: 1px solid var(--echoes-anima-200);
}

/* Eros + Neutral - Intense moments */
.intense-card {
  background: var(--echoes-eros-50);
  color: var(--echoes-neutral-900);
  accent-color: var(--echoes-eros-600);
}

/* Bloom + Neutral - Warm discovery */
.discovery-card {
  background: var(--echoes-bloom-50);
  color: var(--echoes-neutral-800);
  border-left: 3px solid var(--echoes-bloom-500);
}

Dark Mode Adaptations

/* Dark backgrounds with light text */
.dark-theme {
  background: var(--echoes-neutral-900);
  color: var(--echoes-neutral-100);
}

/* Accent colors remain vibrant */
.dark-theme .anima-accent { color: var(--echoes-anima-400); }
.dark-theme .eros-accent { color: var(--echoes-eros-400); }
.dark-theme .bloom-accent { color: var(--echoes-bloom-400); }

Do's and Don'ts

✅ Do's

• Use Anima for supportive, growth-oriented content
• Use Eros sparingly for high-impact emotional moments
• Use Bloom for warm, discovery-focused interactions
• Maintain WCAG AA contrast ratios (automatically verified)
• Use Crimson Text for narrative headings to maintain literary feel
• Combine colors within the same emotional context

❌ Don'ts

• Don't mix conflicting moods (e.g., Eros + Anima in same component)
• Don't use Eros for general UI elements (too intense)
• Don't override font weights outside the defined range
• Don't use colors below 400 for text (insufficient contrast)
• Don't use more than 2 accent colors in a single interface
• Don't use Crimson Text for body text (readability issues)

Accessibility Guidelines

All color combinations are automatically tested for WCAG AA compliance:

npm run colors:check

Contrast Requirements Met:

• Normal text: 4.5:1 minimum
• Large text: 3:1 minimum
• UI components: 3:1 minimum

Additional Considerations:

• Provide text alternatives for color-coded information
• Test with color blindness simulators
• Ensure interactive elements have focus indicators
• Use semantic HTML with proper heading hierarchy

Platform-Specific Usage

Web Application

• Use CSS variables for dynamic theming
• Implement dark mode with neutral 800-950 backgrounds
• Apply color psychology to enhance narrative immersion

CLI Tools

# Use JetBrains Mono for all CLI output
# Color coding for different message types:
# Anima (green) - Success, growth, positive feedback
# Eros (red) - Errors, critical warnings
# Bloom (orange) - Warnings, discoveries, new features
# Neutral - Standard output, help text

Documentation

• Crimson Text for main headings to maintain literary brand
• Inter for body text to ensure readability
• Color-coded examples using appropriate palette moods

Logo & Wordmark

Visual identity based on the concept of "echoes" - resonance, repetition, and connection across timelines.

Variants:

• Full logo
• Icon only
• Wordmark

Usage

NPM Package

npm install @echoes-io/brand

import { colors, typography, metadata } from '@echoes-io/brand/colors';

// Use colors in your app
const animaColor = colors.anima[500]; // #2fc470
const headingFont = typography.heading.name; // "Crimson Text"

Direct from GitHub

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/echoes-io/brand/main/exports/variables.css

Brand assets are designed to be used across:

• Web application
• CLI tools
• Documentation
• Marketing materials

Development Status

✅ Phase 1: Complete

• [x] Color palette generation (Tailwind scale 50-950)
• [x] Typography system (Crimson Text, Inter, JetBrains Mono)
• [x] Unified export system (CSS vars, Tailwind config, Figma tokens, HTML preview)
• [x] Accessibility testing (WCAG AA compliance)
• [x] Automated CI/CD (lint, check, build, deploy)
• [x] NPM package publishing (semantic versioning)
• [x] Usage guidelines and best practices

🚧 Phase 2: In Progress

• [ ] Logo design and wordmark variants
• [ ] Examples and mockups

License

MIT