as a graphic designer, the most legible color schemes are the ones with the highest contrast.
In subtractive color builds (papers, magazines or anything that uses colored ink to build an image) the most legible scheme is black text on white paper.
In additive builds (monitors, television, or anything that uses colored light to build an image) the most legible scheme is white text on a black screen/background. Some may debate that black on white is still the best, but I believe when it comes to additive color, this is the way to go.
Think of it like this: the text should be the darkest build, while the background that it sits on should be the absense of a build.
Since white (for additive/monitors) or #ffffff = 255,255,255 and black or #000000 = 0,0,0 then white text on black background makes the most sense.
For print(subtractive) the opposite is true. White is (in CMYK) 0,0,0,0 and a full black is either 0,0,0,100 or the full monty = 100,100,100,100.
Variations of this light text on dark background can fly, and be altered to taste/preference, but i think this works pretty well for anything using additive color builds.
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as a graphic designer, the most legible color schemes are the ones with the highest contrast. In subtractive color builds (papers, magazines or anything that uses colored ink to build an image) the most legible scheme is black text on white paper. In additive builds (monitors, television, or anything that uses colored light to build an image) the most legible scheme is white text on a black screen/background. Some may debate that black on white is still the best, but I believe when it comes to additive color, this is the way to go. Think of it like this: the text should be the darkest build, while the background that it sits on should be the absense of a build. Since white (for additive/monitors) or #ffffff = 255,255,255 and black or #000000 = 0,0,0 then white text on black background makes the most sense. For print(subtractive) the opposite is true. White is (in CMYK) 0,0,0,0 and a full black is either 0,0,0,100 or the full monty = 100,100,100,100. Variations of this light text on dark background can fly, and be altered to taste/preference, but i think this works pretty well for anything using additive color builds.