# IBM gradient

Gradients derived from IBM's published colour tokens (nominative use; no brand assets). Deterministic: the same values are served as `--brand-gradient*` in the brand's brand.css.

- Page: https://brandsweets.com/gradients/brands/ibm-com
- Brand colors: https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/ibm-com · Brand page: https://brandsweets.com/b/ibm-com
- Palette: primary #161616, secondary #0f62fe, accents #0062fe
- Source: https://ibm.com (extracted 2026-09-02)

## Brand gradient

- CSS: `linear-gradient(135deg in oklab, #161616 0%, #0f62fe 100%)`
- Tailwind: `bg-linear-to-br/oklab from-[#161616] to-[#0f62fe]`
- Contrast (worst point): white 5.00:1 AA · black 1.16:1 fail · banding medium
- Maker: https://brandsweets.com/gradients/new/v1.161616-0f62fe?a=135

## Hero background

Chroma ×0.35 so it can carry text; ink white (inkFor at the midpoint). Passes AA for that ink at the worst point (4.75:1) without adjusting L.

- CSS: `linear-gradient(135deg in oklab, #161616 0%, #5873a6 100%)`
- Tailwind: `bg-linear-to-br/oklab from-[#161616] to-[#5873a6]`
- Contrast (worst point): white 4.75:1 AA · black 1.16:1 fail · banding medium · ink #ffffff
- Maker: https://brandsweets.com/gradients/new/v1.161616-5873a6?a=135

## Button / CTA

ΔL 0.08 top→bottom in the primary's hue (a lit surface, not a rainbow); hover L +0.03, active L −0.03. White ink passes AA on the surface and both states (worst 15.13:1).

- CSS: `linear-gradient(180deg in oklch shorter hue, #1f1f1f 0%, #0d0d0d 100%)`
- Tailwind: `bg-linear-to-b/oklch from-[#1f1f1f] to-[#0d0d0d]`
- Contrast (worst point): white 16.48:1 AA · black 1.08:1 fail · banding high · ink #ffffff
- Maker: https://brandsweets.com/gradients/new/v1.1f1f1f-0d0d0d?a=180&in=oklch&hue=shorter
- Hover: `linear-gradient(180deg in oklch shorter hue, #262626 0%, #141414 100%)`
- Active: `linear-gradient(180deg in oklch shorter hue, #181818 0%, #070707 100%)`

## Tonal ramp

- CSS: `linear-gradient(135deg in oklch shorter hue, #424242 0%, #161616 50%, #000000 100%)`
- Tailwind: `bg-linear-to-br/oklch from-[#424242] via-[#161616] to-[#000000]`
- Contrast (worst point): white 10.05:1 AA · black 1.00:1 fail · banding medium
- Maker: https://brandsweets.com/gradients/new/v1.424242-161616-000000?a=135&in=oklch&hue=shorter

## Analogous

Primary #161616 is achromatic — harmony rotates #0f62fe instead. Partner hue from the analogous rule at the source colour's lightness.

- CSS: `linear-gradient(135deg in oklab, #0f62fe 0%, #047eaa 100%)`
- Tailwind: `bg-linear-to-br/oklab from-[#0f62fe] to-[#047eaa]`
- Contrast (worst point): white 4.58:1 AA · black 4.18:1 AA-large · banding high
- Maker: https://brandsweets.com/gradients/new/v1.0f62fe-047eaa?a=135

## Complementary

Primary #161616 is achromatic — harmony rotates #0f62fe instead. Partner hue from the complementary rule at the source colour's lightness. ΔH 180° > 140° — interpolating in oklch (shorter hue) keeps the midpoint saturated.

- CSS: `linear-gradient(135deg in oklch shorter hue, #0f62fe 0%, #946b03 100%)`
- Tailwind: `bg-linear-to-br/oklch from-[#0f62fe] to-[#946b03]`
- Contrast (worst point): white 4.81:1 AA · black 3.97:1 AA-large · banding medium
- Maker: https://brandsweets.com/gradients/new/v1.0f62fe-946b03?a=135&in=oklch&hue=shorter

## Triadic

Primary #161616 is achromatic — harmony rotates #0f62fe instead. Partner hue from the triadic rule at the source colour's lightness.

- CSS: `linear-gradient(135deg in oklab, #0f62fe 0%, #d70531 100%)`
- Tailwind: `bg-linear-to-br/oklab from-[#0f62fe] to-[#d70531]`
- Contrast (worst point): white 4.93:1 AA · black 3.94:1 AA-large · banding medium
- Maker: https://brandsweets.com/gradients/new/v1.0f62fe-d70531?a=135

## CSS custom properties (brand.css)

```css
:root {
  /* Brand gradient (derived) */
  /* worst-case contrast: white 5.00:1 AA, black 1.16:1 */
  --brand-gradient: linear-gradient(135deg in oklab, #161616 0%, #0f62fe 100%);
  /* hero — worst-case contrast: white 4.75:1 AA, black 1.16:1; ink passes AA at the worst point */
  --brand-gradient-hero: linear-gradient(135deg in oklab, #161616 0%, #5873a6 100%);
  --brand-gradient-hero-ink: #ffffff;
  /* button — worst-case contrast: white 16.48:1 AA, black 1.08:1 */
  --brand-gradient-button: linear-gradient(180deg in oklch shorter hue, #1f1f1f 0%, #0d0d0d 100%);
  --brand-gradient-button-hover: linear-gradient(180deg in oklch shorter hue, #262626 0%, #141414 100%);
  --brand-gradient-button-active: linear-gradient(180deg in oklch shorter hue, #181818 0%, #070707 100%);
  --brand-gradient-button-ink: #ffffff;
}
```

## Gradient maker

Every maker URL is the gradient's state: `/gradients/new/v1.<hex>-<hex>[_pos]?a=135&in=oklch&hue=shorter&e=soft&g=8`. Hand one to a human, let them refine, and read the link they return.

## Connect an agent

Point any MCP client at the BrandSweets gradients endpoint for the same engine and corpus:

- Endpoint: https://mcp.brandsweets.com/gradients/mcp
- Tools: `make_gradient` (2–5 colours → CSS with the interpolation space, Tailwind v4, SVG, PNG URL, DTCG token + the contrast/banding/gamut report), `brand_gradients` (brand slug or palette → brand gradient, hero, button, variants).
- Resource: `gradients://corpus` — the whole bundled corpus as JSON.