Is there a way to force some contrast between two colors (like background color and foreground color)?

Here is a routine that will let you do this. The code below uses the routine from our previous faq how to translate a HSB color to RGB color.

[C#]
		/// <summary>
		/// Adjusts the specified Fore Color’s brightness based on the specified back color and preferred contrast.
		/// </summary>
		/// <param name="foreColor">The fore Color to adjust.
		/// <param name="backColor">The back Color for reference.
		/// <param name="prefContrastLevel">Preferred contrast level.
		/// <remarks>
		/// This method checks if the current contrast in brightness between the 2 colors is 
		/// less than the specified contrast level. If so, it brigtens or darkens the fore color appropriately.
		/// </remarks>
		public static void AdjustForeColorBrightnessForBackColor(ref Color foreColor, Color backColor, float prefContrastLevel)
		{
			float fBrightness = foreColor.GetBrightness();
			float bBrightness = backColor.GetBrightness();

			float curContrast = fBrightness - bBrightness;
			float delta = prefContrastLevel - (float)Math.Abs(curContrast);

			if((float)Math.Abs(curContrast) < prefContrastLevel)
			{
				if(bBrightness < 0.5f)
				{
					fBrightness = bBrightness + prefContrastLevel;
					if(fBrightness > 1.0f)
						fBrightness = 1.0f;
				}
				else
				{
					fBrightness = bBrightness - prefContrastLevel;
					if(fBrightness < 0.0f)
						fBrightness = 0.0f;
				}

				float newr, newg, newb;
				ConvertHSBToRGB(foreColor.GetHue(), foreColor.GetSaturation(), fBrightness, out newr, out newg, out newb);

				foreColor = Color.FromArgb(foreColor.A, (int)Math.Floor(newr * 255f),
					(int)Math.Floor(newg * 255f),
					(int)Math.Floor(newb * 255f));
			}
		}
[VB.Net]
   ’/ <summary>
   ’/ Adjusts the specified Fore Color’s brightness based on the specified back color and preferred contrast.
   ’/ </summary>
   ’/ <param name="foreColor">The fore Color to adjust.
   ’/ <param name="backColor">The back Color for reference.
   ’/ <param name="prefContrastLevel">Preferred contrast level.
   ’/ <remarks>
   ’/ This method checks if the current contrast in brightness between the 2 colors is 
   ’/ less than the specified contrast level. If so, it brigtens or darkens the fore color appropriately.
   ’/ </remarks>
   Public Shared Sub AdjustForeColorBrightnessForBackColor(ByRef foreColor As Color, backColor As Color, prefContrastLevel As Single)
      Dim fBrightness As Single = foreColor.GetBrightness()
      Dim bBrightness As Single = backColor.GetBrightness()
      
      Dim curContrast As Single = fBrightness - bBrightness
      Dim delta As Single = prefContrastLevel - System.Convert.ToSingle(Math.Abs(curContrast))
      
      If System.Convert.ToSingle(Math.Abs(curContrast)) < prefContrastLevel Then
         If bBrightness < 0.5F Then
            fBrightness = bBrightness + prefContrastLevel
            If fBrightness > 1F Then
               fBrightness = 1F
            End If
         Else
            fBrightness = bBrightness - prefContrastLevel
            If fBrightness < 0F Then
               fBrightness = 0F
            End If
         End If 
         Dim newr, newg, newb As Single
         ConvertHSBToRGB(foreColor.GetHue(), foreColor.GetSaturation(), fBrightness, newr, newg, newb)
         
         foreColor = Color.FromArgb(foreColor.A, Fix(Math.Floor((newr * 255F))), Fix(Math.Floor((newg * 255F))), Fix(Math.Floor((newb * 255F))))
      End If
   End Sub ’AdjustForeColorBrightnessForBackColor