What color is #383838?

#383838 is a dark gray known as Graphite. It belongs to the gray family of colors.

What is the RGB value of Graphite?

The RGB value is 56, 56, 56: 56 red, 56 green and 56 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.

What is the complementary color of Graphite?

The complementary color is #383838, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.

Is black or white text better on #383838?

White text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 1.79:1 and white text 11.73:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.

Graphite color: hex code #383838

#383838 rgb(56, 56, 56)

Shades of gray

Graphite has the hex code #383838. It is a dark gray.

In the RGB color model it is made of 22% red, 22% green and 22% blue (56, 56, 56).

Its hue angle is 0°, with 0% saturation and 22% lightness. For print, the CMYK equivalent is 0% cyan, 0% magenta, 0% yellow and 78% black.

This exact color is also called Lacquered Liquorice.

White text is the more readable choice on this background (contrast 11.73:1).

Graphite (#383838) color codes

HEX	`#383838`
RGB	`rgb(56, 56, 56)`
RGB percent	`rgb(22%, 22%, 22%)`
HSL	`hsl(0, 0%, 22%)`
HSV / HSB	`hsv(0, 0%, 22%)`
CMYK	`cmyk(0%, 0%, 0%, 78%)`
CIE LAB	`lab(23.52, 0, 0)`
CIE LCH	`lch(23.52, 0, 158.2)`
CIE XYZ	`xyz(3.759, 3.955, 4.306)`
Decimal	`3684408`
Short hex	`None (no 3-digit form)`

Color harmonies

Colors that go with Graphite, based on their position on the color wheel.

Complementary

The color opposite on the color wheel (180°). Strongest contrast.

Analogous

Neighbors 30° either side. Calm, natural combinations.

Split complementary

The two colors next to the complement (150° and 210°).

Triadic

Three colors evenly spaced, 120° apart.

Tetradic (square)

Four colors 90° apart.

Shades, tints and tones

Shades (darker, mixed with black)

Tints (lighter, mixed with white)

Tones (mixed with gray)

Contrast and accessibility

Text on #383838	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	1.79:1	Fail	Fail	Fail
Sample text	11.73:1	Pass	Pass	Pass

#383838 as text on	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	11.73:1	Pass	Pass	Pass
Sample text	1.79:1	Fail	Fail	Fail

WCAG 2 asks for 4.5:1 for normal text (AA), 7:1 for AAA, and 3:1 for large text. Check other pairs.

Color blindness simulation

How #383838 looks to people with the most common types of color vision deficiency.

CSS examples

.background { background-color: #383838; }
.text { color: #383838; }
.border { border: 2px solid #383838; }
.transparent { background-color: rgb(56 56 56 / 50%); }
.gradient { background: linear-gradient(to right, #383838, #383838); }

Background

Text color

Border

Similar colors

See #383838 on its hex code page

Questions

What color is #383838?: #383838 is a dark gray known as Graphite. It belongs to the gray family of colors.
What is the RGB value of Graphite?: The RGB value is 56, 56, 56: 56 red, 56 green and 56 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.
What is the complementary color of Graphite?: The complementary color is #383838, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.
Is black or white text better on #383838?: White text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 1.79:1 and white text 11.73:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.