What color is #212121?

#212121 is a dark gray known as Lead. It belongs to the black family of colors.

What is the RGB value of Lead?

The RGB value is 33, 33, 33: 33 red, 33 green and 33 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.

What is the complementary color of Lead?

The complementary color is #212121, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.

Is black or white text better on #212121?

White text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 1.3:1 and white text 16.1:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.

Lead color: hex code #212121

#212121 rgb(33, 33, 33)

Shades of black

Lead has the hex code #212121. It is a dark gray.

In the RGB color model it is made of 12.9% red, 12.9% green and 12.9% blue (33, 33, 33).

Its hue angle is 0°, with 0% saturation and 13% lightness. For print, the CMYK equivalent is 0% cyan, 0% magenta, 0% yellow and 87% black.

White text is the more readable choice on this background (contrast 16.1:1).

Lead (#212121) color codes

HEX	`#212121`
RGB	`rgb(33, 33, 33)`
RGB percent	`rgb(12.9%, 12.9%, 12.9%)`
HSL	`hsl(0, 0%, 13%)`
HSV / HSB	`hsv(0, 0%, 13%)`
CMYK	`cmyk(0%, 0%, 0%, 87%)`
CIE LAB	`lab(12.74, 0, 0)`
CIE LCH	`lch(12.74, 0, 158.2)`
CIE XYZ	`xyz(1.446, 1.521, 1.656)`
Decimal	`2171169`
Short hex	`None (no 3-digit form)`

Color harmonies

Colors that go with Lead, 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 #212121	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	1.3:1	Fail	Fail	Fail
Sample text	16.1:1	Pass	Pass	Pass

#212121 as text on	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	16.1:1	Pass	Pass	Pass
Sample text	1.3:1	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 #212121 looks to people with the most common types of color vision deficiency.

CSS examples

.background { background-color: #212121; }
.text { color: #212121; }
.border { border: 2px solid #212121; }
.transparent { background-color: rgb(33 33 33 / 50%); }
.gradient { background: linear-gradient(to right, #212121, #212121); }

Background

Text color

Border

Similar colors

Closest common color name: Off Black.

See #212121 on its hex code page

Questions

What color is #212121?: #212121 is a dark gray known as Lead. It belongs to the black family of colors.
What is the RGB value of Lead?: The RGB value is 33, 33, 33: 33 red, 33 green and 33 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.
What is the complementary color of Lead?: The complementary color is #212121, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.
Is black or white text better on #212121?: White text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 1.3:1 and white text 16.1:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.