What color is #281217?

#281217 is a very dark, desaturated red, closest to the named color Black Cherry. It belongs to the black family of colors.

What is the RGB value of #281217?

The RGB value is 40, 18, 23: 40 red, 18 green and 23 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.

What is the complementary color of #281217?

The complementary color is #122823, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.

Is black or white text better on #281217?

White text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 1.19:1 and white text 17.66:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.

#281217 color

#281217 rgb(40, 18, 23)

Shades of black

The hex color #281217 is a very dark, desaturated red.

In the RGB color model it is made of 15.7% red, 7.1% green and 9% blue (40, 18, 23).

Its hue angle is 346°, with 38% saturation and 11% lightness. For print, the CMYK equivalent is 0% cyan, 55% magenta, 42% yellow and 84% black.

The closest named color is Black Cherry (#2C1620), a difference of 3 ΔE, a small difference.

White text is the more readable choice on this background (contrast 17.66:1).

#281217 color codes

HEX	`#281217`
RGB	`rgb(40, 18, 23)`
RGB percent	`rgb(15.7%, 7.1%, 9%)`
HSL	`hsl(346, 38%, 11%)`
HSV / HSB	`hsv(346, 55%, 16%)`
CMYK	`cmyk(0%, 55%, 42%, 84%)`
CIE LAB	`lab(8.53, 12.16, 1.44)`
CIE LCH	`lch(8.53, 12.25, 6.77)`
CIE XYZ	`xyz(1.246, 0.946, 0.927)`
Decimal	`2626071`
Short hex	`None (no 3-digit form)`

Color harmonies

Colors that go with #281217, 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 #281217	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	1.19:1	Fail	Fail	Fail
Sample text	17.66:1	Pass	Pass	Pass

#281217 as text on	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	17.66:1	Pass	Pass	Pass
Sample text	1.19:1	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 #281217 looks to people with the most common types of color vision deficiency.

CSS examples

.background { background-color: #281217; }
.text { color: #281217; }
.border { border: 2px solid #281217; }
.transparent { background-color: rgb(40 18 23 / 50%); }
.gradient { background: linear-gradient(to right, #281217, #281812); }

Background

Text color

Border

Similar colors

Closest common color name: Licorice.

Questions

What color is #281217?: #281217 is a very dark, desaturated red, closest to the named color Black Cherry. It belongs to the black family of colors.
What is the RGB value of #281217?: The RGB value is 40, 18, 23: 40 red, 18 green and 23 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.
What is the complementary color of #281217?: The complementary color is #122823, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.
Is black or white text better on #281217?: White text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 1.19:1 and white text 17.66:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.