What color is #281A21?

#281A21 is a very dark, grayish rose, closest to the named color Bats Cloak. It belongs to the black family of colors.

What is the RGB value of #281A21?

The RGB value is 40, 26, 33: 40 red, 26 green and 33 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.

What is the complementary color of #281A21?

The complementary color is #1A2821, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.

Is black or white text better on #281A21?

White text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 1.26:1 and white text 16.67:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.

#281A21 color

#281A21 rgb(40, 26, 33)

Shades of black

The hex color #281A21 is a very dark, grayish rose.

In the RGB color model it is made of 15.7% red, 10.2% green and 12.9% blue (40, 26, 33).

Its hue angle is 330°, with 21% saturation and 13% lightness. For print, the CMYK equivalent is 0% cyan, 35% magenta, 18% yellow and 84% black.

The closest named color is Bats Cloak (#1F1518), a difference of 3.6 ΔE, a small difference.

White text is the more readable choice on this background (contrast 16.67:1).

#281A21 color codes

HEX	`#281A21`
RGB	`rgb(40, 26, 33)`
RGB percent	`rgb(15.7%, 10.2%, 12.9%)`
HSL	`hsl(330, 21%, 13%)`
HSV / HSB	`hsv(330, 35%, 16%)`
CMYK	`cmyk(0%, 35%, 18%, 84%)`
CIE LAB	`lab(11.27, 8.38, -2.06)`
CIE LCH	`lch(11.27, 8.63, 346.2)`
CIE XYZ	`xyz(1.519, 1.3, 1.609)`
Decimal	`2628129`
Short hex	`None (no 3-digit form)`

Color harmonies

Colors that go with #281A21, 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 #281A21	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	1.26:1	Fail	Fail	Fail
Sample text	16.67:1	Pass	Pass	Pass

#281A21 as text on	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	16.67:1	Pass	Pass	Pass
Sample text	1.26:1	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 #281A21 looks to people with the most common types of color vision deficiency.

CSS examples

.background { background-color: #281a21; }
.text { color: #281a21; }
.border { border: 2px solid #281a21; }
.transparent { background-color: rgb(40 26 33 / 50%); }
.gradient { background: linear-gradient(to right, #281a21, #281a1a); }

Background

Text color

Border

Similar colors

Closest common color name: Licorice.

Questions

What color is #281A21?: #281A21 is a very dark, grayish rose, closest to the named color Bats Cloak. It belongs to the black family of colors.
What is the RGB value of #281A21?: The RGB value is 40, 26, 33: 40 red, 26 green and 33 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.
What is the complementary color of #281A21?: The complementary color is #1A2821, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.
Is black or white text better on #281A21?: White text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 1.26:1 and white text 16.67:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.