What color is #281B1C?

#281B1C is a very dark, grayish red, closest to the named color Dark Orchestra. It belongs to the black family of colors.

What is the RGB value of #281B1C?

The RGB value is 40, 27, 28: 40 red, 27 green and 28 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.

What is the complementary color of #281B1C?

The complementary color is #1B2827, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.

Is black or white text better on #281B1C?

White text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 1.26:1 and white text 16.62:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.

#281B1C color

#281B1C rgb(40, 27, 28)

Shades of black

The hex color #281B1C is a very dark, grayish red.

In the RGB color model it is made of 15.7% red, 10.6% green and 11% blue (40, 27, 28).

Its hue angle is 355°, with 19% saturation and 13% lightness. For print, the CMYK equivalent is 0% cyan, 33% magenta, 30% yellow and 84% black.

The closest named color is Dark Orchestra (#251B19), a difference of 2.8 ΔE, a small difference.

White text is the more readable choice on this background (contrast 16.62:1).

#281B1C color codes

HEX	`#281B1C`
RGB	`rgb(40, 27, 28)`
RGB percent	`rgb(15.7%, 10.6%, 11%)`
HSL	`hsl(355, 19%, 13%)`
HSV / HSB	`hsv(355, 33%, 16%)`
CMYK	`cmyk(0%, 33%, 30%, 84%)`
CIE LAB	`lab(11.41, 6.63, 1.83)`
CIE LCH	`lch(11.41, 6.88, 15.47)`
CIE XYZ	`xyz(1.477, 1.319, 1.275)`
Decimal	`2628380`
Short hex	`None (no 3-digit form)`

Color harmonies

Colors that go with #281B1C, 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 #281B1C	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	1.26:1	Fail	Fail	Fail
Sample text	16.62:1	Pass	Pass	Pass

#281B1C as text on	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	16.62:1	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 #281B1C looks to people with the most common types of color vision deficiency.

CSS examples

.background { background-color: #281b1c; }
.text { color: #281b1c; }
.border { border: 2px solid #281b1c; }
.transparent { background-color: rgb(40 27 28 / 50%); }
.gradient { background: linear-gradient(to right, #281b1c, #28211b); }

Background

Text color

Border

Similar colors

Questions

What color is #281B1C?: #281B1C is a very dark, grayish red, closest to the named color Dark Orchestra. It belongs to the black family of colors.
What is the RGB value of #281B1C?: The RGB value is 40, 27, 28: 40 red, 27 green and 28 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.
What is the complementary color of #281B1C?: The complementary color is #1B2827, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.
Is black or white text better on #281B1C?: White text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 1.26:1 and white text 16.62:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.