What color is #281D26?

#281D26 is a very dark, grayish magenta, closest to the named color Melanzane. It belongs to the black family of colors.

What is the RGB value of #281D26?

The RGB value is 40, 29, 38: 40 red, 29 green and 38 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.

What is the complementary color of #281D26?

The complementary color is #1D281F, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.

Is black or white text better on #281D26?

White text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 1.29:1 and white text 16.23:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.

#281D26 color

#281D26 rgb(40, 29, 38)

Shades of black

The hex color #281D26 is a very dark, grayish magenta.

In the RGB color model it is made of 15.7% red, 11.4% green and 14.9% blue (40, 29, 38).

Its hue angle is 311°, with 16% saturation and 14% lightness. For print, the CMYK equivalent is 0% cyan, 27% magenta, 5% yellow and 84% black.

The closest named color is Melanzane (#342931), a difference of 3.8 ΔE, a small difference.

White text is the more readable choice on this background (contrast 16.23:1).

#281D26 color codes

HEX	`#281D26`
RGB	`rgb(40, 29, 38)`
RGB percent	`rgb(15.7%, 11.4%, 14.9%)`
HSL	`hsl(311, 16%, 14%)`
HSV / HSB	`hsv(311, 28%, 16%)`
CMYK	`cmyk(0%, 27%, 5%, 84%)`
CIE LAB	`lab(12.41, 7.36, -4.04)`
CIE LCH	`lch(12.41, 8.39, 331.26)`
CIE XYZ	`xyz(1.664, 1.47, 2.029)`
Decimal	`2628902`
Short hex	`None (no 3-digit form)`

Color harmonies

Colors that go with #281D26, 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 #281D26	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	1.29:1	Fail	Fail	Fail
Sample text	16.23:1	Pass	Pass	Pass

#281D26 as text on	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	16.23:1	Pass	Pass	Pass
Sample text	1.29:1	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 #281D26 looks to people with the most common types of color vision deficiency.

CSS examples

.background { background-color: #281d26; }
.text { color: #281d26; }
.border { border: 2px solid #281d26; }
.transparent { background-color: rgb(40 29 38 / 50%); }
.gradient { background: linear-gradient(to right, #281d26, #281d21); }

Background

Text color

Border

Similar colors

Closest common color name: Licorice.

Questions

What color is #281D26?: #281D26 is a very dark, grayish magenta, closest to the named color Melanzane. It belongs to the black family of colors.
What is the RGB value of #281D26?: The RGB value is 40, 29, 38: 40 red, 29 green and 38 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.
What is the complementary color of #281D26?: The complementary color is #1D281F, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.
Is black or white text better on #281D26?: White text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 1.29:1 and white text 16.23:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.