What color is #515257?

#515257 is a gray, closest to the named color Magnet. It belongs to the gray family of colors.

What is the RGB value of #515257?

The RGB value is 81, 82, 87: 81 red, 82 green and 87 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.

What is the complementary color of #515257?

The complementary color is #575651, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.

Is black or white text better on #515257?

White text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 2.69:1 and white text 7.79:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.

#515257 color

#515257 rgb(81, 82, 87)

Shades of gray

The hex color #515257 is a gray.

In the RGB color model it is made of 31.8% red, 32.2% green and 34.1% blue (81, 82, 87).

Its hue angle is 230°, with 4% saturation and 33% lightness. For print, the CMYK equivalent is 7% cyan, 6% magenta, 0% yellow and 66% black.

The closest named color is Magnet (#525054), a difference of 1.8 ΔE, which is barely visible.

White text is the more readable choice on this background (contrast 7.79:1).

#515257 color codes

HEX	`#515257`
RGB	`rgb(81, 82, 87)`
RGB percent	`rgb(31.8%, 32.2%, 34.1%)`
HSL	`hsl(230, 4%, 33%)`
HSV / HSB	`hsv(230, 7%, 34%)`
CMYK	`cmyk(7%, 6%, 0%, 66%)`
CIE LAB	`lab(34.95, 0.71, -3.06)`
CIE LCH	`lch(34.95, 3.14, 283.05)`
CIE XYZ	`xyz(8.131, 8.472, 10.222)`
Decimal	`5329495`
Short hex	`None (no 3-digit form)`

Color harmonies

Colors that go with #515257, 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 #515257	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	2.69:1	Fail	Fail	Fail
Sample text	7.79:1	Pass	Pass	Pass

#515257 as text on	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	7.79:1	Pass	Pass	Pass
Sample text	2.69:1	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 #515257 looks to people with the most common types of color vision deficiency.

CSS examples

.background { background-color: #515257; }
.text { color: #515257; }
.border { border: 2px solid #515257; }
.transparent { background-color: rgb(81 82 87 / 50%); }
.gradient { background: linear-gradient(to right, #515257, #535157); }

Background

Text color

Border

Similar colors

Closest common color name: Charcoal.

Questions

What color is #515257?: #515257 is a gray, closest to the named color Magnet. It belongs to the gray family of colors.
What is the RGB value of #515257?: The RGB value is 81, 82, 87: 81 red, 82 green and 87 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.
What is the complementary color of #515257?: The complementary color is #575651, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.
Is black or white text better on #515257?: White text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 2.69:1 and white text 7.79:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.