Color #2E2E2E Color / Colour Code #2E2E2E
This page shows the hex color code for color #2e2e2e (#2E2E2E). The colour is a red tone with 0% saturation and 18% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #2E2E2E against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#2E2E2E paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 330, 0, and 30 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 0, 120, and 240 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #2E2E2E
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 0 and saturation at 0%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 0 to 45 degrees create a warm, unified palette. This analogous scheme works for marketing materials, seasonal campaigns, and any design that needs visual warmth without clashing colors.
Combines the base color at hue 0 with its complement at 180 and two adjacent cool tones. This split-complementary approach provides strong visual contrast while remaining more balanced than a pure complementary scheme.
Five evenly spaced hues at 40% saturation and 80% lightness. Pastels are gentle on the eyes and work well for dashboards, onboarding screens, category tags, and any interface where multiple distinct colors are needed without visual aggression.
Shades & Tints of #2E2E2E
Lightness variations at hue 0 and 0% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #2E2E2E
Design Use Cases for #2E2E2E
Neutral Foundation Color
#2E2E2E has almost no saturation (0%), making it an excellent neutral. Use it for page backgrounds, card surfaces, divider lines, and any element that should recede visually. Neutrals like this form the foundation of every professional design system.
Deep Accent & Text Color
#2E2E2E at 18% lightness is dark enough for readable body text on light backgrounds while retaining its red character. Use for headings, emphasized text, or deep accent borders. It provides contrast without the harshness of pure black.
Urgency & Energy Signaling
#2E2E2E falls in the red spectrum (hue 0). Red triggers urgency and excitement, making it effective for sale badges, countdown timers, error messages, and "limited time" labels. In data visualization, use it to flag negative values or critical thresholds.
Gradient Pairing
Create a gradient from #2E2E2E (hue 0) to its complement at hue 180. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 30. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #2e2e2e, #2e2e2e);
CSS Code for #2E2E2E
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #2E2E2E based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #2E2E2E across image editing and color design tools.
About Color #2E2E2E (#2E2E2E)
#2E2E2E is a red color (colour) with RGB channel values of 46 red, 46 green, and 46 blue. The red channel is dominant with a relatively balanced channel distribution. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 0 degrees with 0% saturation and 18% lightness, placing it in the warm range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #2E2E2E is 46/255 using the ITU-R BT.601 luma formula (0.299R + 0.587G + 0.114B). This appears dark to the human eye, so pair it with light text for adequate readability. For print production, the CMYK equivalent is 0% cyan, 0% magenta, 0% yellow, and 82% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #2E2E2E against white is 13.58:1 and against black is 1.55:1. This exceeds the AAA requirement (7:1) for normal text on white, making it excellent for body text and small UI labels on light backgrounds.
The complementary colour #2E2E2E creates maximum visual tension when paired with #2E2E2E. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #2E2E2E and #2E2E2E, which sit 30 degrees on either side of the hue wheel. To build a complete design system, start with the monochromatic scale above for consistent shade variations, then add one complementary or triadic accent for interactive elements.
How to Explore Color #2E2E2E
- Enter your color value in HEX format.
- The tool converts it to RGB, HSL, CMYK format in real time.
- Copy the converted value to your clipboard.
What is HEX to RGB, HSL, CMYK color conversion
Converting from HEX to RGB, HSL, CMYK translates a color value between two different color models. Different color models are used in web design (HEX, RGB), print (CMYK), and color theory (HSL, HSV).
Related Tools & Colors
Frequently Asked Questions
- What color / colour is #2E2E2E?
- #2E2E2E is Color #2E2E2E, a red color (colour) with RGB(46, 46, 46), HSL(0, 0%, 18%), and CMYK(0%, 0%, 0%, 82%). Its perceived brightness is 46/255.
- Is #2E2E2E accessible for text?
- Against white, #2E2E2E has a contrast ratio of 13.58:1 (passes AA for normal text). Against black, it has 1.55:1 (fails AA). Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #2E2E2E?
- The complementary colour is #2E2E2E (hue 180). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #2E2E2E and #2E2E2E. The triadic palette adds #2E2E2E and #2E2E2E for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #2E2E2E in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #2e2e2e; or rgb(46, 46, 46); or hsl(0, 0%, 18%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 0 0% 18%; then use it as hsl(var(--color-primary)).
- Is this color / colour explorer free?
- Yes, completely free with no signup required. All colour calculations run in your browser. You can explore any valid hex color code, not just the pre-generated palette.