Color #42114B Color / Colour Code #42114B
This page shows the hex color code for color #42114b (#42114B). The colour is a purple tone with 63% saturation and 18% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #42114B against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#42114B paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 261, 291, and 321 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 291, 51, and 171 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #42114B
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 291 and saturation at 63%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 291 to 336 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 291 with its complement at 111 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 #42114B
Lightness variations at hue 291 and 63% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #42114B
Design Use Cases for #42114B
Vibrant Brand Color
#42114B has a strong 63% saturation that makes it ideal for brand identity elements. Use it for logos, primary call-to-action buttons, hero section accents, and marketing materials where visual impact matters. This saturation level is eye-catching without being harsh.
Deep Accent & Text Color
#42114B at 18% lightness is dark enough for readable body text on light backgrounds while retaining its purple character. Use for headings, emphasized text, or deep accent borders. It provides contrast without the harshness of pure black.
Creativity & Premium Positioning
#42114B falls in the purple spectrum (hue 291). Purple communicates creativity, wisdom, and luxury. It is effective for premium product highlights, creative portfolio accents, meditation app interfaces, and rewards program branding. Purple occupies a unique space between the energy of red and the calm of blue.
Gradient Pairing
Create a gradient from #42114B (hue 291) to its complement at hue 111. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 321. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #42114b, #1a4b11);
CSS Code for #42114B
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #42114B based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #42114B across image editing and color design tools.
About Color #42114B (#42114B)
#42114B is a purple color (colour) with RGB channel values of 66 red, 17 green, and 75 blue. The blue channel is dominant by a ratio of 4.4:1 over the weakest channel. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 291 degrees with 63% saturation and 18% lightness, placing it in the cool range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #42114B is 38/255 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 12% cyan, 77% magenta, 0% yellow, and 71% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #42114B against white is 14.86:1 and against black is 1.41:1. 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 #1A4B11 creates maximum visual tension when paired with #42114B. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #25114B and #4B1137, 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 #42114B
- 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 #42114B?
- #42114B is Color #42114B, a purple color (colour) with RGB(66, 17, 75), HSL(291, 63%, 18%), and CMYK(12%, 77%, 0%, 71%). Its perceived brightness is 38/255.
- Is #42114B accessible for text?
- Against white, #42114B has a contrast ratio of 14.86:1 (passes AA for normal text). Against black, it has 1.41:1 (fails AA). Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #42114B?
- The complementary colour is #1A4B11 (hue 111). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #25114B and #4B1137. The triadic palette adds #4B4211 and #114B42 for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #42114B in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #42114b; or rgb(66, 17, 75); or hsl(291, 63%, 18%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 291 63% 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.