Color #AB481D Color / Colour Code #AB481D
This page shows the hex color code for color #ab481d (#AB481D). The colour is a orange tone with 71% saturation and 39% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #AB481D against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#AB481D paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 348, 18, and 48 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 18, 138, and 258 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #AB481D
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 18 and saturation at 71%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 18 to 63 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 18 with its complement at 198 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 #AB481D
Lightness variations at hue 18 and 71% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #AB481D
Design Use Cases for #AB481D
Vibrant Brand Color
#AB481D has a strong 71% 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.
Primary Interface Color
At 39% lightness, #AB481D is in the mid-range, making it ideal for interactive elements like buttons, links, and selected states. This lightness level ensures good contrast against both light and dark adjacent elements in most layouts.
Warmth & Enthusiasm
#AB481D sits in the orange range (hue 18). Orange combines the energy of red with the warmth of yellow. It works naturally for progress indicators, pricing highlights, "new" badges, and friendly call-to-action buttons. Food and fitness brands frequently use this hue range.
Gradient Pairing
Create a gradient from #AB481D (hue 18) to its complement at hue 198. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 48. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #ab481d, #1d80aa);
CSS Code for #AB481D
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #AB481D based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #AB481D across image editing and color design tools.
About Color #AB481D (#AB481D)
#AB481D is a orange color (colour) with RGB channel values of 171 red, 72 green, and 29 blue. The red channel is dominant by a ratio of 5.9:1 over the weakest channel. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 18 degrees with 71% saturation and 39% lightness, placing it in the warm range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #AB481D is 97/255 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, 58% magenta, 83% yellow, and 33% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #AB481D against white is 5.71:1 and against black is 3.68:1. This meets the AA requirement (4.5:1) for normal text on white. For AAA compliance, consider darkening to at least 27% lightness.
The complementary colour #1D80AA creates maximum visual tension when paired with #AB481D. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #AA1D39 and #AA8E1D, 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 #AB481D
- 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 #AB481D?
- #AB481D is Color #AB481D, a orange color (colour) with RGB(171, 72, 29), HSL(18, 71%, 39%), and CMYK(0%, 58%, 83%, 33%). Its perceived brightness is 97/255.
- Is #AB481D accessible for text?
- Against white, #AB481D has a contrast ratio of 5.71:1 (passes AA for normal text). Against black, it has 3.68:1 (fails AA). Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #AB481D?
- The complementary colour is #1D80AA (hue 198). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #AA1D39 and #AA8E1D. The triadic palette adds #1DAA47 and #471DAA for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #AB481D in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #ab481d; or rgb(171, 72, 29); or hsl(18, 71%, 39%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 18 71% 39%; 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.