Color #C52028 Color / Colour Code #C52028
This page shows the hex color code for color #c52028 (#C52028). The colour is a red tone with 72% saturation and 45% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #C52028 against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#C52028 paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 327, 357, and 27 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 357, 117, and 237 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #C52028
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 357 and saturation at 72%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 357 to 42 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 357 with its complement at 177 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 #C52028
Lightness variations at hue 357 and 72% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #C52028
Design Use Cases for #C52028
Vibrant Brand Color
#C52028 has a strong 72% 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 45% lightness, #C52028 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.
Urgency & Energy Signaling
#C52028 falls in the red spectrum (hue 357). 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 #C52028 (hue 357) to its complement at hue 177. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 27. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #c52028, #20c5bd);
CSS Code for #C52028
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #C52028 based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #C52028 across image editing and color design tools.
About Color #C52028 (#C52028)
#C52028 is a red color (colour) with RGB channel values of 197 red, 32 green, and 40 blue. The red channel is dominant by a ratio of 6.2:1 over the weakest channel. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 357 degrees with 72% saturation and 45% lightness, placing it in the warm range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #C52028 is 82/255 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, 84% magenta, 80% yellow, and 23% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #C52028 against white is 5.82:1 and against black is 3.61:1. This meets the AA requirement (4.5:1) for normal text on white. For AAA compliance, consider darkening to at least 31% lightness.
The complementary colour #20C5BD creates maximum visual tension when paired with #C52028. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #C5207B and #C56A20, 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 #C52028
- 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 #C52028?
- #C52028 is Color #C52028, a red color (colour) with RGB(197, 32, 40), HSL(357, 72%, 45%), and CMYK(0%, 84%, 80%, 23%). Its perceived brightness is 82/255.
- Is #C52028 accessible for text?
- Against white, #C52028 has a contrast ratio of 5.82:1 (passes AA for normal text). Against black, it has 3.61:1 (fails AA). Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #C52028?
- The complementary colour is #20C5BD (hue 177). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #C5207B and #C56A20. The triadic palette adds #28C520 and #2028C5 for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #C52028 in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #c52028; or rgb(197, 32, 40); or hsl(357, 72%, 45%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 357 72% 45%; 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.