Color #CD503D Color / Colour Code #CD503D
This page shows the hex color code for color #cd503d (#CD503D). The colour is a red tone with 59% saturation and 52% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #CD503D against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#CD503D paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 338, 8, and 38 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 8, 128, and 248 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #CD503D
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 8 and saturation at 59%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 8 to 53 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 8 with its complement at 188 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 #CD503D
Lightness variations at hue 8 and 59% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #CD503D
Design Use Cases for #CD503D
Balanced UI Color
At 59% saturation, #CD503D strikes a balance between vibrancy and restraint. This makes it versatile for primary UI elements like navigation bars, card headers, and form accents. It draws attention without overwhelming adjacent content.
Soft Accent & Highlight
With 52% lightness, #CD503D has a softer, more approachable quality. It works well for hover states, subtle highlights, progress indicators, and secondary UI elements. This lightness range is particularly effective for tag backgrounds and status indicators.
Urgency & Energy Signaling
#CD503D falls in the red spectrum (hue 8). 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 #CD503D (hue 8) to its complement at hue 188. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 38. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #cd503d, #3cbacd);
CSS Code for #CD503D
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #CD503D based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #CD503D across image editing and color design tools.
About Color #CD503D (#CD503D)
#CD503D is a red color (colour) with RGB channel values of 205 red, 80 green, and 61 blue. The red channel is dominant by a ratio of 3.4:1 over the weakest channel. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 8 degrees with 59% saturation and 52% lightness, placing it in the warm range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #CD503D is 115/255 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, 61% magenta, 70% yellow, and 20% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #CD503D against white is 4.37:1 and against black is 4.81:1. This only passes AA for large text (18pt+) on white. For normal body text on white, darken the color or use it on a dark background where it achieves 4.81:1.
The complementary colour #3CBACD creates maximum visual tension when paired with #CD503D. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #CD3C71 and #CD983C, 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 #CD503D
- 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 #CD503D?
- #CD503D is Color #CD503D, a red color (colour) with RGB(205, 80, 61), HSL(8, 59%, 52%), and CMYK(0%, 61%, 70%, 20%). Its perceived brightness is 115/255.
- Is #CD503D accessible for text?
- Against white, #CD503D has a contrast ratio of 4.37:1 (fails AA for normal text). Against black, it has 4.81:1 (passes AA). It passes AA for large text (18pt+) on white. Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #CD503D?
- The complementary colour is #3CBACD (hue 188). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #CD3C71 and #CD983C. The triadic palette adds #3CCD50 and #503CCD for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #CD503D in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #cd503d; or rgb(205, 80, 61); or hsl(8, 59%, 52%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 8 59% 52%; 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.