Color #DB142D Color / Colour Code #DB142D
This page shows the hex color code for color #db142d (#DB142D). The colour is a red tone with 83% saturation and 47% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #DB142D against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#DB142D paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 322, 352, and 22 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 352, 112, and 232 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #DB142D
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 352 and saturation at 83%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 352 to 37 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 352 with its complement at 172 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 #DB142D
Lightness variations at hue 352 and 83% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #DB142D
Design Use Cases for #DB142D
Vibrant Brand Color
#DB142D has a strong 83% 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 47% lightness, #DB142D 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
#DB142D falls in the red spectrum (hue 352). 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 #DB142D (hue 352) to its complement at hue 172. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 22. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #db142d, #14dbc1);
CSS Code for #DB142D
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #DB142D based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #DB142D across image editing and color design tools.
About Color #DB142D (#DB142D)
#DB142D is a red color (colour) with RGB channel values of 219 red, 20 green, and 45 blue. The red channel is dominant by a ratio of 10.9:1 over the weakest channel. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 352 degrees with 83% saturation and 47% lightness, placing it in the warm range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #DB142D 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, 91% magenta, 79% yellow, and 14% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #DB142D against white is 5.06:1 and against black is 4.15:1. This meets the AA requirement (4.5:1) for normal text on white. For AAA compliance, consider darkening to at least 33% lightness.
The complementary colour #14DBC1 creates maximum visual tension when paired with #DB142D. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #DB1492 and #DB5D14, 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 #DB142D
- 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 #DB142D?
- #DB142D is Color #DB142D, a red color (colour) with RGB(219, 20, 45), HSL(352, 83%, 47%), and CMYK(0%, 91%, 79%, 14%). Its perceived brightness is 82/255.
- Is #DB142D accessible for text?
- Against white, #DB142D has a contrast ratio of 5.06:1 (passes AA for normal text). Against black, it has 4.15:1 (fails AA). Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #DB142D?
- The complementary colour is #14DBC1 (hue 172). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #DB1492 and #DB5D14. The triadic palette adds #2FDB14 and #142FDB for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #DB142D in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #db142d; or rgb(219, 20, 45); or hsl(352, 83%, 47%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 352 83% 47%; 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.