Color #FDC238 Color / Colour Code #FDC238
This page shows the hex color code for color #fdc238 (#FDC238). The colour is a orange tone with 98% saturation and 61% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #FDC238 against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#FDC238 paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 12, 42, and 72 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 42, 162, and 282 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #FDC238
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 42 and saturation at 98%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 42 to 87 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 42 with its complement at 222 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 #FDC238
Lightness variations at hue 42 and 98% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #FDC238
Design Use Cases for #FDC238
High-Impact Accent
With 98% saturation, #FDC238 is highly vivid. Reserve this for elements that need maximum attention: primary action buttons, notification badges, error states, or promotional banners. Use sparingly alongside neutral tones to avoid visual fatigue.
Soft Accent & Highlight
With 61% lightness, #FDC238 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.
Warmth & Enthusiasm
#FDC238 sits in the orange range (hue 42). 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 #FDC238 (hue 42) to its complement at hue 222. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 72. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #fdc238, #3a75fd);
CSS Code for #FDC238
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #FDC238 based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #FDC238 across image editing and color design tools.
About Color #FDC238 (#FDC238)
#FDC238 is a orange color (colour) with RGB channel values of 253 red, 194 green, and 56 blue. The red channel is dominant by a ratio of 4.5:1 over the weakest channel. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 42 degrees with 98% saturation and 61% lightness, placing it in the warm range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #FDC238 is 196/255 using the ITU-R BT.601 luma formula (0.299R + 0.587G + 0.114B). This means it appears bright to the human eye and is best paired with dark text for readability. For print production, the CMYK equivalent is 0% cyan, 23% magenta, 78% yellow, and 1% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #FDC238 against white is 1.62:1 and against black is 12.95:1. This does not meet AA requirements on white. Use it on dark backgrounds where it achieves 12.95:1, or use it exclusively for decorative purposes.
The complementary colour #3A75FD creates maximum visual tension when paired with #FDC238. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #FD613A and #D6FD3A, 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 #FDC238
- 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 #FDC238?
- #FDC238 is Color #FDC238, a orange color (colour) with RGB(253, 194, 56), HSL(42, 98%, 61%), and CMYK(0%, 23%, 78%, 1%). Its perceived brightness is 196/255.
- Is #FDC238 accessible for text?
- Against white, #FDC238 has a contrast ratio of 1.62:1 (fails AA for normal text). Against black, it has 12.95:1 (passes AA). Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #FDC238?
- The complementary colour is #3A75FD (hue 222). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #FD613A and #D6FD3A. The triadic palette adds #3AFDC3 and #C33AFD for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #FDC238 in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #fdc238; or rgb(253, 194, 56); or hsl(42, 98%, 61%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 42 98% 61%; 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.