Color #FFBC31 Color / Colour Code #FFBC31
This page shows the hex color code for color #ffbc31 (#FFBC31). The colour is a orange tone with 100% saturation and 60% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #FFBC31 against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#FFBC31 paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 10, 40, and 70 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 40, 160, and 280 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #FFBC31
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 40 and saturation at 100%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 40 to 85 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 40 with its complement at 220 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 #FFBC31
Lightness variations at hue 40 and 100% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #FFBC31
Design Use Cases for #FFBC31
High-Impact Accent
With 100% saturation, #FFBC31 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 60% lightness, #FFBC31 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
#FFBC31 sits in the orange range (hue 40). 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 #FFBC31 (hue 40) to its complement at hue 220. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 70. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #ffbc31, #3377ff);
CSS Code for #FFBC31
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #FFBC31 based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #FFBC31 across image editing and color design tools.
About Color #FFBC31 (#FFBC31)
#FFBC31 is a orange color (colour) with RGB channel values of 255 red, 188 green, and 49 blue. The red channel is dominant by a ratio of 5.2:1 over the weakest channel. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 40 degrees with 100% saturation and 60% lightness, placing it in the warm range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #FFBC31 is 192/255 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, 26% magenta, 81% yellow, and 0% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #FFBC31 against white is 1.68:1 and against black is 12.49:1. This does not meet AA requirements on white. Use it on dark backgrounds where it achieves 12.49:1, or use it exclusively for decorative purposes.
The complementary colour #3377FF creates maximum visual tension when paired with #FFBC31. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #FF5533 and #DDFF33, 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 #FFBC31
- 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 #FFBC31?
- #FFBC31 is Color #FFBC31, a orange color (colour) with RGB(255, 188, 49), HSL(40, 100%, 60%), and CMYK(0%, 26%, 81%, 0%). Its perceived brightness is 192/255.
- Is #FFBC31 accessible for text?
- Against white, #FFBC31 has a contrast ratio of 1.68:1 (fails AA for normal text). Against black, it has 12.49:1 (passes AA). Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #FFBC31?
- The complementary colour is #3377FF (hue 220). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #FF5533 and #DDFF33. The triadic palette adds #33FFBB and #BB33FF for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #FFBC31 in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #ffbc31; or rgb(255, 188, 49); or hsl(40, 100%, 60%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 40 100% 60%; 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.