#8B2D39 Deep Red

Q: What color is #8B2D39?

Deep Red is #8B2D39, or #8B2D39 in uppercase notation. In RGB it is rgb(139,45,57), in HSL about hsl(352 51% 36%), and in OKLCH oklch(0.441 0.127 16.7).

Q: What does Deep Red symbolize?

It usually stands for energy, warmth and confidence, with a ceremonial edge. Local culture can shift that reading, so check the context.

Q: Where is Deep Red used?

You will see it in Campaign landing pages, Editorial cover systems, Product packaging labels, Dashboard status accents, Retail wayfinding signs. It also appears across food, sport, retail, entertainment.

Q: Which colors go well with Deep Red?

Muted neutrals, deeper steps of the same hue and one metallic accent work well. editorial layouts that need one warm focal point; packaging that should feel appetizing without shouting; interfaces where an accent has to stay legible

Q: How does Deep Red affect mood?

It raises perceived energy and draws the eye quickly. Large fields feel intense, so accent use is safer.

Q: Which industries use Deep Red?

It is common in food, sport, retail, entertainment, particularly where brands want to feel urgent, passionate, bold, appetizing, warm.

Q: What is the history of Deep Red?

The pigment story is concrete: Red reaches the eye before almost any other hue, which is why it carries both appetite and alarm. It gains weight in deep, earthy steps and softens in dusty pinks.

Q: How should I use Deep Red in design?

Give it one focal element, keep body copy neutral and confirm contrast at 8.29 against white and 2.28 against black.

Q: Is Deep Red accessible?

Contrast is 8.29 against white (AAA) and 2.28 against black (FAIL). Use it for large text when the level reaches AA.

Color conversion

CMYK profile: Coated FOGRA39 · Formats follow CSS Color 4 naming and WCAG 2.2 contrast rules.

About this color

Deep RedReddigital color

Urgency with a pulse

Deep Red is #8B2D39, a Red tone with a clear cultural lineage. Read on its own it belongs to the Red family; read through its digital color roots, it carries a second layer of meaning.

Design tip

Test Deep Red (#8B2D39) on a neutral surface first; a Red accent then looks intentional rather than decorative.

Best use

Give Deep Red the single element that must be noticed first, and let the rest of the Red palette support it.

urgentpassionateboldappetizingwarm

Psychology

How it is perceived

urgentpassionateboldappetizingwarm

Psychological effect

Deep Red raises the perceived energy of a Red composition and pulls the eye toward action.

Emotional impact

It feels immediate and warm, so it can lift a restrained layout without making it loud.

Symbolism

What it stands for

energyappetite and celebration

Cultural significance

In digital color settings the shade carries local references, so verify its symbolism before a campaign.

Positive associations

Positive associations lean toward energy, appetite and celebration, which is why it appears in invitations and seasonal work.

Use with care

Too much surface area can read as danger and aggression when overused, so keep it to accents and small fields.

Where it appears

Common design applications

Campaign landing pages: Give Deep Red the single element that must be noticed first, and let the rest of the Red palette support it.
Editorial cover systems: Give Deep Red the single element that must be noticed first, and let the rest of the Red palette support it.
Product packaging labels: Give Deep Red the single element that must be noticed first, and let the rest of the Red palette support it.
Dashboard status accents: Give Deep Red the single element that must be noticed first, and let the rest of the Red palette support it.
Retail wayfinding signs: Give Deep Red the single element that must be noticed first, and let the rest of the Red palette support it.

Design guidance

How to make it work

Keep saturated fills below about twenty percent of the layout.
Use it for the primary call to action and nothing else.
Check the pairing at small sizes on a neutral background.

Avoid

Do not place it beside clashing neon greens or electric blues.
Never use it for long body text on white.
Avoid gradients that shift its hue into another family.

Brand fit

food, sport, retail, entertainment

Brands built on The Hero, The Lover use it to signal character before they say a word.

Trend signal

Urgency with a pulse

Red reaches the eye before almost any other hue, which is why it carries both appetite and alarm. It gains weight in deep, earthy steps and softens in dusty pinks.

Pairing

Colors that complete it

#00666Aeditorial layouts that need one warm focal point #51000Cinterfaces where an accent has to stay legible #2C6209packaging that should feel appetizing without shouting

History

Pigments and provenance

Before synthetic dyes, Deep Red was matched with mineral and plant pigments, and the Red family depended on sources such as ochre, madder and indigo. Screens now reproduce it more consistently than any single pigment ever could.

Variations

Shades darken and tints lighten while the hue angle stays fixed.

Pro tip: Shades darken and tints lighten while the hue angle stays fixed.

Shades

Darker steps built from the same hue.

0% #8B2D39 10% #7D2933 20% #6F242E 30% #611F28 40% #531B22 50% #46171D 60% #381217 70% #2A0E11 80% #1C090B 90% #0E0406 100% #000000

Tints

Lighter steps for surfaces and backgrounds.

0% #8B2D39 10% #97424D 20% #A25761 30% #AE6C74 40% #B98188 50% #C5969C 60% #D1ABB0 70% #DCC0C4 80% #E8D5D7 90% #F3EAEB 100% #FFFFFF

Use cases

Shades → hover, shadows, depth
Tints → highlights, surfaces
Balance → consistent color systems

Design tip

Keep one dominant tone, one supporter and one accent.

Color combinations

Rotate the hue wheel while holding lightness steady.

How to use it

Three moves keep the color readable and deliberate.

Why it works

The perceptual reasoning behind the palette.

Complementary

Opposite the hue wheel; it sharpens the focal color by contrast.

#8B2D39 #00666A

Best use: Calls to action and single-feature highlights

Split-complementary

Two neighbors of the opposite hue; softer than a direct complement.

#8B2D39 #006743 #005E88

Best use: Balanced marketing layouts with two accents

Triadic

Three hues spaced evenly; lively but needs one dominant voice.

#8B2D39 #2C6209 #1C5197

Best use: Event identities and playful editorial spreads

Analogous

Neighbors on the wheel; quiet, cohesive and easy to scan.

#822F60 #8B2D39 #883600

Best use: Backgrounds, charts and calm product pages

Monochromatic

One hue across lightness steps; disciplined and premium.

#642029 #8B2D39 #AB6870

Best use: Design systems, packaging and typographic hierarchy

Tetradic

Two complementary pairs; rich, but requires strict proportion.

#8B2D39 #794500 #00666A #1C5197

Best use: Complex dashboards and multi-service brands

Export palette

CSS

:root {
  --color-1: #531B22;
  --color-2: #6F242E;
  --color-3: #8B2D39;
  --color-4: #A25761;
  --color-5: #B98188;
}

Tailwind

colors: {
  color1: '#531B22',
  color2: '#6F242E',
  color3: '#8B2D39',
  color4: '#A25761',
  color5: '#B98188',
}

JSON

["#531B22","#6F242E","#8B2D39","#A25761","#B98188"]

Principles

Balance

Keep one dominant tone, one supporter and one accent.

Contrast

Test body text against both white and black before shipping.

Harmony

Rotate the hue wheel while holding lightness steady.

Color contrast checker

Test body text against both white and black before shipping.

Text color

Background

8.29 :1

AAA

Quote

Give Deep Red the single element that must be noticed first, and let the rest of the Red palette support it.

WCAG contrast

Preview

Aa / Bb

#8B2D39 · Deep Red

WCAG contrast standards

WCAG 2.2 sets minimum contrast for text and interface parts. #8B2D39 measures 8.29:1 against white (AAA) and 2.28:1 against black (FAIL). Use the table below to choose the right threshold for the text size.

Level	Normal text	Large text (18pt+ / 14pt bold)	Icons & UI parts
AAA	7 : 1	4.5 : 1	—
AA	4.5 : 1	3 : 1	3 : 1
Fails	< 4.5 : 1	< 3 : 1	< 3 : 1

Large text means 18pt regular or 14pt bold. UI parts need 3:1 against adjacent colors. AA is the common compliance baseline; AAA is enhanced.

Technical formats

Notation across color spaces

HEX

#8B2D39

CSS Color 4

RGB

139,45,57

sRGB / D65

HSL

352,51,36

HSL

OKLCH

oklch(0.441 0.127 16.7)

perceptual

LAB

33,41,15

CIE Lab

LCH

33,43,20

CIE LCH

XYZ

12,8,5

CIE XYZ

LUV

33,65,8

CIE LUV

HWB

352,18,45

CSS HWB

CMYK

0,68,59,45

Practical formats

Ready-to-use values

CSS

color: #8B2D39;

custom properties

Tailwind

bg-[#8B2D39] text-[#FFF]

arbitrary value

Android

#FF8B2D39

ARGB

Flutter

Color(0xFF8B2D39)

dart:ui

Photoshop

R 139 G 45 B 57 · C 0 M 68 Y 59 K 45

RGB / CMYK

CMYK 0,68,59,45

FOGRA39

Color analysis

Measured color properties

Lightness

0.077

relative luminance · warm

Contrast

8.29 : 1

vs white · AAA · warm

Contrast

2.28 : 1

vs black · FAIL · warm

Hue

352°

saturation 51% · warm

LCH

33,43,20

lightness 36% · warm

Delta E

10.9

绛 #6F2323 · warm

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Blindness simulator

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