Color Details and Palettes for #CA484C

Details about the color King Crimson

Closest web-safe match: #CC3333

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 #CA484C
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About Color Hex #ca484c

The color King Crimson, with hexadecimal code #ca484c, falls within the red color family, a hue strongly linked to passion, urgency, and primal energy. Across cultures, red ranges from the luck of Chinese New Year to the romance of Western Valentine's Day. Additionally, it evokes emotions such as Passion, Energy, Love, Excitement, Danger and Desire. In many Eastern cultures, red symbolizes luck, prosperity, and happiness, often used in festivals and weddings. In Western cultures, red can symbolize passion, love, and sometimes danger. At 55% saturation, this color is clearly chromatic yet balanced—colorful enough to be distinctive without overwhelming adjacent content. With a mid-range lightness of 54%, it offers excellent versatility—readable as text on light backgrounds and visible as an element on dark ones. This color is ideal for designs that aim to express Passion, Energy, Love, Excitement, Danger, or Desire. It can be effectively used in web design, branding, and marketing materials to attract attention and convey specific messages.

The RGB values for King Crimson are (202, 72, 76), providing a combination of red: 202, green: 72, and blue: 76. In HSL format, it has a hue of 358.00°, saturation of 55.00%, and lightness of 54.00%.

The HSV representation includes a hue of 358.00°, saturation of 64.00%, and value of 79.00%. Its CMYK composition is cyan: 0.00%, magenta: 64.00%, yellow: 62.00%, and black: 21.00%.

The calculated luminance of #ca484c is 0.177, offering a brightness level suitable for various design requirements.

This color is not part of the web-safe color palette. The closest web-safe color to this is the color HEX #CC3333. Its contrast ratio is 4.54:1 against black and 4.62:1 against white. This makes it highly suitable for readability on both dark and light backgrounds.

In terms of color temperature, #ca484c reads as warm. When it comes to accessibility, testing against standard guidelines suggests that using either white or black text meets typical WCAG contrast standards. Additionally, the ideal foreground color for improved legibility on #ca484c is white.

Considering its saturation and lightness, #ca484c appears more vivid and energetic, making it stand out in designs that aim to capture attention.

History, Usage, Psychology & Design Ideas for #CA484C

King Crimson (#CA484C) belongs to the Red color family.

With moderate saturation and balanced lightness, this muted tone feels sophisticated and understated. Muted hues like this excel in editorial design, professional portfolios, and interior spaces that seek calm refinement.

Historical Background

Red ochre is among the earliest pigments used by humans, found in cave paintings over 40,000 years old. The precious cochineal dye—extracted from scale insects—was so valuable in colonial-era trade that it rivaled gold. In imperial China, vermilion lacquer adorned thrones and temples, while Roman generals painted their faces red for triumphal processions through the streets of Rome.

Design & Usage Tips

Red commands instant attention, making it the top choice for call-to-action buttons, sale banners, and emergency signage. Use it selectively to avoid overwhelming users—pair red accents with neutral backgrounds (white, light gray, or cream) to create high-impact focal points that guide the eye without fatigue.

Positioned on the warm side of the color wheel (hue 358°), it naturally draws the eye and creates a sense of closeness—making it effective for calls to action, food photography, and hospitality branding. With 55% saturation, it occupies a comfortable middle ground: colorful enough to be distinctive, yet restrained enough for extended reading or large surface areas.

Psychological Impact

Red accelerates heart rate and triggers primal alertness, linking it to passion, urgency, and excitement. In marketing, red increases impulse buying; in UX, red signals errors or critical states. Culturally, red spans love (Western Valentine's Day) and luck (Chinese New Year).

With a mid-range lightness of 54%, this tone is highly versatile: dark enough to serve as body text on white, yet light enough to stand out on charcoal or navy backgrounds.

Creative Design Ideas

Combine a rich crimson with gold foil for luxury packaging. In web design, use a single red accent button on a monochrome page for maximum conversion impact. For sports branding, pair red with black and white for aggressive, high-energy team identities.

#CA484C Color Conversions

Every way to write King Crimson — copy King Crimson as RGB, HSL, HSV, HWB, CMYK, OKLCH, OKLab, CIELAB, LCH, XYZ or a decimal integer. One-tap copy on every format; tap on any card to learn what it is and when to use it.

12 formats
HEX Web
#CA484C

Hexadecimal is the web’s universal color notation — two digits each for red, green and blue. Drop it straight into HTML, CSS or any design tool.

RGB Screen
rgb(202, 72, 76)

RGB is the additive Red-Green-Blue model every screen uses to emit light. The default choice for websites, apps and on-screen UI.

HSL Web
hsl(358, 55%, 54%)

HSL breaks a color into Hue, Saturation and Lightness — the most intuitive way to lighten, darken or mute a color in CSS.

HSV HSB Design
hsv(358, 64%, 79%)

HSV (also called HSB) maps Hue, Saturation and Value/Brightness. It is the model behind the color pickers in Photoshop, Figma and most design apps.

HWB CSS 4
hwb(358 28% 21%)

HWB blends a pure hue with Whiteness and Blackness — a painter-friendly model added in CSS Color 4 for quick tints and shades.

CMYK Print
cmyk(0%, 64%, 62%, 21%)

CMYK is the subtractive Cyan-Magenta-Yellow-Black ink model. Use these values when preparing artwork for a printer or commercial press.

OKLCH Modern
oklch(58.16% 0.165 22.11)

OKLCH is a modern, perceptually-uniform space (Lightness, Chroma, Hue). It powers smooth gradients and accessible palettes in today’s CSS.

OKLab Modern
oklab(58.16% 0.153 0.062)

OKLab is the Cartesian form of OKLCH — ideal for blending and interpolating colors without the muddy midpoints older spaces produce.

CIELAB L*a*b* Perceptual
L: 49.15, a: 51.81, b: 25.91

CIELAB is a device-independent, perceptually-uniform space. It is the standard for measuring color difference (ΔE) and matching across devices.

LCH Perceptual
L: 49.15, C: 57.92, H: 26.57

LCH is CIELAB in cylindrical form — Lightness, Chroma and Hue — letting you adjust vividness and hue while staying perceptually even.

XYZ CIE Science
X: 27.98, Y: 17.71, Z: 8.78

CIE XYZ is the 1931 master space that underpins every other model here — the scientific bridge used to convert between color systems.

Decimal int Code
13256780

The 24-bit integer value of the color — handy for databases, APIs, game engines and low-level graphics code.

RGB Color Percentages for #ca484c

RGB Color Percentages for King Crimson (HEX Code: #ca484c) display the relative contribution of Red, Green, and Blue in forming the color. Understanding these percentages provides insight into the color's visual balance and primary components.

This color is primarily dominated by Red, making up 57.71% of the total composition. The complete breakdown of RGB contributions is:

Red:
57.71%
Green:
20.57%
Blue:
21.71%

This analysis highlights the influence of each primary color, offering a deeper understanding of the visual characteristics of King Crimson.

CMYK Ink Levels & Print Guide for #ca484c

CMYK Ink Levels for King Crimson (HEX Code: #ca484c) provide a breakdown of the percentages of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black inks needed for accurate print reproduction. The composition of King Crimson prominently features Magenta, reflecting its dominant color characteristic. This information is invaluable for optimizing ink usage and achieving precise color results in printed materials.

The exact CMYK values are: Cyan: 0%, Magenta: 64.36%, Yellow: 62.38%, and Black: 20.78%.

Luminance & Contrast for #CA484C

Relative luminance gauges how bright King Crimson is, while the WCAG contrast ratios show how legible black or white text is on it — and which accessibility levels (AA / AAA) it passes.

Relative luminance 0.177
0 · dark1 · light
Aa
Black text 4.54:1
AA AAA Large
Aa
White text 4.62:1
AA AAA Large

Quick CSS Snippets for #CA484C

Copy-and-paste CSS for King Crimson — backgrounds, text, borders and a custom property. Each line is ready to drop into your stylesheet.

Background background-color: #CA484C;
Text color: #CA484C;
Border border: 2px solid #CA484C;
RGB background-color: rgb(202, 72, 76);
HSL background-color: hsl(358, 55%, 54%);
Variable --color: #CA484C;

#ca484c Monochrome Palette

The Monochrome Palette consists of shades created by adjusting the brightness. These include lighter, original, and darker shades of the color. This layout helps to visualize the color's range and its potential use in design.

#faeded
#f2d1d2
#eab6b7
#e29a9d
#da7f82
#d26367
#ca484c Original
#ac3d41
#8d3235
#6f282a
#511d1e
#331213
#140708

#ca484c Complementary Palette

The Complementary Palette is made up of two colors that sit opposite each other on the color wheel. These colors create high contrast and vibrant designs, making them perfect for attention-grabbing elements and dynamic visuals.

#ca484c Original
#49cac6

#ca484c Analogic Palette

The Analogic Palette consists of colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. These colors typically create harmonious and subtle designs, often used to evoke calmness and unity in your visual projects.

#ca484c Original
#ca8549
#ca498e
#cac649
#c649ca
#8eca49
#8549ca

#ca484c Triadic Palette

The Triadic Palette is made up of three colors evenly spaced on the color wheel. This combination provides a vibrant and balanced color scheme, often used for dynamic and energetic designs while maintaining harmony.

#ca484c Original
#4dca49
#494dca

#ca484c Quad Palette

The Quad Palette, also known as tetradic, consists of four colors evenly spaced on the color wheel. This combination offers a diverse and bold color scheme, ideal for creating rich, complex designs with multiple accents while still maintaining balance.

#ca484c Original
#8eca49
#49cac6
#8549ca

Color Blindness Simulation for #ca484c

Colors are perceived differently by individuals with various forms of color blindness. Use the dropdown below to see how this color may look through the eyes of someone with color vision deficiency. Explore how King Crimson (#ca484c) might appear to people with different visual experiences, and gain deeper insights into color accessibility for your designs!

Each color box displays a "Friendly" or "Not Friendly" tag in the bottom-right corner. A "Friendly" tag indicates that the color difference is distinguishable to individuals with the specific type of color blindness. Conversely, a "Not Friendly" tag means that the color difference might not be distinguishable, potentially causing accessibility issues in your design.

Normal Vision

Deuteranopia (Green Weakness)

Not Friendly

Protanopia (Red Weakness)

Not Friendly

Tritanopia (Blue-Yellow Weakness)

Friendly

Achromatopsia (Total Color Blindness)

Not Friendly

Color Harmonies for #ca484c

Color harmonies refer to the visually pleasing combinations of colors that are derived from specific relationships on the color wheel. These harmonious schemes, such as complementary, triadic, and analogous colors, create a balanced and engaging visual experience in design.

Complementary

Analogous

Triadic

Tetradic (Quad)

#CA484C Nearby Colors

A handful of colors just a step away from #CA484C — each one nudges the brightness, richness, or shade a little while still feeling like the same color. Use the buttons on any swatch to copy its hex or open its full color page.

#dd5555 Red Arremer
#bb3344 Pomegranate
#ee6666 Coral Commander
#aa2233 Pompeian Red
#cc4444 King Crimson
#bb5555 Autumn Fire
#cc5544 Cedar Chest
#cc4455 Smooch Rouge

Colors Similar to #ca484c

These colors are close neighbours of #CA484C in the RGB color space. Each subtle variation can produce a noticeably different mood in your design while remaining harmonious with the original Red tone.

#cb484c King Crimson
#ca494c King Crimson
#ca484d King Crimson
#c9484c King Crimson
#ca474c King Crimson
#ca484b King Crimson
#db484c Horror Snob
#ca594c Cedar Chest
#ca485d Saffron Desires
#b9484c Intrigue Red
#ca374c Demonic Kiss
#ca483b Bloody Salmon

Looking for more Red shades? Browse Red colors →

Explore Vibrant Images Featuring King Crimson (#ca484c)

Discover a vibrant gallery of images that not only showcase the captivating hue of King Crimson, but also embody its unique mood and personality. Each carefully curated photo is selected to highlight the richness and diversity of this color, offering inspiration for design, art, and creative projects.