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Red · 🗳️ XKCD

Pastel Red

#DB5856

A medium vivid red with warm undertones. Named by popular vote in the XKCD color survey — a crowdsourced color name used by 114+ respondents.

Generate palette with this color →

Emotion & Mood

Emotion
BalancedVibrantWarm
Mood
EnergeticDynamic

Personality & Symbolism

BoldExpressiveOutgoing
Recommended Use

Suitable for accent colors and attention-grabbing elements.

Color Harmonies

Complementary
#db5856
+
#57d9db
Split Complementary
#57db9b
#db5856
#5797db
Darker Shades
Lighter Tints

Visual Analysis

Hue1°
Saturation65%
Lightness60%
This is a medium-toned color with high saturation. It falls in the red hue family (1°).

Technical Values

HEX#DB5856
RGBrgb(219, 88, 86)
HSLhsl(1, 65%, 60%)
CMYK0%, 60%, 61%, 14%
ContrastLight
CSSbackground: #db5856;

Accessibility — WCAG Contrast

White Text Sample
The quick brown fox jumps.
3.79:1
AA AAA
Black Text Sample
The quick brown fox jumps.
5.54:1
AA AAA

WCAG 2.1 requires a contrast ratio of ≥4.5:1 for AA (normal text) and ≥7:1 for AAA. Best text color for this background: black (#000000).

Color Psychology

Color Temperature

This warm-toned color (hue 1°) triggers psychological responses associated with energy, comfort, and action. Warm colors appear to advance towards the viewer, making elements feel closer and more prominent.

Visual Weight

This mid-range lightness (60%) creates a balanced visual presence — neither heavy nor ethereal. It works well for both text and interactive elements.

Saturation Impact

The high saturation (65%) creates a vibrant, attention-demanding presence. Highly saturated colors are processed faster by the human brain — reaction time decreases by approximately 50ms compared to desaturated variants.

Design Applications

Food & Beverage

Stimulates appetite and conveys urgency — ideal for restaurant branding, food packaging, and sale promotions.

Health & Vitality

Represents life energy and passion — great for fitness brands, health apps, and wellness products.

CTAs & Accents

High saturation draws attention — use for primary buttons, notification badges, and important interactive elements.

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