Gray
Charcoal
Charcoal
#36454FClick to copy
Charcoal Parameter Conversion Table
More converters →HEX#36454FCopy
RGBrgb(54, 69, 79)Copy
HSLhsl(204, 19%, 26%)Copy
HSV/HSBhsv(204, 32%, 31%)Copy
CMYKcmyk(32%, 13%, 0%, 69%)Copy
Charcoal Color Schemes
Complementary
#36454F
Click to copy#4F4036
Click to copyAnalogous
#364F4D
Click to copy#36394F
Click to copySplit Complementary
#4F3639
Click to copy#4F4D36
Click to copyMonochromatic
#36454F
Click to copy#71767A
Click to copy#A5A9AC
Click to copy#0D1012
Click to copy#000000
Click to copy#000000
Click to copyCharcoal WCAG Accessibility Contrast
WCAG Calculator →The contrast ratio of this color against common foreground/background colors (based on the WCAG 2.1 standard)
Sample text Aa
White background #FFFFFF
9.90 : 1
AA NormalAA LargeAAA NormalAAA Large
Sample text Aa
Black background #000000
2.12 : 1
AA NormalAA LargeAAA NormalAAA Large
Sample text Aa
Light gray background #F5F5F5
9.08 : 1
AA NormalAA LargeAAA NormalAAA Large
Sample text Aa
Dark gray background #333333
1.28 : 1
AA NormalAA LargeAAA NormalAAA Large
Charcoal Shade Variants
Gradient Generator →Lighten with White Mixed with white for a lighter, softer color
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Darken with Black Mixed with black for a deeper, heavier color
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Muted / Morandi Mixed with gray and desaturated for a sophisticated muted tone
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Charcoal Color Introduction
Definition
Charcoal (HEX #36454F) has the RGB value rgb(54, 69, 79), the HSL value hsl(204°, 19%, 26%) and the CMYK print value cmyk(32%, 13%, 0%, 69%). In terms of color schemes, the complement of Charcoal is #4F4036, and placing the two side by side produces a striking, eye-catching contrast; paired with the analogous colors #364F4D and #36384F that sit next to it on the color wheel, it transitions naturally and harmoniously; in a split-complementary scheme (#4F3639, #4F4C36) it keeps its contrast tension without losing layering; and a monochromatic scheme built on Charcoal uses gradients of lightness and saturation to create a unified design with a strong sense of depth. Under the WCAG accessibility standard, Charcoal has a contrast ratio of 9.90:1 against white and 2.12:1 against black; paired with a white background it reaches AAA, making body text highly readable.
Color Characteristics
Blue is the color of sky and ocean, evoking vastness, trust and reason. Steady and imposing, it is almost irreplaceable in technology, finance and corporate identity design. Specifically, Charcoal has a lightness of 26% and a saturation of 19%, steady and powerful as a background or primary color, pairing well with light text for good readability; moreover, its saturation is fairly low and its gray tone is soft, carrying a quiet, Morandi-like character. In a word: Deep smoldering embers.
Color Psychology
Blue can evoke calm, focus and trust, with a marked stabilizing effect; psychologically it symbolizes reason, loyalty and depth. For this reason Charcoal tends to leave a first impression of being cool and reliable in the viewer’s mind, and this emotional tone also defines the role it plays in design.
Best Uses
Blue suits fintech, corporate websites, government systems and any scene that needs professional trust. In real projects, Charcoal is also often used as a dark background or heading text color; in “Blue”-themed designs, the adjacent colors or lightness gradients built around it quickly establish a cohesive, clearly layered color scheme.
Charcoal Featured In
This color is included in the following color cards and color families. Click a card to browse more colors in the corresponding collection.
