Red
Cardinal Red
Cardinal Red
#990036Click to copy
Cardinal Red Parameter Conversion Table
More converters →HEX#990036Copy
RGBrgb(153, 0, 54)Copy
HSLhsl(339, 100%, 30%)Copy
HSV/HSBhsv(339, 100%, 60%)Copy
CMYKcmyk(0%, 100%, 65%, 40%)Copy
Cardinal Red Color Schemes
Complementary
#990036
Click to copy#009963
Click to copyAnalogous
#990083
Click to copy#991600
Click to copySplit Complementary
#009916
Click to copy#008399
Click to copyMonochromatic
#990036
Click to copy#EC1360
Click to copy#F4719F
Click to copy#330012
Click to copy#000000
Click to copy#000000
Click to copyCardinal Red 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
8.72 : 1
AA NormalAA LargeAAA NormalAAA Large
Sample text Aa
Black background #000000
2.41 : 1
AA NormalAA LargeAAA NormalAAA Large
Sample text Aa
Light gray background #F5F5F5
8.00 : 1
AA NormalAA LargeAAA NormalAAA Large
Sample text Aa
Dark gray background #333333
1.45 : 1
AA NormalAA LargeAAA NormalAAA Large
Cardinal Red 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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Cardinal Red Color Introduction
Definition
Cardinal Red (HEX #990036) has the RGB value rgb(153, 0, 54), the HSL value hsl(339°, 100%, 30%) and the CMYK print value cmyk(0%, 100%, 65%, 40%). In terms of color schemes, the complement of Cardinal Red is #009963, and placing the two side by side produces a striking, eye-catching contrast; paired with the analogous colors #990083 and #991600 that sit next to it on the color wheel, it transitions naturally and harmoniously; in a split-complementary scheme (#009916, #008399) it keeps its contrast tension without losing layering; and a monochromatic scheme built on Cardinal Red uses gradients of lightness and saturation to create a unified design with a strong sense of depth. Under the WCAG accessibility standard, Cardinal Red has a contrast ratio of 8.72:1 against white and 2.41:1 against black; paired with a white background it reaches AAA, making body text highly readable.
Color Characteristics
Purple sits between warm and cool, evoking lavender, amethyst and twilight. Mysterious and luxurious, it has long been associated with royalty and artistic creation. Specifically, Cardinal Red has a lightness of 30% and a saturation of 100%, steady and powerful as a background or primary color, pairing well with light text for good readability; moreover, its saturation is extremely high and its visual tension is strong, so it works best used sparingly as a focal accent. In a word: A profound religious red.
Color Psychology
Purple can evoke romance, imagination and nobility, with a marked air of mystery; psychologically it symbolizes elegance, spirituality and creativity. For this reason Cardinal Red tends to leave a first impression of being mysterious and elegant in the viewer’s mind, and this emotional tone also defines the role it plays in design.
Best Uses
Purple suits beauty and skincare, art exhibitions, mysterious themes and any scene that needs a sophisticated, romantic feel. In real projects, Cardinal Red is also often used as a dark background or heading text color; in “Purple”-themed designs, the adjacent colors or lightness gradients built around it quickly establish a cohesive, clearly layered color scheme.
Cardinal Red 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.