Carmine

HEX: #960018 | Modern Palette

On White
9.09:1
PASS
On Black
2.31:1
FAIL

Color Specifications

HEX
#960018
RGB
150, 0, 24
HSL
350°, 100% ,58%
CMYK
0, 100, 84, 41.18

About Carmine

Carmine (#960018) is a color with RGB(150, 0, 24) and HSL(350.4°, 100%, 58.82%). It is commonly associated with Energetic, Bold moods. In design, it fits Vivid, Neon styles and is suitable for Text, Button, Accent. Its complementary color is #00967E, which creates strong contrast. Its triadic palette includes #189600 and #001896. The name comes from carminium (Latin).

  • HEX: #960018
  • RGB: 150, 0, 24
  • HSL: 350.4°, 100%, 58.82%
  • Mood: Energetic, Bold
  • Style: Vivid, Neon
  • Use case: Text, Button, Accent
  • Complementary color: #00967E
  • Triadic colors: #189600, #001896
  • The name comes from carminium (Latin).

Live Components

LIGHT
DARK
System Notification Box

Color Palettes

Carmine #960018 is used in Monochromatic, Neutral + Accent, Analogous, 3 + 1 + 1 palettes, giving designers ready-made combinations for backgrounds, surfaces, accents, and interface elements.

Monochromatic Five tones of the same hue — a reliable scale for backgrounds, surfaces, and text.
 
CARMINE
 
 
 
Neutral + Accent Four near-neutral tones grounded by a saturated accent — clean and versatile for UI.
 
 
CARMINE
 
 
Analogous Five hues drifting across a 60° arc — naturally harmonious and pleasing to the eye.
 
 
 
 
 
3 + 1 + 1 Three analogous base colors, one complementary accent, one dark anchor — bold yet balanced.
 
 
 
 
 

Color Harmonies

Carmine #960018 pairs with #00967E as its complementary color, and #189600 and #001896 in triadic combinations. These harmony relationships help create balanced color combinations for UI, branding, and design work.

Complementary

The color directly opposite on the color wheel — creates maximum contrast and vibrance.

CARMINE
Analogous

Colors adjacent on the wheel — naturally harmonious and pleasing to the eye.

CARMINE
Triadic

Three colors equally spaced 120° apart — bold, balanced, and visually rich.

CARMINE
Split-Complementary

Two colors flanking the complement — high contrast with less tension than full complementary.

CARMINE
Tetradic (Square)

Four colors at 90° intervals — rich variety, best when one color dominates.

CARMINE
Monochromatic

Shades and tints of the same hue — cohesive, elegant, and easy to work with.

CARMINE

Shades & Tints

The shade and tint range for Carmine #960018 moves from dark #1A0004 tones through the base color to lighter #FFE6EA tones, making it useful for depth, hierarchy, and background variation.

CARMINE

Color Characteristics

Mood
Energetic Bold
Style
Vivid Neon
Use case
Text Button Accent

Accessibility Simulation

Deuteranopia #545408
Protanopia #33331A
Tritanopia #960404
Achromatopsia #484848

Frequently Asked Questions

Carmine (#960018) is a color with RGB(150, 0, 24) and HSL(350.4°, 100%, 58.82%).

#960018 pairs strongly with #00967E as its complementary color. It can also be used with neutral tones for balanced UI and design layouts.

#960018 is suitable for Text, Button, Accent and works well with Vivid, Neon styles.

#960018 is commonly associated with Energetic, Bold.

The name Carmine is linked to carminium from Latin, meaning crimson, scarlet.

Name, History & Etymology

Origin Word carminium
Meaning crimson, scarlet
Language Latin
First Recorded Use Late Middle Ages

History

The word 'carmine' derives from the Medieval Latin 'carminium', which itself is thought to be an alteration of Arabic 'qirmiz' (crimson), influenced by Latin 'minium' (cinnabar, red lead). The Arabic 'qirmiz' is the source of many words for red and crimson in European languages, referring to the dye obtained from the kermes insect. Carmine specifically refers to a vivid crimson red color, and also to the dye itself, which is obtained from the cochineal insect (Dactylopius coccus). This dye was highly valued for its intensity and permanence, especially in textiles and paints. Its use became widespread after the Spanish conquest of Mexico, where cochineal was a traditional dye.

First Recorded Use

15th Century

Cultural Associations

Carmine has been a significant color in art, textiles, and cosmetics for centuries. Its rich, deep red hue has been associated with luxury, power, and passion. In painting, carmine pigments were used by Old Masters for their brilliance. In fashion, carmine fabrics were a sign of wealth. The cochineal dye, from which carmine is derived, was one of the most important exports from the New World to Europe for centuries, rivaling silver in economic importance at times. It was a key ingredient in the iconic red coats of the British army.

Similar Named Colors
Ruby Red #9B111E ΔE 1.70
Red Devil #860111 ΔE 3.20
Spartan Crimson #9E1316 ΔE 3.26
Sangria #92000A ΔE 3.46

Code Snippets

/* Background */
.element {
    background-color: #960018;
}

/* Text */
.element {
    color: #960018;
}

/* Border */
.element {
    border: 1px solid #960018;
}

/* Linear gradient to complementary */
.element {
    background: linear-gradient(
        to right,
        #960018,
        #2DFFDD
    );
}

/* Radial gradient */
.element {
    background: radial-gradient(
        circle,
        #960018,
        #2DFFDD
    );
}

// SCSS variable
$carmine: #960018;

// With RGB channels (useful for rgba() usage)
$carmine-r: 150;
$carmine-g: 0;
$carmine-b: 24;

// Usage
.element {
    background-color: $carmine;
    color: rgba($carmine-r, $carmine-g, $carmine-b, 0.8);
}