Orange (Crayola)

HEX: #FF7538 | Modern Palette

On White
2.67:1
FAIL
On Black
7.85:1
PASS

Color Specifications

HEX
#FF7538
RGB
255, 117, 56
HSL
18°, 78% ,100%
CMYK
0, 54.12, 78.04, 0

About Orange (Crayola)

Orange (Crayola) (#FF7538) is a color with RGB(255, 117, 56) and HSL(18.39°, 78.04%, 100%). It is commonly associated with Playful moods. In design, it fits Warm styles and is suitable for Text, Button, Background. Its complementary color is #38C2FF, which creates strong contrast. Its triadic palette includes #38FF75 and #7538FF. The name comes from Orange (English).

  • HEX: #FF7538
  • RGB: 255, 117, 56
  • HSL: 18.39°, 78.04%, 100%
  • Mood: Playful
  • Style: Warm
  • Use case: Text, Button, Background
  • Complementary color: #38C2FF
  • Triadic colors: #38FF75, #7538FF
  • The name comes from Orange (English).

Live Components

LIGHT
DARK
System Notification Box

Color Palettes

Monochromatic Five tones of the same hue — a reliable scale for backgrounds, surfaces, and text.
Neutral + Accent Four near-neutral tones grounded by a saturated accent — clean and versatile for UI.
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

Complementary

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

Analogous

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

Triadic

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

Split-Complementary

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

Tetradic (Square)

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

Monochromatic

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

Shades & Tints

A seamless scale of #FF7538 from deepest shade to lightest tint.

Color Characteristics

Mood
Playful
Style
Warm
Use case
Text Button Background

Accessibility Simulation

Deuteranopia #ADAD28
Protanopia #8D8D3B
Tritanopia #FF6F6F
Achromatopsia #9E9E9E

Frequently Asked Questions

Orange (Crayola) (#FF7538) is a color with RGB(255, 117, 56) and HSL(18.39°, 78.04%, 100%).

#FF7538 pairs strongly with #38C2FF as its complementary color. It can also be used with neutral tones for balanced UI and design layouts.

#FF7538 is suitable for Text, Button, Background and works well with Warm styles.

#FF7538 is commonly associated with Playful.

The name Orange (Crayola) is linked to Orange from English, meaning A color intermediate to red and yellow, as of the fruit..

Name, History & Etymology

Origin Word Orange
Meaning A color intermediate to red and yellow, as of the fruit.
Language English
First Recorded Use Late 15th - Early 16th Century (as a color name)

History

The Crayola color 'Orange' (often referred to as 'Crayola Orange' or 'Orange (Crayola)' to distinguish it from other shades) is one of the original 8 colors introduced in Crayola's first box of crayons in 1903. Its hex code #FF7538 is a specific digital representation of this classic color. The color itself is named after the orange fruit, which was introduced to Europe from Asia. The fruit's name, and subsequently the color's name, comes from the Old French 'pome d'orenge' (orange apple), from Arabic 'nāranj', from Persian 'nārang', from Sanskrit 'nāraṅga'.

First Recorded Use

The word 'orange' as a color name in English dates back to the late 15th or early 16th century, derived from the fruit. Before this, the color was often referred to as 'red-yellow' or 'saffron'.

Cultural Associations

Orange is a vibrant and energetic color. In many Western cultures, it is associated with autumn, harvest, warmth, enthusiasm, creativity, and joy. It is also the color of Halloween. In some Eastern cultures, particularly in Hinduism and Buddhism, saffron orange is considered sacred and is often worn by monks and holy men, symbolizing renunciation and spirituality. In the Netherlands, orange is the national color, representing the House of Orange-Nassau. It is also a common color for safety equipment due to its high visibility.

Similar Named Colors
Mango Tango #FF8243 ΔE 3.01
Coral #FF7F50 ΔE 3.51
Vivid Tangelo #F07427 ΔE 4.52
Safety Orange #FF6700 ΔE 4.73

Code Snippets

/* Background */
.element {
    background-color: #FF7538;
}

/* Text */
.element {
    color: #FF7538;
}

/* Border */
.element {
    border: 1px solid #FF7538;
}

/* Linear gradient to complementary */
.element {
    background: linear-gradient(
        to right,
        #FF7538,
        #FFFFFF
    );
}

/* Radial gradient */
.element {
    background: radial-gradient(
        circle,
        #FF7538,
        #FFFFFF
    );
}

// SCSS variable
$orange-(crayola): #FF7538;

// With RGB channels (useful for rgba() usage)
$orange-(crayola)-r: 255;
$orange-(crayola)-g: 117;
$orange-(crayola)-b: 56;

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