Carmine

Also known as: Kurenai Red, Cherry, Red Tape, Wild Rider Red

Carmine brings a passionate and urgent feel to any palette. This medium red is a natural fit for food branding and sale banners. For contrast, pair it with a cyan from its complementary palette below. It's dark enough to use for text on white backgrounds (5.37:1, passes WCAG AA).

Carmine color codes

HEX
#D60036
RGB
rgb(214, 0, 54)
RGBA
rgba(214, 0, 54, 1)
HSL
hsl(345, 100%, 42%)
HSV
hsv(345, 100%, 84%)
CMYK
cmyk(0%, 100%, 75%, 16%)
LAB
lab(45.9 71.5 36.5)
OKLCH
oklch(55.4% 0.223 20.3)

Color intelligence

sRGB safeShifts in CMYK print

Displays accurately on every screen. Vivid colors like this typically lose some intensity in CMYK print — request a physical proof for brand-critical work.

Temperature

CoolWarm

warm

Nearest standard colors

  • CSS: crimson#DC143C · ΔE 2.0
  • RAL 3018 — Strawberry red#D14152 · ΔE 6.5 · approximate

RAL values are widely published approximations of the physical standard. For Pantone-adjacent workflows, match by eye against a physical fan deck — Pantone's values are proprietary and device-dependent, so we don't print lookups.

Where Carmine works

  • Web & UI: Dark enough for body text and icons on white backgrounds — it passes WCAG AA as-is.
  • Interiors: Strong for a whole room, excellent in doses: an accent wall, cabinetry, or a statement chair.
  • Fashion: Wears best as the statement piece — a top, scarf, or shoes — against neutral basics.
  • Branding: High-energy brand material: strong for food, fitness, and youth-facing marks — use sparingly in UI.
  • Web & UI: Best as a button fill, badge, or accent — pair it with white text only at large sizes, and check contrast.
  • Branding: A secondary brand color by nature: it supports a stronger primary and shines in illustration.

Copy as — every ecosystem

Tints, shades, and tones of Carmine

Tints (lighter)

Shades (darker)

Tones (muted)

Color harmonies

Palettes built from Carmine by rotating its hue in OKLCH space. Click any swatch to copy its hex code.

Complementary

Analogous

Triadic

Split-complementary

Tetradic

Monochromatic

Contrast & accessibility

Aa — on white

contrast 5.37:1

AA passAAA failAA large pass

Aa — on black

contrast 3.91:1

AA failAAA failAA large pass

Best text color on a Carmine background: #ffffff

Palettes featuring Carmine

Carmine with its complement

Soft neighbors of Carmine

Carmine triad

Similar colors

Looking for maximum contrast instead? The complement of Carmine is closest to Jade Jewel.

Carmine FAQs

What color is Carmine?

Carmine is a medium red with the hex code #D60036. In HSL terms it has a hue of 345°, 100% saturation, and 42% lightness.

What is the hex code for Carmine?

The hex code for Carmine is #D60036. In RGB it's rgb(214, 0, 54), and in CMYK it's cmyk(0%, 100%, 75%, 16%).

What colors go well with Carmine?

Carmine pairs naturally with cyan tones from its complementary harmony. Its own tints and shades always work as a monochrome scheme.

Got a photo with a color like this? Identify it with the analyzer — free, instant, private.