Heartbeat
Also known as: Velvet Volcano, Red Door, Red Pentacle, Natural Leather
With its warm undertone, Heartbeat (#AA0000) comes across as passionate and urgent. Designers reach for it in sale banners and sportswear. Heartbeat plays well with cyan tones — the harmonies below show exactly which ones. It's dark enough to use for text on white backgrounds (7.75:1, passes WCAG AA).
Heartbeat color codes
- HEX
- #AA0000
- RGB
- rgb(170, 0, 0)
- RGBA
- rgba(170, 0, 0, 1)
- HSL
- hsl(0, 100%, 33%)
- HSV
- hsv(0, 100%, 67%)
- CMYK
- cmyk(0%, 100%, 100%, 33%)
- LAB
- lab(35.9 59.6 51.3)
- OKLCH
- oklch(46.3% 0.190 29.2)
Color intelligence
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
warm
Nearest standard colors
- CSS: firebrick#B22222 · ΔE 5.8
- RAL 3000 — Flame red#AB2524 · ΔE 6.0 · 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 Heartbeat 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: A supporting-cast color for UI: chart fills, tags, empty-state illustrations — not text.
- 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 Heartbeat
Tints (lighter)
Shades (darker)
Color harmonies
Palettes built from Heartbeat 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 7.75:1
AA passAAA passAA large pass
Aa — on black
contrast 2.71:1
AA failAAA failAA large fail
Best text color on a Heartbeat background: #ffffff
Palettes featuring Heartbeat
Heartbeat with its complement
Soft neighbors of Heartbeat
Heartbeat triad
Similar colors
- Kid Icarus#A81000 · ΔE 1.1
- Gory Red#A30800 · ΔE 1.3
- Bloody Mary#BA0105 · ΔE 3.2
- Chorizo#AA0011 · ΔE 3.2
- Burnt Red#9F2305 · ΔE 3.3
- Bullseye#B9030A · ΔE 3.3
Looking for maximum contrast instead? The complement of Heartbeat is closest to Pacific.
Heartbeat FAQs
What color is Heartbeat?
Heartbeat is a dark red with the hex code #AA0000. In HSL terms it has a hue of 0°, 100% saturation, and 33% lightness.
What is the hex code for Heartbeat?
The hex code for Heartbeat is #AA0000. In RGB it's rgb(170, 0, 0), and in CMYK it's cmyk(0%, 100%, 100%, 33%).
What colors go well with Heartbeat?
Heartbeat pairs naturally with cyan tones from its complementary harmony. Its own tints and shades always work as a monochrome scheme.
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