Sooty

#141414

Also known as: Cursed Black , Matt Black , Dark Tone Ink , Pot Black

A muted black with a dramatic and commanding character, Sooty works well for high-contrast UI and luxury branding. Sooty plays well with black tones. The harmonies below show which ones. Accessibility-wise, it clears AA for text on white at 18.42:1.

Reference

Sooty color codes

HEX: #141414
RGB: rgb(20, 20, 20)
RGBA: rgba(20, 20, 20, 1)
HSL: hsl(0, 0%, 8%)
HSV: hsv(0, 0%, 8%)
CMYK: cmyk(0%, 0%, 0%, 92%)
LAB: lab(6.3 0.0 0.0)
OKLCH: oklch(19.1% 0.000 0.0)

Analysis

Color intelligence

sRGB safe

Gamut

The full range of colors a device or space can show. sRGB is the common screen gamut; Display P3 is wider. A color outside a gamut cannot be shown accurately there and must be mapped inward.Full glossary entry →

Displays accurately on every screen and translates well to print.

Temperature

Undertone

The subtle secondary bias in a color that seems neutral. A gray can have a blue or green undertone; a white can lean warm or cool. Undertones decide whether two near-neutrals clash or agree.Full glossary entry →

CoolWarm

neutral, leaning warm

Nearest standard colors

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Delta E (ΔE)
A measure of how different two colors look. Below 1 the difference is invisible to almost everyone; below 2.3 most people can't tell them apart; above 10 they are clearly different colors. We use CIEDE2000, the modern standard.Full glossary entry →

CSS: black #000000 · ΔE 3.7
RAL 9005: Jet black #0A0A0D · ΔE 2.5 · 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 Sooty 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: A wardrobe neutral: it anchors outfits and pairs with nearly any accent color.
Branding: Craft and heritage material: coffee, leather goods, and premium packaging live here.
Web & UI: A supporting-cast color for UI: chart fills, tags, and empty-state illustrations, but not text.
Fashion: Wears best as the statement piece, a top, scarf, or shoes, against neutral basics.

Copy as: every ecosystem

Variations

Tints, shades, and tones of Sooty

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Tint
A color mixed with white, which raises its lightness. Pink is a tint of red. Tints feel softer and more open than the base color.Full glossary entry →

Tints (lighter)

Shades (darker)

Tones (muted)

Harmonies

Color harmonies

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Complementary colors
Two colors opposite each other on the wheel. They create the strongest contrast and make each other look more intense, so they work best used unevenly.Full glossary entry →

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

Complementary

Analogous

Triadic

Split-complementary

Tetradic

Monochromatic

Accessibility

Contrast & accessibility

Aa on white

contrast 18.42:1

AA pass AAA pass AA large pass

Aa on black

contrast 1.14:1

AA fail AAA fail AA large fail

Best text color on a Sooty background: #ffffff

Palettes

Palettes featuring Sooty

Sooty with its complement

Soft neighbors of Sooty

Sooty triad

Explore

Similar colors

Looking for maximum contrast instead? The complement of Sooty is closest to Dark Moon .

FAQ

Sooty FAQs

What color is Sooty?

Sooty is a dark black with the hex code #141414. In HSL terms it has a hue of 0°, 0% saturation, and 8% lightness.

What is the hex code for Sooty?

The hex code for Sooty is #141414. In RGB it's rgb(20, 20, 20), and in CMYK it's cmyk(0%, 0%, 0%, 92%).

What colors go well with Sooty?

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

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