Sooty
Also known as: Cursed Black, Matt Black, Dark Tone Ink, Pot Black
A muted black with a dramatic and powerful character, Sooty works beautifully for high-contrast UI and luxury branding. Sooty plays well with black tones — the harmonies below show exactly which ones. Accessibility-wise, it clears AA for text on white at 18.42:1.
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)
Color intelligence
Displays accurately on every screen and translates well to print.
Temperature
neutral, leaning warm
Nearest standard colors
- 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, empty-state illustrations — not text.
- Fashion: Wears best as the statement piece — a top, scarf, or shoes — against neutral basics.
Copy as — every ecosystem
Tints, shades, and tones of Sooty
Tints (lighter)
Shades (darker)
Color harmonies
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
Contrast & accessibility
Aa — on white
contrast 18.42:1
AA passAAA passAA large pass
Aa — on black
contrast 1.14:1
AA failAAA failAA large fail
Best text color on a Sooty background: #ffffff
Palettes featuring Sooty
Sooty with its complement
Soft neighbors of Sooty
Sooty triad
Similar colors
- Dark Moon#161718 · ΔE 1.2
- Sinister#12110E · ΔE 1.8
- Raven#0B0B0B · ΔE 2.0
- King Kong#161410 · ΔE 2.4
- Black Metal#060606 · ΔE 2.8
- Liquorice#0A0502 · ΔE 3.4
Looking for maximum contrast instead? The complement of Sooty is closest to Dark Moon.
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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