Crimson color

The name comes from the Arabic qirmizi, a dye made from an insect called kermes. It's an intense red with a bluish touch that looks elegant and a little dramatic. You'll see it on uniforms, flags and evening wear.

Also known as: crimson red.

Crimson · #DC143C

About crimson

Crimson (#DC143C) is a warm, mid-tone, highly saturated color. It belongs to the reds family. It mixes 220 red, 20 green and 60 blue (out of 255). It is mostly used in fashion, branding, graphic design.

Crimson shades and tints

From lightest to darkest. Tap a shade to copy its code.

Crimson color harmonies

Combinations based on the color wheel. More in the color harmony tool.

ComplementaryClose to: Turquoise

AnalogousClose to: Fuchsia, Mahogany

TriadicClose to: Grass green, Klein blue

Split complementaryClose to: Pastel green, Steel blue

TetradicClose to: Lime green, Turquoise, Violet

Crimson color palettes

Copy the codes or open a palette in the editor to tweak it.

Monochromatic palette · Crimson

Analogous palette · Crimson

Complementary palette · Crimson

Triadic palette · Crimson

With neutrals palette · Crimson

With an accent palette · Crimson

Crimson contrast with text

White textContrast 5.0:1 · AA

Black textContrast 4.2:1 · AA large text

Based on WCAG 2.1 guidelines. Test other pairs in the contrast checker.

CSS code

:root {
  --crimson: #DC143C;
  --crimson-rgb: 220, 20, 60;
}
.bg { background-color: var(--crimson); }
.text { color: var(--crimson); }

Colors similar to crimson

Cherry red Vermilion Brick red Raspberry Ruby Carmine Tomato red Blood red Indian red Rust

Themed palettes with this color

More reds

Red Scarlet Vermilion Maroon Burgundy Wine Carmine Ruby Cherry red Brick red Blood red Marsala Tomato red Ferrari red Indian red

Frequently asked questions

What is the hex code for crimson?

The hex code for crimson is #DC143C. In RGB it is rgb(220, 20, 60), in HSL hsl(348, 83%, 47%) and in CMYK 0, 91, 73, 14.

What is the complementary color of crimson?

Its complement on the color wheel is #14DCB4, close to turquoise. Used in small doses, it works as an accent and adds strong contrast.

Can you use white text on crimson?

Yes. The contrast with white is 5.0:1, enough for body text (WCAG AA).