Payne's gray color

A dark blue-gray named after William Payne, an 18th-century English watercolor painter. Artists use it instead of black for shadows, and it is popular in modern decor.

Also known as: Paynes grey.

Payne's gray · #536878

About payne's gray

Payne's gray (#536878) is a cool, mid-tone, muted color. It belongs to the grays family. It mixes 83 red, 104 green and 120 blue (out of 255). It is mostly used in art, watercolor, interiors.

Payne's gray shades and tints

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

Payne's gray color harmonies

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

ComplementaryClose to: Tobacco brown

AnalogousClose to: Gunmetal gray

TriadicClose to: Eggplant, Camouflage green

Split complementaryClose to: Eggplant, Camouflage green

TetradicClose to: Eggplant, Tobacco brown, Fern green

Payne's gray color palettes

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

Monochromatic palette · Payne's gray

Analogous palette · Payne's gray

Complementary palette · Payne's gray

Triadic palette · Payne's gray

With neutrals palette · Payne's gray

With an accent palette · Payne's gray

Payne's gray contrast with text

White textContrast 5.8:1 · AA

Black textContrast 3.6:1 · AA large text

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

CSS code

:root {
  --paynes-gray: #536878;
  --paynes-gray-rgb: 83, 104, 120;
}
.bg { background-color: var(--paynes-gray); }
.text { color: var(--paynes-gray); }

Colors similar to payne's gray

Gunmetal gray Slate gray Lead gray Steel gray Dove gray Light slate gray Nickel Dark gray Graphite Charcoal gray

Themed palettes with this color

Frequently asked questions

What is the hex code for payne's gray?

The hex code for payne's gray is #536878. In RGB it is rgb(83, 104, 120), in HSL hsl(206, 18%, 40%) and in CMYK 31, 13, 0, 53.

What is the complementary color of payne's gray?

Its complement on the color wheel is #786353, close to tobacco brown. Used in small doses, it works as an accent and adds strong contrast.

Can you use white text on payne's gray?

Yes. The contrast with white is 5.8:1, enough for body text (WCAG AA).