Carmine
Online color picker to view shades, tints, color codes, and complementary colors
Carmine is a saturated, intense red that demands instant attention. Treat it as a 10% accent color for calls to action rather than a large-scale background. It pairs effectively with cool charcoal or crisp off-whites. The hex code is #d60036. This shade supports white text well, ensuring excellent readability for UI alerts and buttons.
About Carmine
Raspberry crushed straight into the jar
What does carmine mean?
Commonly, this shade of red signals passion, celebration, and warning, and it often reads as more playful than pure crimson. Its deep saturation and mid-high lightness give it a full, glowing energy that fills space without turning harsh or heavy.
Where you see carmine
- raspberries
- lipstick
- valentine hearts
- chili peppers
- sport jerseys
- nail polish
What it works for
Use it where a loud, confident red should lead: packaging accents, call-to-action buttons, sports graphics, and bold poster type.
What colors go with carmine?
Cream #fffdd0Cream softens the red's intensity and keeps layouts warm instead of loud.Teal #008080Teal sits opposite on the wheel, so both colors look sharper together.Mustard #ffdb58Mustard adds a warm, earthy counterweight to the red's brilliance.Charcoal #36454fCharcoal mutes the glow enough to let the red carry the message.Blush #de5d83Blush shares the red family but reads gentle, giving the pairing range.Forest Green #154406Forest green darkens the field, so the red reads lush rather than ablaze.
Questions about Carmine
What is the hex code for Carmine?
Carmine is #d60036. In RGB that is rgb(214, 0, 54), in HSL hsl(345, 100%, 42%) and in CMYK 0%, 100%, 75%, 16%.
How should I use #d60036 in a user interface?
Use #d60036 sparingly as a high-impact accent color for primary buttons, error states, or critical notifications. Because this carmine is so saturated, it works best when paired with neutral backgrounds like charcoal or crisp off-whites to maintain readability.
Is Carmine readable on white or black?
Carmine has a 5.36:1 contrast ratio on white and 3.91:1 on black. WCAG asks for 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text, so on white it works for body text and on black it works only for large text (24px, or 18.5px bold). Try other pairs in the contrast checker.