Caput Mortuum Color Psychology & Meaning
Caput mortuum is a muted, violet-leaning brown-red, the color of dried rose petals and aged leather. It feels melancholic and refined, a color for brands that want depth without loudness.
#592720
#7E3A30
#B06A5C
#240C09
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text
Caput Mortuum Color Palette
#592720 · #7E3A30 · #B06A5C · #240C09
Fail
WCAG Grade
1.5:1
Contrast Ratio
740
Saves
1,960
AI Copies
Use #592720 as the background. Use #7E3A30 as the primary accent. Use #B06A5C as secondary. Use #240C09 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Caput Mortuum — deep, earthy, dramatic.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Caput Mortuum color scheme. Use these values for web design (HEX/RGB), print projects (CMYK), or specialized design software (HSL).
| Swatch | Design Role | HEX | RGB | CMYK | HSL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background Luminance: 3.7% | 89, 39, 32 | 0%, 56%, 64%, 65% | 7°, 47%, 24% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 7.7% | 126, 58, 48 | 0%, 54%, 62%, 51% | 8°, 45%, 34% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 20.3% | 176, 106, 92 | 0%, 40%, 48%, 31% | 10°, 35%, 53% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 0.7% | 36, 12, 9 | 0%, 67%, 75%, 86% | 7°, 60%, 9% |
Caput Mortuum Tints & Shades
Hover states, borders and elevation need lighter and darker steps of your base colors. Here are computed tints and shades for every color in the Caput Mortuum palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
#592720 gently saturated red
#7E3A30 gently saturated red
#B06A5C gently saturated red
#240C09 gently saturated red
Caput Mortuum Palette Contrast Matrix (WCAG 2.1)
Every color tested as text on every other color as background. Body copy needs 4.5:1 (AA), large text and UI components 3:1. AAA requires 7:1.
| Text on Background | Preview | Ratio | Grade | Safe For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #240C09 on #B06A5C |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.47:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #B06A5C on #240C09 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.47:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #B06A5C on #592720 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.92:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #592720 on #B06A5C |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.92:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #240C09 on #7E3A30 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.24:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #7E3A30 on #240C09 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.24:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #B06A5C on #7E3A30 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.00:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #7E3A30 on #B06A5C |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.00:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #240C09 on #592720 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.53:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #592720 on #240C09 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.53:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #7E3A30 on #592720 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.46:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #592720 on #7E3A30 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.46:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Caput Mortuum palette is built using a analogous relationship between its hues. This ensures that even with high-contrast accents, the overall scheme feels balanced and intentional.
Hue Wheel
A analogous palette is often preferred by professional designers because it creates a calm, serene atmosphere by using neighboring colors.
History & Design Context
The name is Latin for dead head, given by alchemists to the residue left after distillation. As a pigment it was made from iron oxide and prized by painters for warm, subdued flesh shadows.
Best Design Use Cases
Use caput mortuum for dramatic, editorial brand surfaces. The mid tones carry sections, the clay rose softens supporting areas, and the near-black plum-brown grounds text.
Industries This Palette Suits
Editorial, art, vintage fashion, interior design, publishing.
Colors That Pair Well With Caput Mortuum
Need a fifth color? These three companions are computed from the palette's own hue positions on the color wheel, so they extend the scheme without breaking its harmony.
teal
directly opposite #7E3A30 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
orange
30° beside #7E3A30 — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension
tinted neutral
a paper-white carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers
Using Caput Mortuum Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #7E3A30 for small UI elements on #592720 — at 1.5:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Don't set body copy in #240C09 on #592720 — 1.5:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
- Let #B06A5C carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #7E3A30.
How to Implement the Caput Mortuum Color Scheme
To use this Caput Mortuum color palette in your web project, you can copy the following CSS variables or Tailwind CSS configuration. These roles ensure your UI maintains accessibility and visual hierarchy.
Option 1: CSS Variables
:root {
/* {name} Palette - ihatecolors.com */{'
'} --color-bg: {colors[0]};{'
'} --color-primary: {colors[1]};{'
'} --color-secondary: {colors[2]};{'
'} --color-text: {colors[3]};{'
'} {'}'}Web Design Tip
Use #592720 for the main background and #7E3A30 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #240C09 and #592720 is 1.53:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Caput Mortuum Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Caput Mortuum color palette?
The Caput Mortuum palette contains #592720, #7E3A30, #B06A5C, #240C09. Click any swatch on this page to copy its value, or export all four at once as CSS variables, Tailwind config, SCSS or a Figma-ready list.
Is the Caput Mortuum color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #240C09 on #B06A5C reaches 4.5:1 (Fail). For body text always keep a 4.5:1 ratio and for large UI elements 3:1 — the full contrast matrix above shows the exact score for every color-on-color combination in this palette.
What colors go well with the Caput Mortuum palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #317781, #755F38, #EFECEB extend it naturally: the complementary hue for high-energy accents, an analogous neighbor for calm transitions, and a tinted neutral for surfaces. All three are computed from this palette's hues on the color wheel.
What mood does the Caput Mortuum palette create?
Caput Mortuum reads as deep, earthy, dramatic. Gently saturated red drives the personality, grounded by gently saturated red — a combination that works best when the deep base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Caput Mortuum color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Caput Mortuum palette is free for personal, client and commercial work — websites, branding, apps, print and social content, with no attribution required.
How do I add the Caput Mortuum palette to Tailwind or CSS?
Use the export panel on this page: CSS variables, a Tailwind config block, SCSS variables, or a Figma copy list are generated from Caput Mortuum's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.