#8E1E1E
#D8B860
#1E3E6E
#2E0E0E
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text

Dragon Throne Color Palette

#8E1E1E · #D8B860 · #1E3E6E · #2E0E0E

Fail
WCAG Grade
2.0:1
Contrast Ratio
993
Saves
1,667
AI Copies
AI Prompt

Use #8E1E1E as the background. Use #D8B860 as the primary accent. Use #1E3E6E as secondary. Use #2E0E0E as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Dragon Throne — royal, vintage, night, moody.

Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values

Technical breakdown for the Dragon Throne 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: 6.8%
142, 30, 30 0%, 79%, 79%, 44% 0°, 65%, 34%
Primary Accent
Luminance: 49.7%
216, 184, 96 0%, 15%, 56%, 15% 44°, 61%, 61%
Secondary
Luminance: 4.8%
30, 62, 110 73%, 44%, 0%, 57% 216°, 57%, 27%
Body Text
Luminance: 0.9%
46, 14, 14 0%, 70%, 70%, 82% 0°, 53%, 12%

Dragon Throne 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 Dragon Throne palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.

#8E1E1E saturated red
#D8B860 gently saturated orange
#1E3E6E gently saturated blue
#2E0E0E gently saturated red

Dragon Throne 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
#2E0E0E on #D8B860
Aa Sample Text
9.23:1 AAA Body text, headings, UI
#D8B860 on #2E0E0E
Aa Sample Text
9.23:1 AAA Body text, headings, UI
#1E3E6E on #D8B860
Aa Sample Text
5.56:1 AA Body text, UI
#D8B860 on #1E3E6E
Aa Sample Text
5.56:1 AA Body text, UI
#D8B860 on #8E1E1E
Aa Sample Text
4.65:1 AA Body text, UI
#8E1E1E on #D8B860
Aa Sample Text
4.65:1 AA Body text, UI
#2E0E0E on #8E1E1E
Aa Sample Text
1.99:1 Fail Decorative use only
#8E1E1E on #2E0E0E
Aa Sample Text
1.99:1 Fail Decorative use only
#2E0E0E on #1E3E6E
Aa Sample Text
1.66:1 Fail Decorative use only
#1E3E6E on #2E0E0E
Aa Sample Text
1.66:1 Fail Decorative use only
#1E3E6E on #8E1E1E
Aa Sample Text
1.20:1 Fail Decorative use only
#8E1E1E on #1E3E6E
Aa Sample Text
1.20:1 Fail Decorative use only

Dragon Throne Color Psychology & Meaning

The dragon throne of China used red and gold above all, with the five-clawed dragon reserved for the emperor alone, and this palette is dragon red with deep azure. It feels absolute and forbidden, the color of a colour no one else was allowed to wear.

Color Harmony: Split-Complementary Scheme

The Dragon Throne palette is built using a split-complementary relationship between its hues. This ensures that even with high-contrast accents, the overall scheme feels balanced and intentional.

Hue Wheel

A split-complementary palette is often preferred by professional designers because it balances visual interest with cohesion.

History & Design Context

Imperial yellow was reserved for the Chinese emperor's own use, and the five-clawed dragon marked imperial rank; using either without permission was a capital offence, making the palette a legal code as much as an aesthetic.

Best Design Use Cases

Use the dragon red for wide surfaces, imperial gold for buttons and links, deep azure for secondary details, and seal dark for text.

Industries This Palette Suits

Theatre, opera, heritage tourism, invitations and calligraphy.

Colors That Pair Well With Dragon Throne

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.

blue

directly opposite #D8B860 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy

yellow-green

30° beside #D8B860 — 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 Dragon Throne Without Breaking Accessibility

  • Use #D8B860 for buttons and links — it scores 4.6:1 against the #8E1E1E background (above the 3:1 UI-components threshold).
  • Don't set body copy in #2E0E0E on #8E1E1E — 2.0:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
  • Let #1E3E6E carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #D8B860.

How to Implement the Dragon Throne Color Scheme

To use this Dragon Throne 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 #8E1E1E for the main background and #D8B860 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.

Accessibility Note

The contrast ratio between #2E0E0E and #8E1E1E is 1.99:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.

Dragon Throne Palette — Frequently Asked Questions

What are the hex codes in the Dragon Throne color palette?

The Dragon Throne palette contains #8E1E1E, #D8B860, #1E3E6E, #2E0E0E. 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 Dragon Throne color palette accessible (WCAG)?

Yes for its strongest pairings: #2E0E0E on #D8B860 reaches 9.2:1 (AAA). 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 Dragon Throne palette?

Beyond its own four colors, #5F7FD8, #B7CE69, #F0EAEA 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 Dragon Throne palette create?

Dragon Throne reads as royal, vintage, night. Gently saturated orange drives the personality, grounded by saturated red — a combination that works best when the mid-tone base gets most of the canvas.

Can I use the Dragon Throne color palette commercially?

Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Dragon Throne 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 Dragon Throne 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 Dragon Throne's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.

Similar Palettes

Live Preview
Generate Similar ✦
Skip to content