Goblincore Color Psychology & Meaning
Goblincore celebrates the weird, the damp, and the overlooked. These earthy browns are the colors of mushrooms, river stones, and things found in the forest after rain.
#2A1F0E
#6B4A1E
#A0784A
#C8A870
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text
Goblincore Color Palette
#2A1F0E · #6B4A1E · #A0784A · #C8A870
AAA
WCAG Grade
7.1:1
Contrast Ratio
1,600
Saves
4,200
AI Copies
Use #2A1F0E as the background. Use #6B4A1E as the primary accent. Use #A0784A as secondary. Use #C8A870 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Goblincore — earthy, dark, quirky.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Goblincore 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: 1.5% | 42, 31, 14 | 0%, 26%, 67%, 84% | 36°, 50%, 11% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 8.1% | 107, 74, 30 | 0%, 31%, 72%, 58% | 34°, 56%, 27% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 21.4% | 160, 120, 74 | 0%, 25%, 54%, 37% | 32°, 37%, 46% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 41.5% | 200, 168, 112 | 0%, 16%, 44%, 22% | 38°, 44%, 61% |
Goblincore 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 Goblincore palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
#2A1F0E gently saturated orange
#6B4A1E gently saturated orange
#A0784A gently saturated orange
#C8A870 gently saturated orange
Goblincore 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #C8A870 on #2A1F0E |
Aa Sample Text
| 7.14:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #2A1F0E on #C8A870 |
Aa Sample Text
| 7.14:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #A0784A on #2A1F0E |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.06:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #2A1F0E on #A0784A |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.06:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #C8A870 on #6B4A1E |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.54:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #6B4A1E on #C8A870 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.54:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #6B4A1E on #2A1F0E |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.02:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #2A1F0E on #6B4A1E |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.02:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #A0784A on #6B4A1E |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.01:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #6B4A1E on #A0784A |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.01:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C8A870 on #A0784A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.76:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #A0784A on #C8A870 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.76:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Goblincore 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
Goblincore emerged on Tumblr around 2019-2020 as a subversion of pretty aesthetics. It celebrates nature's ugly-beautiful things: fungi, snails, rocks, and swamps.
Best Design Use Cases
Dark brown for editorial backgrounds. Mid brown for surfaces. Warm tan for containers. Camel for text on dark backgrounds. Embrace the earthy warmth.
Industries This Palette Suits
Alternative fashion, indie brands, fantasy gaming, quirky food brands, nature education.
Colors That Pair Well With Goblincore
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.
cyan-blue
directly opposite #6B4A1E on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
yellow
30° beside #6B4A1E — 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 Goblincore Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #6B4A1E for small UI elements on #2A1F0E — at 2.0:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Set body text in #C8A870 — 7.1:1 against #2A1F0E passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
- Let #A0784A carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #6B4A1E.
How to Implement the Goblincore Color Scheme
To use this Goblincore 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 #2A1F0E for the main background and #6B4A1E for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #C8A870 and #2A1F0E is 7.14:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Goblincore Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Goblincore color palette?
The Goblincore palette contains #2A1F0E, #6B4A1E, #A0784A, #C8A870. 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 Goblincore color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #C8A870 on #2A1F0E reaches 7.1:1 (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 Goblincore palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #27538B, #606525, #EFEEEB 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 Goblincore palette create?
Goblincore reads as earthy, dark, quirky. Gently saturated orange drives the personality, grounded by gently saturated orange — a combination that works best when the deep base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Goblincore color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Goblincore 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 Goblincore 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 Goblincore's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.