Green Flash Color Psychology & Meaning
The green flash is a split second of emerald at sunset, caused by atmospheric refraction separating the suns colors. This palette treats that rarity as a brand identity, dark ocean and a single flash of green.
#0A1A2A
#1AA85A
#2AE8A0
#E8F0E8
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text
Green Flash Color Palette
#0A1A2A · #1AA85A · #2AE8A0 · #E8F0E8
AAA
WCAG Grade
15.1:1
Contrast Ratio
1,100
Saves
2,900
AI Copies
Use #0A1A2A as the background. Use #1AA85A as the primary accent. Use #2AE8A0 as secondary. Use #E8F0E8 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Green Flash — rare, bright, minimal.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Green Flash 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: 1.0% | 10, 26, 42 | 76%, 38%, 0%, 84% | 210°, 62%, 10% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 29.0% | 26, 168, 90 | 85%, 0%, 46%, 34% | 147°, 73%, 38% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 60.7% | 42, 232, 160 | 82%, 0%, 31%, 9% | 157°, 81%, 54% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 85.3% | 232, 240, 232 | 3%, 0%, 3%, 6% | 120°, 21%, 93% |
Green Flash 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 Green Flash palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
#0A1A2A gently saturated cyan-blue
#1AA85A saturated green
#2AE8A0 saturated teal
#E8F0E8 muted green
Green Flash 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #E8F0E8 on #0A1A2A |
Aa Sample Text
| 15.12:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #0A1A2A on #E8F0E8 |
Aa Sample Text
| 15.12:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #2AE8A0 on #0A1A2A |
Aa Sample Text
| 11.01:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #0A1A2A on #2AE8A0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 11.01:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #1AA85A on #0A1A2A |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.69:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #0A1A2A on #1AA85A |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.69:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #E8F0E8 on #1AA85A |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.66:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #1AA85A on #E8F0E8 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.66:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #2AE8A0 on #1AA85A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.94:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #1AA85A on #2AE8A0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.94:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #E8F0E8 on #2AE8A0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.37:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #2AE8A0 on #E8F0E8 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.37:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Custom Scheme
The Green Flash palette is built using a custom relationship between its hues. This ensures that even with high-contrast accents, the overall scheme feels balanced and intentional.
Hue Wheel
A custom palette is often preferred by professional designers because it balances visual interest with cohesion.
History & Design Context
Sailors told tales of a green flash at sunset for centuries before physicists explained the refraction. It is best seen over open water, which is why the stories are maritime stories.
Best Design Use Cases
Use the dark background for a dramatic hero, the green for primary accents and CTAs, and the bright mint for highlights. The pale text keeps everything legible on dark.
Industries This Palette Suits
Travel, marine brands, optics and science, luxury watches, photography, editorial.
Colors That Pair Well With Green Flash
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.
magenta
directly opposite #1AA85A on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
teal
30° beside #1AA85A — 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 Green Flash Without Breaking Accessibility
- Use #1AA85A for buttons and links — it scores 5.7:1 against the #0A1A2A background (above the 3:1 UI-components threshold).
- Set body text in #E8F0E8 — 15.1:1 against #0A1A2A passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
- Let #2AE8A0 carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #1AA85A.
How to Implement the Green Flash Color Scheme
To use this Green Flash 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 #0A1A2A for the main background and #1AA85A for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #E8F0E8 and #0A1A2A is 15.12:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Green Flash Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Green Flash color palette?
The Green Flash palette contains #0A1A2A, #1AA85A, #2AE8A0, #E8F0E8. 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 Green Flash color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #E8F0E8 on #0A1A2A reaches 15.1:1 (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 Green Flash palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #A81A68, #249E98, #EAEDF0 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 Green Flash palette create?
Green Flash reads as rare, bright, minimal. Saturated green drives the personality, grounded by gently saturated cyan-blue — a combination that works best when the deep base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Green Flash color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Green Flash 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 Green Flash 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 Green Flash's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.