Iron Gall Ink Color Palette
#5E5548 · #3A342C · #8E8676 · #1E1A15
Use #5E5548 as the background. Use #3A342C as the primary accent. Use #8E8676 as secondary. Use #1E1A15 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Iron Gall Ink — mono, warm, vintage, moody.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Iron Gall Ink 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: 9.3% | 94, 85, 72 | 0%, 10%, 23%, 63% | 35°, 13%, 33% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 3.5% | 58, 52, 44 | 0%, 10%, 24%, 77% | 34°, 14%, 20% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 24.1% | 142, 134, 118 | 0%, 6%, 17%, 44% | 40°, 10%, 51% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 1.1% | 30, 26, 21 | 0%, 13%, 30%, 88% | 33°, 18%, 10% |
Iron Gall Ink 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 Iron Gall Ink palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
Iron Gall Ink 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1E1A15 on #8E8676 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.80:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #8E8676 on #1E1A15 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.80:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #8E8676 on #3A342C |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.41:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #3A342C on #8E8676 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.41:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #1E1A15 on #5E5548 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.36:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #5E5548 on #1E1A15 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.36:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #8E8676 on #5E5548 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.03:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #5E5548 on #8E8676 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.03:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #3A342C on #5E5548 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.68:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #5E5548 on #3A342C |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.68:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #1E1A15 on #3A342C |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.41:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #3A342C on #1E1A15 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.41:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Iron Gall Ink 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.
A analogous palette is often preferred by professional designers because it creates a calm, serene atmosphere by using neighboring colors.
History & Design Context
Best Design Use Cases
Industries This Palette Suits
Colors That Pair Well With Iron Gall Ink
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.
directly opposite #3A342C on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
30° beside #3A342C — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension
a paper-white carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers
Using Iron Gall Ink Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #3A342C for small UI elements on #5E5548 — at 1.7:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Don't set body copy in #1E1A15 on #5E5548 — 2.4:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
- Let #8E8676 carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #3A342C.
How to Implement the Iron Gall Ink Color Scheme
To use this Iron Gall Ink 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 #5E5548 for the main background and #3A342C for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #1E1A15 and #5E5548 is 2.36:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Iron Gall Ink Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Iron Gall Ink color palette?
The Iron Gall Ink palette contains #5E5548, #3A342C, #8E8676, #1E1A15. 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 Iron Gall Ink color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #1E1A15 on #8E8676 reaches 4.8:1 (AA). 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 Iron Gall Ink palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #4D5866, #37382E, #EEEDEC 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 Iron Gall Ink palette create?
Iron Gall Ink reads as mono, warm, vintage. Muted orange drives the personality, grounded by muted orange — a combination that works best when the mid-tone base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Iron Gall Ink color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Iron Gall Ink 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 Iron Gall Ink 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 Iron Gall Ink's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.