#3A3A40
#16161A
#5E5E66
#08080A
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text

Obsidian Color Palette

#3A3A40 · #16161A · #5E5E66 · #08080A

Fail
WCAG Grade
1.8:1
Contrast Ratio
652
Saves
1,538
AI Copies
AI Prompt

Use #3A3A40 as the background. Use #16161A as the primary accent. Use #5E5E66 as secondary. Use #08080A as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Obsidian — mono, royal, night, moody.

Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values

Technical breakdown for the Obsidian 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: 4.3%
58, 58, 64 9%, 9%, 0%, 75% 240°, 5%, 24%
Primary Accent
Luminance: 0.8%
22, 22, 26 15%, 15%, 0%, 90% 240°, 8%, 9%
Secondary
Luminance: 11.3%
94, 94, 102 8%, 8%, 0%, 60% 240°, 4%, 38%
Body Text
Luminance: 0.2%
8, 8, 10 20%, 20%, 0%, 96% 240°, 11%, 4%

Obsidian 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 Obsidian palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.

#3A3A40 neutral gray
#16161A muted blue
#5E5E66 neutral gray
#08080A muted blue

Obsidian 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
#08080A on #5E5E66
Aa Sample Text
3.11:1 Fail Large headings, UI components
#5E5E66 on #08080A
Aa Sample Text
3.11:1 Fail Large headings, UI components
#5E5E66 on #16161A
Aa Sample Text
2.81:1 Fail Decorative use only
#16161A on #5E5E66
Aa Sample Text
2.81:1 Fail Decorative use only
#08080A on #3A3A40
Aa Sample Text
1.77:1 Fail Decorative use only
#3A3A40 on #08080A
Aa Sample Text
1.77:1 Fail Decorative use only
#5E5E66 on #3A3A40
Aa Sample Text
1.76:1 Fail Decorative use only
#3A3A40 on #5E5E66
Aa Sample Text
1.76:1 Fail Decorative use only
#16161A on #3A3A40
Aa Sample Text
1.60:1 Fail Decorative use only
#3A3A40 on #16161A
Aa Sample Text
1.60:1 Fail Decorative use only
#08080A on #16161A
Aa Sample Text
1.11:1 Fail Decorative use only
#16161A on #08080A
Aa Sample Text
1.11:1 Fail Decorative use only

Obsidian Color Psychology & Meaning

Obsidian is volcanic glass that cools so fast it forms no crystals, and its surface can be polished to a mirror, and this palette is obsidian grey with obsidian sheen. It feels sharp and vitreous, the color of a stone that looks like a screen.

Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme

The Obsidian 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

Obsidian forms when lava cools too quickly for crystals to grow, producing natural glass; it was traded widely in antiquity as a cutting material and it is still used in some surgical blades.

Best Design Use Cases

Use the obsidian grey for wide surfaces, obsidian black for buttons and links, obsidian sheen for secondary details, and obsidian dark for text.

Industries This Palette Suits

Editorial design, architecture studios, type foundries, agencies.

Colors That Pair Well With Obsidian

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.

yellow

directly opposite #16161A on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy

violet

30° beside #16161A — 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 Obsidian Without Breaking Accessibility

  • Avoid #16161A for small UI elements on #3A3A40 — at 1.6:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
  • Don't set body copy in #08080A on #3A3A40 — 1.8:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
  • Let #5E5E66 carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #16161A.

How to Implement the Obsidian Color Scheme

To use this Obsidian 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 #3A3A40 for the main background and #16161A for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.

Accessibility Note

The contrast ratio between #08080A and #3A3A40 is 1.77:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.

Obsidian Palette — Frequently Asked Questions

What are the hex codes in the Obsidian color palette?

The Obsidian palette contains #3A3A40, #16161A, #5E5E66, #08080A. 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 Obsidian color palette accessible (WCAG)?

Yes for its strongest pairings: #08080A on #5E5E66 reaches 3.1:1 (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 Obsidian palette?

Beyond its own four colors, #606052, #171519, #ECECEE 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 Obsidian palette create?

Obsidian reads as mono, royal, night. Muted blue drives the personality, grounded by neutral gray — a combination that works best when the deep base gets most of the canvas.

Can I use the Obsidian color palette commercially?

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

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