#E8E8E0
#BEBEB4
#8A8A82
#4A4A46
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text

Photocopy Fade Color Palette

#E8E8E0 · #BEBEB4 · #8A8A82 · #4A4A46

AAA
WCAG Grade
7.2:1
Contrast Ratio
741
Saves
3,205
AI Copies
AI Prompt

Use #E8E8E0 as the background. Use #BEBEB4 as the primary accent. Use #8A8A82 as secondary. Use #4A4A46 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Photocopy Fade — mono, vintage, moody, warm.

Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values

Technical breakdown for the Photocopy Fade 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: 80.3%
232, 232, 224 0%, 0%, 3%, 9% 60°, 15%, 89%
Primary Accent
Luminance: 51.1%
190, 190, 180 0%, 0%, 5%, 25% 60°, 7%, 73%
Secondary
Luminance: 25.2%
138, 138, 130 0%, 0%, 6%, 46% 60°, 3%, 53%
Body Text
Luminance: 6.8%
74, 74, 70 0%, 0%, 5%, 71% 60°, 3%, 28%

Photocopy Fade 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 Photocopy Fade palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.

#E8E8E0 muted yellow
#BEBEB4 neutral gray
#8A8A82 neutral gray
#4A4A46 neutral gray

Photocopy Fade 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
#4A4A46 on #E8E8E0
Aa Sample Text
7.23:1 AAA Body text, headings, UI
#E8E8E0 on #4A4A46
Aa Sample Text
7.23:1 AAA Body text, headings, UI
#4A4A46 on #BEBEB4
Aa Sample Text
4.75:1 AA Body text, UI
#BEBEB4 on #4A4A46
Aa Sample Text
4.75:1 AA Body text, UI
#8A8A82 on #E8E8E0
Aa Sample Text
2.82:1 Fail Decorative use only
#E8E8E0 on #8A8A82
Aa Sample Text
2.82:1 Fail Decorative use only
#4A4A46 on #8A8A82
Aa Sample Text
2.56:1 Fail Decorative use only
#8A8A82 on #4A4A46
Aa Sample Text
2.56:1 Fail Decorative use only
#8A8A82 on #BEBEB4
Aa Sample Text
1.86:1 Fail Decorative use only
#BEBEB4 on #8A8A82
Aa Sample Text
1.86:1 Fail Decorative use only
#BEBEB4 on #E8E8E0
Aa Sample Text
1.52:1 Fail Decorative use only
#E8E8E0 on #BEBEB4
Aa Sample Text
1.52:1 Fail Decorative use only

Photocopy Fade Color Psychology & Meaning

A faded photocopy has no true black, only a warm grey, and the paper has begun to yellow at the edges, and this palette is fade white with pale toner. It feels disposable and dated, the color of a receipt you cannot read.

Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme

The Photocopy Fade 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

Photocopies and thermal receipts fade because the toner or dye sits on the surface and is exposed to light, heat and plasticisers, unlike ink that is absorbed into the paper.

Best Design Use Cases

Use the fade white for wide surfaces, copy grey for buttons and links, pale toner for secondary details, and faded black for text.

Industries This Palette Suits

Editorial design, architecture studios, type foundries, agencies.

Colors That Pair Well With Photocopy Fade

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 #BEBEB4 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy

yellow-green

30° beside #BEBEB4 — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension

tinted neutral

a ink-black carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers

Using Photocopy Fade Without Breaking Accessibility

  • Avoid #BEBEB4 for small UI elements on #E8E8E0 — at 1.5:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
  • Set body text in #4A4A46 — 7.2:1 against #E8E8E0 passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
  • Let #8A8A82 carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #BEBEB4.

How to Implement the Photocopy Fade Color Scheme

To use this Photocopy Fade 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 #E8E8E0 for the main background and #BEBEB4 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.

Accessibility Note

The contrast ratio between #4A4A46 and #E8E8E0 is 7.23:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.

Photocopy Fade Palette — Frequently Asked Questions

What are the hex codes in the Photocopy Fade color palette?

The Photocopy Fade palette contains #E8E8E0, #BEBEB4, #8A8A82, #4A4A46. 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 Photocopy Fade color palette accessible (WCAG)?

Yes for its strongest pairings: #4A4A46 on #E8E8E0 reaches 7.2:1 (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 Photocopy Fade palette?

Beyond its own four colors, #ADADB8, #BAC1B3, #151514 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 Photocopy Fade palette create?

Photocopy Fade reads as mono, vintage, moody. Neutral gray drives the personality, grounded by muted yellow — a combination that works best when the very light base gets most of the canvas.

Can I use the Photocopy Fade color palette commercially?

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

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