Realgar Color Psychology & Meaning
Realgar is the fiery orange-red of a burning ember, intense and warm. It carries a primal energy that feels like firelight and ancient ritual, impossible to ignore in any composition.
#E4462C
#EE7A4A
#F8B48A
#4A1206
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text
Realgar Color Palette
#E4462C · #EE7A4A · #F8B48A · #4A1206
Fail
WCAG Grade
3.8:1
Contrast Ratio
790
Saves
2,110
AI Copies
Use #E4462C as the background. Use #EE7A4A as the primary accent. Use #F8B48A as secondary. Use #4A1206 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Realgar — fiery, bold, ancient.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Realgar 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: 21.1% | 228, 70, 44 | 0%, 69%, 81%, 11% | 8°, 77%, 53% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 32.6% | 238, 122, 74 | 0%, 49%, 69%, 7% | 18°, 83%, 61% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 54.4% | 248, 180, 138 | 0%, 27%, 44%, 3% | 23°, 89%, 76% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 1.9% | 74, 18, 6 | 0%, 76%, 92%, 71% | 11°, 85%, 16% |
Realgar 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 Realgar palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
#E4462C saturated red
#EE7A4A saturated orange
#F8B48A saturated orange
#4A1206 saturated red
Realgar 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #4A1206 on #F8B48A |
Aa Sample Text
| 8.61:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #F8B48A on #4A1206 |
Aa Sample Text
| 8.61:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #4A1206 on #EE7A4A |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.45:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #EE7A4A on #4A1206 |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.45:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #4A1206 on #E4462C |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.78:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #E4462C on #4A1206 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.78:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #F8B48A on #E4462C |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.28:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #E4462C on #F8B48A |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.28:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #F8B48A on #EE7A4A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.58:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #EE7A4A on #F8B48A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.58:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #EE7A4A on #E4462C |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.44:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #E4462C on #EE7A4A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.44:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Realgar 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
Realgar was used since ancient times in China, Egypt, and Rome, both as a pigment and as a source of arsenic. Its name comes from the Arabic for powder of the mine, and it appears in the oldest known paints.
Best Design Use Cases
Use realgar for fiery, high-energy brand moments. The warm orange handles accents and highlights, the pale peach softens sections, and the deep ember grounds text.
Industries This Palette Suits
Fire and safety, art, ceremony, food, outdoor brands.
Colors That Pair Well With Realgar
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 #EE7A4A on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
yellow
30° beside #EE7A4A — 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 Realgar Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #EE7A4A for small UI elements on #E4462C — at 1.4:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Don't set body copy in #4A1206 on #E4462C — 3.8:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
- Don't use #F8B48A behind body text — this light tone works better for surfaces, badges and dividers than for reading areas.
How to Implement the Realgar Color Scheme
To use this Realgar 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 #E4462C for the main background and #EE7A4A for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #4A1206 and #E4462C is 3.78:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Realgar Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Realgar color palette?
The Realgar palette contains #E4462C, #EE7A4A, #F8B48A, #4A1206. 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 Realgar color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #4A1206 on #F8B48A reaches 8.6:1 (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 Realgar palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #49BDEE, #E4C753, #181210 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 Realgar palette create?
Realgar reads as fiery, bold, ancient. Saturated orange drives the personality, grounded by saturated red — a combination that works best when the mid-tone base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Realgar color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Realgar 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 Realgar 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 Realgar's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.