Shadow Olive Color Palette
#4A4A32 · #2E2E1E · #6E6E4A · #18180E
Use #4A4A32 as the background. Use #2E2E1E as the primary accent. Use #6E6E4A as secondary. Use #18180E as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Shadow Olive — moody, earthy, vintage, forest.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Shadow Olive 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: 6.6% | 74, 74, 50 | 0%, 0%, 32%, 71% | 60°, 19%, 24% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 2.6% | 46, 46, 30 | 0%, 0%, 35%, 82% | 60°, 21%, 15% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 15.0% | 110, 110, 74 | 0%, 0%, 33%, 57% | 60°, 20%, 36% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 0.9% | 24, 24, 14 | 0%, 0%, 42%, 91% | 60°, 26%, 7% |
Shadow Olive 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 Shadow Olive palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
Shadow Olive 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #18180E on #6E6E4A |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.40:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #6E6E4A on #18180E |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.40:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #6E6E4A on #2E2E1E |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.62:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #2E2E1E on #6E6E4A |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.62:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #18180E on #4A4A32 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.97:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #4A4A32 on #18180E |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.97:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #6E6E4A on #4A4A32 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.72:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #4A4A32 on #6E6E4A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.72:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #2E2E1E on #4A4A32 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.52:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #4A4A32 on #2E2E1E |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.52:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #18180E on #2E2E1E |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.30:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #2E2E1E on #18180E |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.30:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Shadow Olive 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 Shadow Olive
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 #2E2E1E on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
30° beside #2E2E1E — 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 Shadow Olive Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #2E2E1E for small UI elements on #4A4A32 — at 1.5:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Don't set body copy in #18180E on #4A4A32 — 2.0:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
- Let #6E6E4A carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #2E2E1E.
How to Implement the Shadow Olive Color Scheme
To use this Shadow Olive 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 #4A4A32 for the main background and #2E2E1E for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #18180E and #4A4A32 is 1.97:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Shadow Olive Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Shadow Olive color palette?
The Shadow Olive palette contains #4A4A32, #2E2E1E, #6E6E4A, #18180E. 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 Shadow Olive color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #18180E on #6E6E4A reaches 3.4:1 (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 Shadow Olive palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #47476C, #262A22, #EEEEEC 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 Shadow Olive palette create?
Shadow Olive reads as moody, earthy, vintage. Muted yellow drives the personality, grounded by muted yellow — a combination that works best when the deep base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Shadow Olive color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Shadow Olive 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 Shadow Olive 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 Shadow Olive's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.