Asphalt
General Information about Asphalt
#1A0407, also known as Asphalt, is a very dark, muted shade of red. It belongs to the family of reddish-brown colors, but it is so dark that it almost appears black. The color is composed of 10.2% red, 1.6% green, and 2.7% blue. In the RGB color model, it is represented as (26, 4, 7). In the CMYK color model, its components are 0% cyan, 84.6% magenta, 73.1% yellow, and 89.8% black. This means that the color is created by subtracting a significant amount of magenta and yellow from black. Asphalt is often associated with feelings of darkness, seriousness, and sophistication. It is not a commonly used color due to its low luminance and potential accessibility issues.
The hex color #1A0407, also known as Asphalt, presents significant accessibility challenges, particularly for users with visual impairments. Its very low luminance value of 0.004 makes it difficult to distinguish from black (#000000). According to WCAG guidelines, the contrast ratio between text and background should be at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text to meet AA compliance. Given the darkness of #1A0407, it's almost impossible to achieve sufficient contrast without using extremely light text colors. Even with white text (#FFFFFF), the contrast ratio is unlikely to meet accessibility standards. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to avoid using #1A0407 for text or interactive elements. If it is absolutely necessary to use this color, ensure that it is paired with a very light color and that the text size is significantly increased. Provide alternative visual cues, such as icons or borders, to aid in differentiation.
Shades
Digital Color Formats
Alternative colors
- #2e0a0f
A slightly lighter shade that retains the dark, muted feel but offers improved contrast with lighter text.
- #331511
A warmer, reddish-brown that provides a more inviting feel while still remaining relatively dark.
- #333333
A dark grey that provides a neutral background for brighter elements and provides improved legibility compared to asphalt.
Applications
Web Design - Subtle Accents
In web design, #1A0407 can be used sparingly as a background color for specific sections to create a sense of depth or to highlight certain elements. However, it should not be used for large areas or text due to its poor contrast. It is suitable to use Asphalt in a dark theme to set a calm and subtle appearance for elements of less importance. Use it for a subtle touch and not as the main background color.
Interior Design - Accent Color
In interior design, #1A0407 can be used as an accent color in small doses, for example, in decorative pillows or artwork. It can create a luxurious or sophisticated atmosphere, particularly when combined with lighter, warmer colors. The color is a nice fit for furniture in combination with lighter colors such as beige or light gray. It may also serve as a sophisticated color to set the overall theme of a modern interior design.
Fashion - Clothing and Accessories
In fashion, Asphalt is well suited for clothing items such as leather accessories, boots or for outerwear such as dark coats. In general the color creates a very natural and subtle but also high class appearance and is therefore very versatile. Combining the color with contrasting colors, such as gold or silver, can give a very elegant look.