Sepia Black
General Information about #28000B
The hexadecimal color #28000B, also known as Sepia Black, is a very dark, muted shade of red-brown. In the RGB color model, it is composed of 16.08% red, 0% green, and 4.31% blue. This combination of low RGB values results in its dark appearance. The color is commonly associated with feelings of seriousness, antiquity, and earthiness. The lack of green, together with a small amount of blue, shifts the color more to the brown and red spectrum. It is not commonly used in mainstream design due to its darkness and potential accessibility issues; however, it can be effective as an accent color or for specific thematic purposes to portray richness and grounding.
The color #28000B, a deep, muted red-brown, presents significant accessibility challenges, especially when used as a foreground color on a white background. Its extremely low lightness value results in a very poor contrast ratio, failing to meet WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) standards for normal text (AA) or large text (AAA). This means that users with visual impairments, including those with low vision or color blindness, would struggle to read text displayed in this color. To improve accessibility, it is strongly recommended to avoid using #28000B for text or interactive elements unless paired with a very light background. A lighter shade from the white spectrum would be more appropriate. Tools like contrast checkers can accurately assess the contrast ratio and suggest alternative, more accessible color combinations. It is also crucial to consider users with cognitive disabilities who may benefit from high contrast.
Shades
Digital Color Formats
Alternative colors
Applications
Web Design Accent
In web design, #28000B can be used sparingly as an accent color to evoke feelings of sophistication, antiquity, or mystery. Due to its darkness, it works best for backgrounds of secondary elements, or as part of a more extensive theme. For example, it could frame a website's navigation, providing a dark grounding from which other features can arise. It should not be used for primary content like body text because this would negatively impact the website's accessibility rating. In UI design it might be used to color code certain notification icons.
Interior Design Accent
In interior design, #28000B can contribute to a warm, inviting atmosphere when used as part of a wider palette. It could feature on accent walls, in soft furnishings like cushions or curtains, or as the finish on antique furniture. The deep, muted tones of the colour would complement wood, brass, or similar metal tones, resulting in a cosy, elegant aesthetic. However, it is important to balance this dark colour with lighter hues to prevent the room from feeling too small or oppressive. Light-reflecting surfaces would be helpful in this regard.
Fashion and Make-up
In fashion, #28000B can be used as a grounding colour in patterns and prints, or it can be used for clothing items, for example winter coats. In make-up it can be used for dark lipstick or nail polish.