Cardinal is a medium-dark, saturated shade in the red color family, with a warm feel. Its HEX code is #C41E3A, which equals rgb(196, 30, 58) in RGB and hsl(350, 73%, 44%) in HSL. In print terms it converts to roughly C0 M85 Y70 K23, although exact CMYK results depend on the paper and color profile.
- HEX
#C41E3A - RGB
196, 30, 58 - HSL
350°, 73%, 44% - CMYK
0, 85, 70, 23 - Family
Red - Tone
Medium-dark, saturated
About Cardinal
Red shades carry energy, urgency and passion. They draw the eye first, which makes them a favorite for calls to action, sale banners, alerts and brands that want to feel bold. It works well for buttons, headings, illustrations and brand accents. Text in white is the most readable choice on this color, with a contrast ratio of 5.84:1. Its complementary color is #1EC2A7.
Download Cardinal as an image
Choose a size and format, then download a solid-color image — or tick colors in the library to batch-download a ZIP.
Loading colors…
Loading gradients…
Cardinal color codes
| HEX | #C41E3A |
|---|---|
| RGB | rgb(196, 30, 58) |
| HSL | hsl(350, 73%, 44%) |
| HSV | 350°, 85%, 77% |
| CMYK | 0%, 85%, 70%, 23% |
| Decimal | 12852794 |
Shades and tints of Cardinal
Lighter tints are mixed with white and darker shades are mixed with black.
- 50
#F5DADE - 100
#EBB4BD - 200
#E28F9D - 300
#D8697C - 400
#CE445B - 500
#C41E3A - 600
#A31930 - 700
#831427 - 800
#620F1D - 900
#410A13 - 950
#21050A
Color harmonies for Cardinal
- Complementary
#1EC2A7≈ Medium Dark Bright Turquoise - Analogous −30°
#C21E8C≈ Medium Dark Bright Raspberry - Analogous +30°
#C2551E≈ Medium Dark Bright Persimmon - Triadic +120°
#3AC21E≈ Medium Dark Bright Clover - Triadic +240°
#1E3AC2≈ Persian Blue - Split 150°
#1EC255≈ Medium Dark Bright Malachite - Split 210°
#1E8CC2≈ Medium Dark Bright Capri
Contrast and accessibility of Cardinal
| Text color | Sample | Contrast ratio | WCAG |
|---|---|---|---|
| White text on Cardinal | Aa | 5.84:1 | AA (good) |
| Black text on Cardinal | Aa | 3.59:1 | AA Large only |
CSS code for Cardinal
background-color: #C41E3A;color: #C41E3A;background-color: rgb(196, 30, 58);background-color: hsl(350, 73%, 44%);:root { --color-cardinal: #C41E3A; }class="bg-[#C41E3A]"Colors similar to Cardinal
- Medium Dark Bright Crimson
#C11538 - Medium Dark Bright Ruby
#C11549 - Medium Dark Bright Cardinal
#C11527 - Crimson
#DC143C - Soft Red
#CC3333 - Soft Cardinal
#CC3342 - Fire Brick
#B22222 - Medium Dark Soft Cardinal
#AB2B38 - Medium Dark Bright Carmine
#C1155A - Medium Dark Soft Crimson
#AB2B45 - Medium Dark Soft Red
#AB2B2B - Soft Crimson
#CC3352
More red shades
- Burgundy
#800020 - Vermilion
#E34234 - Terracotta
#E2725B - Cinnabar
#E44D2E - Scarlet
#FF2400 - Carmine
#960018 - Blush
#DE5D83 - Chestnut
#954535 - Darkest Red
#330000 - Very Dark Red
#5C0000 - Dark Red Tone
#850000
Frequently asked questions
What is the HEX code for Cardinal?
The HEX code for Cardinal is #C41E3A.
What is the RGB value of Cardinal?
Cardinal has an RGB value of 196, 30, 58 (rgb(196, 30, 58)). In HSL it is 350°, 73%, 44%.
What text color should I use on Cardinal?
Use white text on Cardinal. White text has a contrast ratio of 5.84:1 and black text has 3.59:1; WCAG AA requires at least 4.5:1 for normal text.
What color goes well with Cardinal?
The complementary color of Cardinal is #1EC2A7. Analogous colors #C21E8C and #C2551E also pair well.