Dark gray

#aca2ae

Hex, rgb, cmyk and Pantone values for dark gray, with shades, tints, matching colors and free print quality patterns.

Dark gray carries almost no chroma, so it works as a neutral. Mid greys like this are the backbone of clean, editorial layouts. Almost anything sits on top of it, which is what makes a good neutral useful.

Dark gray color values

Every conversion for #aca2ae, ready to copy. Hex, rgb, hsl, hsv, cmyk, cie-lab, xyz, decimal, web safe and the nearest Pantone.

Hex#aca2ae

RGB172, 162, 174

HSL290, 7%, 66%

HSV290, 7%, 68%

CMYK1%, 7%, 0%, 32%

Lab67.77, 5.86, -4.9

XYZ37.57, 37.67, 45.33

Decimal11313838

Web safe#999999

Pantone5295 C

Shades of dark gray

#9d92a0 #8f8192 #807283 #706472 #605562 #504752 #403941 #302b31 #201c21 #100e10

Tints of dark gray

#b3aab5 #bbb3bd #c2bbc4 #cac3cb #d1ccd2 #d9d4da #e0dce1 #e8e5e8 #efedef #f6f5f7

Colors that go with dark gray

Complementary#a4aea2 Analogous#a6a2ae Analogous#aea2aa Triadic#aeaca2 Triadic#a2aeac Split complementary#aaaea2 Split complementary#a2aea6

Dark gray in print

It converts to cmyk cleanly and holds its character from screen to paper. The cmyk build is 1, 7, 0, 32.

The same color needs a different cmyk build depending on the paper. Here is #aca2ae on both.

Coated stockgloss or silk, C

1 7 0 32

Ink sits on the surface, so colors stay bright and close to screen.

Uncoated stocknatural or matte, U

5 10 4 38

The stock absorbs ink and gains dot, so it needs a heavier build and reads a touch softer.

This color converts to cmyk comfortably and should hold on press.

See how it converts in the rgb to cmyk converter, or read rgb vs cmyk for print and what the k in cmyk means.

Dark gray in css

Copy #aca2ae straight into your stylesheet.

.background { background-color: #aca2ae; }
.text { color: #aca2ae; }
.border { border: 2px solid #aca2ae; }

How dark gray looks on light and dark

Sample text on black

Sample text on white

Text on this color

Dark gray and accessibility

Contrast ratios for #aca2ae against black and white text, measured to the WCAG standard.

Use black text on this color for readable body copy. To test #aca2ae against any other color, not just black and white, run the pair through our contrast checker for a live WCAG reading.

Dark gray on a business card, sticker and pattern

A quick look at how #aca2ae sits on real print products. Start any of these in the maker.

Business card

Sticker

Repeat pattern

Building a full palette around dark gray? Pull matching colors from any photo with the color palette generator, or check a design for print with the rgb to cmyk converter.

Turn dark gray into a seamless pattern

Four patterns built from #aca2ae and its shades, free at print quality. Click any one to keep editing in the pattern maker.

Arches Signature stripes Gem Shingles

Make posters, wallpaper and packaging art from dark gray, free and print ready.

Open in pattern maker

How we calculate these values

Every value on this page for #aca2ae is computed, not guessed. Rgb, hsl, hsv, lab and xyz are derived through the usual sRGB conversion formulas. The coated and uncoated cmyk builds differ because uncoated stock absorbs more ink and gains dot, so the same color needs a heavier, slightly duller build on press. The Pantone value is the closest reference by perceptual color distance and should be treated as a starting point, not a guaranteed match.