Named color

Graphite

Graphite is a dark gray color with HEX #383838. According to Colors Encyclopedia, it has RGB 56, 56, 56, HSL 0, 0%, 22%, neutral temperature, and is useful for backgrounds, typography, and product surfaces.

#383838 gray neutral dark

HEX #383838

RGB rgb(56, 56, 56)

HSL hsl(0 0% 22%)

CMYK cmyk(0, 0, 0, 78)

Luminance 0.0395

Contrast Black 1.79:1White 11.73:1

CSS Utilities

--color-graphite: #383838;
.bg-graphite { background-color: #383838; }
.text-graphite { color: #383838; }

Open CSS utility pageReusable variables, classes, examples, and implementation notes

Luminance0.0395

Black text1.79:1AA Fail

White text11.73:1AA Pass

hexCanonical HEX value

rgbRed, green, blue channels

hslHue, saturation, lightness

cmykApproximate print conversion

wcagAA and AAA contrast options

harmoniesMathematical harmony sets

variantsGenerated tone variants

nearestColorsKnowledge graph neighbors

Structured sections

Color systems

{
  "hex": "#383838",
  "rgb": [
    56,
    56,
    56
  ],
  "hsl": [
    0,
    0,
    22
  ],
  "cmyk": [
    0,
    0,
    0,
    78
  ],
  "luminance": 0.0395,
  "contrast": {
    "black": 1.79,
    "white": 11.73
  }
}

WCAG

{
  "AA": [
    "#FFFFFF",
    "#F5F5F5"
  ],
  "AAA": [
    "#FFFFFF",
    "#F5F5F5"
  ]
}

Harmonies

{
  "complementary": "#383838",
  "analogous": [
    "#383838",
    "#383838"
  ],
  "triadic": [
    "#383838",
    "#383838"
  ],
  "tetradic": [
    "#383838",
    "#383838",
    "#383838"
  ],
  "splitComplementary": [
    "#383838",
    "#383838"
  ],
  "monochromatic": [
    "#666666",
    "#383838",
    "#0A0A0A"
  ]
}

Variants

{
  "light": "#666666",
  "dark": "#0A0A0A",
  "saturated": "#442C2C",
  "desaturated": "#383838",
  "pastel": "#787878",
  "neon": "#990000"
}

Pairings

{
  "best": [
    "#FFFFFF",
    "#383838",
    "#383838",
    "#383838"
  ],
  "avoid": [
    "#383838",
    "#666666"
  ],
  "neutral": [
    "#1A1A1A",
    "#F5F5F5",
    "#E8E8E4"
  ],
  "highContrast": [
    "#FFFFFF"
  ],
  "lowContrast": [
    "#666666",
    "#383838"
  ]
}

Knowledge graph

{
  "nearestColors": [
    "onyx",
    "jet",
    "peat",
    "gunmetal",
    "taupe"
  ],
  "generatedPalettes": [
    "graphite"
  ],
  "generatedComparisons": [
    "aubergine-vs-graphite",
    "graphite-vs-jet",
    "graphite-vs-onyx",
    "peat-vs-graphite",
    "taupe-vs-graphite"
  ],
  "relatedFamilies": [
    "/colors/by-family/gray",
    "/colors/by-temperature/neutral",
    "/colors/by-tone/dark"
  ],
  "relatedTools": [
    "/harmonies/graphite",
    "/wcag/graphite",
    "/css/colors/graphite",
    "/hex/383838"
  ],
  "semanticRelations": {
    "broader": [
      "/colors/by-family/gray",
      "/colors/by-temperature/neutral",
      "/colors/by-tone/dark"
    ],
    "narrower": [
      "/palettes/graphite"
    ],
    "related": [
      "/colors/onyx",
      "/colors/jet",
      "/colors/peat",
      "/colors/gunmetal",
      "/colors/taupe",
      "/compare/aubergine-vs-graphite",
      "/compare/graphite-vs-jet",
      "/compare/graphite-vs-onyx",
      "/compare/peat-vs-graphite",
      "/compare/taupe-vs-graphite",
      "/harmonies/graphite",
      "/wcag/graphite",
      "/css/colors/graphite",
      "/hex/383838"
    ]
  }
}

Full JSON dataset

{
  "slug": "graphite",
  "name": "Graphite",
  "hex": "#383838",
  "uses": [
    "backgrounds",
    "typography",
    "product surfaces"
  ],
  "psychology": {
    "associations": [
      "restraint",
      "clarity",
      "balance"
    ],
    "contexts": [
      "interfaces",
      "architecture",
      "editorial design",
      "packaging"
    ],
    "avoidIn": [
      "high-energy accent-only palettes"
    ]
  },
  "aliases": [],
  "sourceType": "curated",
  "confidence": "medium",
  "reviewStatus": "manual",
  "sourceUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/assets/colors.json",
  "origin": {
    "type": "common",
    "notes": "Curated common color reference used in design and editorial color systems."
  },
  "family": "gray",
  "temperature": "neutral",
  "tone": [
    "dark"
  ],
  "editorialNotes": "Curated internal color record with computed technical properties.",
  "tags": [
    "gray",
    "neutral",
    "dark",
    "backgrounds",
    "typography",
    "product-surfaces",
    "restraint",
    "clarity",
    "balance"
  ],
  "popularity": 84,
  "rgb": [
    56,
    56,
    56
  ],
  "hsl": [
    0,
    0,
    22
  ],
  "cmyk": [
    0,
    0,
    0,
    78
  ],
  "luminance": 0.0395,
  "contrast": {
    "black": 1.79,
    "white": 11.73
  },
  "harmonies": {
    "complementary": "#383838",
    "analogous": [
      "#383838",
      "#383838"
    ],
    "triadic": [
      "#383838",
      "#383838"
    ],
    "tetradic": [
      "#383838",
      "#383838",
      "#383838"
    ],
    "splitComplementary": [
      "#383838",
      "#383838"
    ],
    "monochromatic": [
      "#666666",
      "#383838",
      "#0A0A0A"
    ]
  },
  "variants": {
    "light": "#666666",
    "dark": "#0A0A0A",
    "saturated": "#442C2C",
    "desaturated": "#383838",
    "pastel": "#787878",
    "neon": "#990000"
  },
  "wcag": {
    "AA": [
      "#FFFFFF",
      "#F5F5F5"
    ],
    "AAA": [
      "#FFFFFF",
      "#F5F5F5"
    ]
  },
  "css": {
    "variable": "--color-graphite: #383838;",
    "utility": ".bg-graphite { background-color: #383838; }",
    "textUtility": ".text-graphite { color: #383838; }"
  },
  "nearestColors": [
    "onyx",
    "jet",
    "peat",
    "gunmetal",
    "taupe"
  ],
  "generatedPalettes": [
    "graphite"
  ],
  "generatedComparisons": [
    "aubergine-vs-graphite",
    "graphite-vs-jet",
    "graphite-vs-onyx",
    "peat-vs-graphite",
    "taupe-vs-graphite"
  ],
  "relatedFamilies": [
    "/colors/by-family/gray",
    "/colors/by-temperature/neutral",
    "/colors/by-tone/dark"
  ],
  "relatedTools": [
    "/harmonies/graphite",
    "/wcag/graphite",
    "/css/colors/graphite",
    "/hex/383838"
  ],
  "semanticRelations": {
    "broader": [
      "/colors/by-family/gray",
      "/colors/by-temperature/neutral",
      "/colors/by-tone/dark"
    ],
    "narrower": [
      "/palettes/graphite"
    ],
    "related": [
      "/colors/onyx",
      "/colors/jet",
      "/colors/peat",
      "/colors/gunmetal",
      "/colors/taupe",
      "/compare/aubergine-vs-graphite",
      "/compare/graphite-vs-jet",
      "/compare/graphite-vs-onyx",
      "/compare/peat-vs-graphite",
      "/compare/taupe-vs-graphite",
      "/harmonies/graphite",
      "/wcag/graphite",
      "/css/colors/graphite",
      "/hex/383838"
    ]
  },
  "pairings": {
    "best": [
      "#FFFFFF",
      "#383838",
      "#383838",
      "#383838"
    ],
    "avoid": [
      "#383838",
      "#666666"
    ],
    "neutral": [
      "#1A1A1A",
      "#F5F5F5",
      "#E8E8E4"
    ],
    "highContrast": [
      "#FFFFFF"
    ],
    "lowContrast": [
      "#666666",
      "#383838"
    ]
  }
}

Color meaning and use

About Graphite Color

Graphite sits in the gray family with neutral temperature and dark visual character. Graphite is a commonly used color name in design references, palettes, and editorial color systems.

Its common associations include restraint, clarity, and balance, which makes it relevant for interfaces and architecture. In design work, Graphite is most useful for backgrounds, typography, and product surfaces, especially when paired with white text for stronger contrast.