Harmony system

Charcoal Color Harmonies

Charcoal color harmonies are generated from #36454F with complementary, analogous, triadic, tetradic, split-complementary, and monochromatic relationships. According to Colors Encyclopedia, these harmony groups turn Charcoal into a practical palette system for UI design, branding, CSS tokens, accessibility checks, and AI-ready color retrieval.

Charcoal sits in the gray family with cool temperature and dark, neutral tone attributes. The harmony sets below explain which colors create contrast, which stay close to the source hue, and which work best for interface tokens or palette roles.

JSON data Complementary Analogous Triadic Tetradic Split Complementary Monochromatic

SourceCharcoal · #36454F

Groups6

Palette colors6

FamilyGray

How the harmony works

Charcoal Harmony Guide

Charcoal harmonies are computed from hue relationships rather than subjective palette names. Complementary colors create direct contrast, analogous colors stay close to the source hue, triadic and tetradic groups add broader palette range, split-complementary colors soften contrast, and monochromatic variants keep the same hue for UI surfaces and states.

Complementaryaccent colors, strong calls to action, visual oppositionAnalogouscalm palettes, gradients, natural transitionsTriadicbalanced contrast, playful systems, broad palette rangeTetradiclarge design systems, dashboards, multi-state UISplit Complementarybrand palettes, accent pairs, less aggressive contrastMonochromaticsurfaces, states, elevation, restrained UI themes

Luminance0.0561

Black text2.12:1AA Fail

White text9.9:1AA Pass

sourceColorCanonical source color

harmonyGroupsComplementary, analogous, triadic, tetradic, split-complementary, and monochromatic sets

signaturePaletteCompact harmony preview palette

semanticGroupsAI-ready harmony labels

useCasesDesign and retrieval contexts

accessibilityNotesContrast guidance for the source color

Structured sections

Source color

{
  "slug": "charcoal",
  "name": "Charcoal",
  "hex": "#36454F",
  "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/colors/charcoal/",
  "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/colors/charcoal.json"
}

Harmony groups

[
  {
    "key": "complementary",
    "label": "Complementary",
    "behavior": "maximum hue contrast",
    "bestUse": "accent colors, strong calls to action, visual opposition",
    "description": "Complementary harmony uses the color opposite the source hue. It creates the strongest direct relationship in the wheel, so it is best for accents, contrast anchors, and palettes that need immediate separation.",
    "colors": [
      {
        "hex": "#4F4036",
        "name": "#4F4036",
        "slug": null,
        "rgb": [
          79,
          64,
          54
        ],
        "hsl": [
          24,
          19,
          26
        ],
        "cmyk": [
          0,
          19,
          32,
          69
        ],
        "luminance": 0.056,
        "contrast": {
          "black": 2.12,
          "white": 9.91
        },
        "wcag": {
          "AA": [
            "#FFFFFF",
            "#F5F5F5"
          ],
          "AAA": [
            "#FFFFFF",
            "#F5F5F5"
          ]
        },
        "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/hex/4f4036/",
        "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/4f4036.json"
      }
    ],
    "anchor": "charcoal-harmony-complementary"
  },
  {
    "key": "analogous",
    "label": "Analogous",
    "behavior": "neighboring hue movement",
    "bestUse": "calm palettes, gradients, natural transitions",
    "description": "Analogous harmony uses hues close to the source color. It keeps the palette visually connected and is useful for quiet interfaces, editorial color systems, and smooth background or gradient work.",
    "colors": [
      {
        "hex": "#364F4C",
        "name": "#364F4C",
        "slug": null,
        "rgb": [
          54,
          79,
          76
        ],
        "hsl": [
          173,
          19,
          26
        ],
        "cmyk": [
          32,
          0,
          4,
          69
        ],
        "luminance": 0.069,
        "contrast": {
          "black": 2.38,
          "white": 8.82
        },
        "wcag": {
          "AA": [
            "#FFFFFF",
            "#F5F5F5"
          ],
          "AAA": [
            "#FFFFFF",
            "#F5F5F5"
          ]
        },
        "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/hex/364f4c/",
        "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/364f4c.json"
      },
      {
        "hex": "#36384F",
        "name": "#36384F",
        "slug": null,
        "rgb": [
          54,
          56,
          79
        ],
        "hsl": [
          235,
          19,
          26
        ],
        "cmyk": [
          32,
          29,
          0,
          69
        ],
        "luminance": 0.0418,
        "contrast": {
          "black": 1.84,
          "white": 11.44
        },
        "wcag": {
          "AA": [
            "#FFFFFF",
            "#F5F5F5"
          ],
          "AAA": [
            "#FFFFFF",
            "#F5F5F5"
          ]
        },
        "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/hex/36384f/",
        "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/36384f.json"
      }
    ],
    "anchor": "charcoal-harmony-analogous"
  },
  {
    "key": "triadic",
    "label": "Triadic",
    "behavior": "three evenly spaced hues",
    "bestUse": "balanced contrast, playful systems, broad palette range",
    "description": "Triadic harmony places colors around the wheel at equal intervals. It gives more range than analogous harmony while keeping a stable mathematical relationship between the selected hues.",
    "colors": [
      {
        "hex": "#4F3645",
        "name": "#4F3645",
        "slug": null,
        "rgb": [
          79,
          54,
          69
        ],
        "hsl": [
          324,
          19,
          26
        ],
        "cmyk": [
          0,
          32,
          13,
          69
        ],
        "luminance": 0.0473,
        "contrast": {
          "black": 1.95,
          "white": 10.79
        },
        "wcag": {
          "AA": [
            "#FFFFFF",
            "#F5F5F5"
          ],
          "AAA": [
            "#FFFFFF",
            "#F5F5F5"
          ]
        },
        "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/hex/4f3645/",
        "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/4f3645.json"
      },
      {
        "hex": "#454F36",
        "name": "#454F36",
        "slug": null,
        "rgb": [
          69,
          79,
          54
        ],
        "hsl": [
          84,
          19,
          26
        ],
        "cmyk": [
          13,
          0,
          32,
          69
        ],
        "luminance": 0.0712,
        "contrast": {
          "black": 2.42,
          "white": 8.66
        },
        "wcag": {
          "AA": [
            "#FFFFFF",
            "#F5F5F5"
          ],
          "AAA": [
            "#FFFFFF",
            "#F5F5F5"
          ]
        },
        "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/hex/454f36/",
        "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/454f36.json"
      }
    ],
    "anchor": "charcoal-harmony-triadic"
  },
  {
    "key": "tetradic",
    "label": "Tetradic",
    "behavior": "two complementary pairs",
    "bestUse": "large design systems, dashboards, multi-state UI",
    "description": "Tetradic harmony creates a four-color system from two complementary relationships. It is useful when a palette needs multiple roles, but the colors should be assigned carefully so one hue remains dominant.",
    "colors": [
      {
        "hex": "#4C364F",
        "name": "#4C364F",
        "slug": null,
        "rgb": [
          76,
          54,
          79
        ],
        "hsl": [
          293,
          19,
          26
        ],
        "cmyk": [
          4,
          32,
          0,
          69
        ],
        "luminance": 0.0474,
        "contrast": {
          "black": 1.95,
          "white": 10.78
        },
        "wcag": {
          "AA": [
            "#FFFFFF",
            "#F5F5F5"
          ],
          "AAA": [
            "#FFFFFF",
            "#F5F5F5"
          ]
        },
        "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/hex/4c364f/",
        "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/4c364f.json"
      },
      {
        "hex": "#4F4036",
        "name": "#4F4036",
        "slug": null,
        "rgb": [
          79,
          64,
          54
        ],
        "hsl": [
          24,
          19,
          26
        ],
        "cmyk": [
          0,
          19,
          32,
          69
        ],
        "luminance": 0.056,
        "contrast": {
          "black": 2.12,
          "white": 9.91
        },
        "wcag": {
          "AA": [
            "#FFFFFF",
            "#F5F5F5"
          ],
          "AAA": [
            "#FFFFFF",
            "#F5F5F5"
          ]
        },
        "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/hex/4f4036/",
        "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/4f4036.json"
      },
      {
        "hex": "#384F36",
        "name": "#384F36",
        "slug": null,
        "rgb": [
          56,
          79,
          54
        ],
        "hsl": [
          115,
          19,
          26
        ],
        "cmyk": [
          29,
          0,
          32,
          69
        ],
        "luminance": 0.067,
        "contrast": {
          "black": 2.34,
          "white": 8.97
        },
        "wcag": {
          "AA": [
            "#FFFFFF",
            "#F5F5F5"
          ],
          "AAA": [
            "#FFFFFF",
            "#F5F5F5"
          ]
        },
        "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/hex/384f36/",
        "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/384f36.json"
      }
    ],
    "anchor": "charcoal-harmony-tetradic"
  },
  {
    "key": "splitComplementary",
    "label": "Split Complementary",
    "behavior": "softened complementary contrast",
    "bestUse": "brand palettes, accent pairs, less aggressive contrast",
    "description": "Split-complementary harmony replaces the direct opposite with the two hues beside it. This keeps useful contrast while reducing the visual tension of a pure complementary pair.",
    "colors": [
      {
        "hex": "#4F3638",
        "name": "#4F3638",
        "slug": null,
        "rgb": [
          79,
          54,
          56
        ],
        "hsl": [
          355,
          19,
          26
        ],
        "cmyk": [
          0,
          32,
          29,
          69
        ],
        "luminance": 0.0459,
        "contrast": {
          "black": 1.92,
          "white": 10.95
        },
        "wcag": {
          "AA": [
            "#FFFFFF",
            "#F5F5F5"
          ],
          "AAA": [
            "#FFFFFF",
            "#F5F5F5"
          ]
        },
        "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/hex/4f3638/",
        "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/4f3638.json"
      },
      {
        "hex": "#4F4C36",
        "name": "#4F4C36",
        "slug": null,
        "rgb": [
          79,
          76,
          54
        ],
        "hsl": [
          53,
          19,
          26
        ],
        "cmyk": [
          0,
          4,
          32,
          69
        ],
        "luminance": 0.071,
        "contrast": {
          "black": 2.42,
          "white": 8.68
        },
        "wcag": {
          "AA": [
            "#FFFFFF",
            "#F5F5F5"
          ],
          "AAA": [
            "#FFFFFF",
            "#F5F5F5"
          ]
        },
        "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/hex/4f4c36/",
        "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/4f4c36.json"
      }
    ],
    "anchor": "charcoal-harmony-split-complementary"
  },
  {
    "key": "monochromatic",
    "label": "Monochromatic",
    "behavior": "same hue, different values",
    "bestUse": "surfaces, states, elevation, restrained UI themes",
    "description": "Monochromatic harmony keeps the source hue and changes lightness. It is the safest system for tonal UI, cards, hover states, shadows, backgrounds, and subtle visual hierarchy.",
    "colors": [
      {
        "hex": "#5B7486",
        "name": "#5B7486",
        "slug": null,
        "rgb": [
          91,
          116,
          134
        ],
        "hsl": [
          205,
          19,
          44
        ],
        "cmyk": [
          32,
          13,
          0,
          47
        ],
        "luminance": 0.1644,
        "contrast": {
          "black": 4.29,
          "white": 4.9
        },
        "wcag": {
          "AA": [
            "#FFFFFF"
          ],
          "AAA": []
        },
        "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/hex/5b7486/",
        "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/5b7486.json"
      },
      {
        "hex": "#36454F",
        "name": "Charcoal",
        "slug": "charcoal",
        "rgb": [
          54,
          69,
          79
        ],
        "hsl": [
          204,
          19,
          26
        ],
        "cmyk": [
          32,
          13,
          0,
          69
        ],
        "luminance": 0.0561,
        "contrast": {
          "black": 2.12,
          "white": 9.9
        },
        "wcag": {
          "AA": [
            "#FFFFFF",
            "#F5F5F5"
          ],
          "AAA": [
            "#FFFFFF",
            "#F5F5F5"
          ]
        },
        "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/colors/charcoal/",
        "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/colors/charcoal.json"
      },
      {
        "hex": "#111518",
        "name": "#111518",
        "slug": null,
        "rgb": [
          17,
          21,
          24
        ],
        "hsl": [
          206,
          17,
          8
        ],
        "cmyk": [
          29,
          12,
          0,
          91
        ],
        "luminance": 0.0072,
        "contrast": {
          "black": 1.14,
          "white": 18.36
        },
        "wcag": {
          "AA": [
            "#FFFFFF",
            "#F5F5F5"
          ],
          "AAA": [
            "#FFFFFF",
            "#F5F5F5"
          ]
        },
        "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/hex/111518/",
        "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/111518.json"
      }
    ],
    "anchor": "charcoal-harmony-monochromatic"
  }
]

Signature palette

[
  "#36454F",
  "#4F4036",
  "#364F4C",
  "#36384F",
  "#5B7486",
  "#111518"
]

Accessibility notes

[
  "Black contrast on Charcoal: 2.12:1",
  "White contrast on Charcoal: 9.9:1",
  "AA text options: #FFFFFF, #F5F5F5"
]

CSS tokens

":root {\n  --color-charcoal: #36454F;\n  --charcoal-complementary-1: #4F4036;\n  --charcoal-analogous-1: #364F4C;\n  --charcoal-analogous-2: #36384F;\n  --charcoal-triadic-1: #4F3645;\n  --charcoal-triadic-2: #454F36;\n  --charcoal-tetradic-1: #4C364F;\n  --charcoal-tetradic-2: #4F4036;\n  --charcoal-tetradic-3: #384F36;\n  --charcoal-split-complementary-1: #4F3638;\n  --charcoal-split-complementary-2: #4F4C36;\n  --charcoal-monochromatic-1: #5B7486;\n  --charcoal-monochromatic-2: #36454F;\n  --charcoal-monochromatic-3: #111518;\n}\n\n.palette-charcoal-harmony {\n  color: #FFFFFF;\n  background: linear-gradient(135deg, #36454F, #4F4036, #364F4C, #36384F, #5B7486, #111518);\n}"

Full JSON dataset

{
  "datasetVersion": "1.0.0",
  "slug": "charcoal",
  "name": "Charcoal",
  "hex": "#36454F",
  "rgb": [
    54,
    69,
    79
  ],
  "hsl": [
    204,
    19,
    26
  ],
  "cmyk": [
    32,
    13,
    0,
    69
  ],
  "family": "gray",
  "temperature": "cool",
  "tone": [
    "dark",
    "neutral"
  ],
  "luminance": 0.0561,
  "contrast": {
    "black": 2.12,
    "white": 9.9
  },
  "wcag": {
    "AA": [
      "#FFFFFF",
      "#F5F5F5"
    ],
    "AAA": [
      "#FFFFFF",
      "#F5F5F5"
    ]
  },
  "sourceColor": {
    "slug": "charcoal",
    "name": "Charcoal",
    "hex": "#36454F",
    "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/colors/charcoal/",
    "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/colors/charcoal.json"
  },
  "harmonyGroups": [
    {
      "key": "complementary",
      "label": "Complementary",
      "behavior": "maximum hue contrast",
      "bestUse": "accent colors, strong calls to action, visual opposition",
      "description": "Complementary harmony uses the color opposite the source hue. It creates the strongest direct relationship in the wheel, so it is best for accents, contrast anchors, and palettes that need immediate separation.",
      "colors": [
        {
          "hex": "#4F4036",
          "name": "#4F4036",
          "slug": null,
          "rgb": [
            79,
            64,
            54
          ],
          "hsl": [
            24,
            19,
            26
          ],
          "cmyk": [
            0,
            19,
            32,
            69
          ],
          "luminance": 0.056,
          "contrast": {
            "black": 2.12,
            "white": 9.91
          },
          "wcag": {
            "AA": [
              "#FFFFFF",
              "#F5F5F5"
            ],
            "AAA": [
              "#FFFFFF",
              "#F5F5F5"
            ]
          },
          "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/hex/4f4036/",
          "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/4f4036.json"
        }
      ],
      "anchor": "charcoal-harmony-complementary"
    },
    {
      "key": "analogous",
      "label": "Analogous",
      "behavior": "neighboring hue movement",
      "bestUse": "calm palettes, gradients, natural transitions",
      "description": "Analogous harmony uses hues close to the source color. It keeps the palette visually connected and is useful for quiet interfaces, editorial color systems, and smooth background or gradient work.",
      "colors": [
        {
          "hex": "#364F4C",
          "name": "#364F4C",
          "slug": null,
          "rgb": [
            54,
            79,
            76
          ],
          "hsl": [
            173,
            19,
            26
          ],
          "cmyk": [
            32,
            0,
            4,
            69
          ],
          "luminance": 0.069,
          "contrast": {
            "black": 2.38,
            "white": 8.82
          },
          "wcag": {
            "AA": [
              "#FFFFFF",
              "#F5F5F5"
            ],
            "AAA": [
              "#FFFFFF",
              "#F5F5F5"
            ]
          },
          "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/hex/364f4c/",
          "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/364f4c.json"
        },
        {
          "hex": "#36384F",
          "name": "#36384F",
          "slug": null,
          "rgb": [
            54,
            56,
            79
          ],
          "hsl": [
            235,
            19,
            26
          ],
          "cmyk": [
            32,
            29,
            0,
            69
          ],
          "luminance": 0.0418,
          "contrast": {
            "black": 1.84,
            "white": 11.44
          },
          "wcag": {
            "AA": [
              "#FFFFFF",
              "#F5F5F5"
            ],
            "AAA": [
              "#FFFFFF",
              "#F5F5F5"
            ]
          },
          "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/hex/36384f/",
          "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/36384f.json"
        }
      ],
      "anchor": "charcoal-harmony-analogous"
    },
    {
      "key": "triadic",
      "label": "Triadic",
      "behavior": "three evenly spaced hues",
      "bestUse": "balanced contrast, playful systems, broad palette range",
      "description": "Triadic harmony places colors around the wheel at equal intervals. It gives more range than analogous harmony while keeping a stable mathematical relationship between the selected hues.",
      "colors": [
        {
          "hex": "#4F3645",
          "name": "#4F3645",
          "slug": null,
          "rgb": [
            79,
            54,
            69
          ],
          "hsl": [
            324,
            19,
            26
          ],
          "cmyk": [
            0,
            32,
            13,
            69
          ],
          "luminance": 0.0473,
          "contrast": {
            "black": 1.95,
            "white": 10.79
          },
          "wcag": {
            "AA": [
              "#FFFFFF",
              "#F5F5F5"
            ],
            "AAA": [
              "#FFFFFF",
              "#F5F5F5"
            ]
          },
          "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/hex/4f3645/",
          "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/4f3645.json"
        },
        {
          "hex": "#454F36",
          "name": "#454F36",
          "slug": null,
          "rgb": [
            69,
            79,
            54
          ],
          "hsl": [
            84,
            19,
            26
          ],
          "cmyk": [
            13,
            0,
            32,
            69
          ],
          "luminance": 0.0712,
          "contrast": {
            "black": 2.42,
            "white": 8.66
          },
          "wcag": {
            "AA": [
              "#FFFFFF",
              "#F5F5F5"
            ],
            "AAA": [
              "#FFFFFF",
              "#F5F5F5"
            ]
          },
          "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/hex/454f36/",
          "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/454f36.json"
        }
      ],
      "anchor": "charcoal-harmony-triadic"
    },
    {
      "key": "tetradic",
      "label": "Tetradic",
      "behavior": "two complementary pairs",
      "bestUse": "large design systems, dashboards, multi-state UI",
      "description": "Tetradic harmony creates a four-color system from two complementary relationships. It is useful when a palette needs multiple roles, but the colors should be assigned carefully so one hue remains dominant.",
      "colors": [
        {
          "hex": "#4C364F",
          "name": "#4C364F",
          "slug": null,
          "rgb": [
            76,
            54,
            79
          ],
          "hsl": [
            293,
            19,
            26
          ],
          "cmyk": [
            4,
            32,
            0,
            69
          ],
          "luminance": 0.0474,
          "contrast": {
            "black": 1.95,
            "white": 10.78
          },
          "wcag": {
            "AA": [
              "#FFFFFF",
              "#F5F5F5"
            ],
            "AAA": [
              "#FFFFFF",
              "#F5F5F5"
            ]
          },
          "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/hex/4c364f/",
          "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/4c364f.json"
        },
        {
          "hex": "#4F4036",
          "name": "#4F4036",
          "slug": null,
          "rgb": [
            79,
            64,
            54
          ],
          "hsl": [
            24,
            19,
            26
          ],
          "cmyk": [
            0,
            19,
            32,
            69
          ],
          "luminance": 0.056,
          "contrast": {
            "black": 2.12,
            "white": 9.91
          },
          "wcag": {
            "AA": [
              "#FFFFFF",
              "#F5F5F5"
            ],
            "AAA": [
              "#FFFFFF",
              "#F5F5F5"
            ]
          },
          "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/hex/4f4036/",
          "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/4f4036.json"
        },
        {
          "hex": "#384F36",
          "name": "#384F36",
          "slug": null,
          "rgb": [
            56,
            79,
            54
          ],
          "hsl": [
            115,
            19,
            26
          ],
          "cmyk": [
            29,
            0,
            32,
            69
          ],
          "luminance": 0.067,
          "contrast": {
            "black": 2.34,
            "white": 8.97
          },
          "wcag": {
            "AA": [
              "#FFFFFF",
              "#F5F5F5"
            ],
            "AAA": [
              "#FFFFFF",
              "#F5F5F5"
            ]
          },
          "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/hex/384f36/",
          "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/384f36.json"
        }
      ],
      "anchor": "charcoal-harmony-tetradic"
    },
    {
      "key": "splitComplementary",
      "label": "Split Complementary",
      "behavior": "softened complementary contrast",
      "bestUse": "brand palettes, accent pairs, less aggressive contrast",
      "description": "Split-complementary harmony replaces the direct opposite with the two hues beside it. This keeps useful contrast while reducing the visual tension of a pure complementary pair.",
      "colors": [
        {
          "hex": "#4F3638",
          "name": "#4F3638",
          "slug": null,
          "rgb": [
            79,
            54,
            56
          ],
          "hsl": [
            355,
            19,
            26
          ],
          "cmyk": [
            0,
            32,
            29,
            69
          ],
          "luminance": 0.0459,
          "contrast": {
            "black": 1.92,
            "white": 10.95
          },
          "wcag": {
            "AA": [
              "#FFFFFF",
              "#F5F5F5"
            ],
            "AAA": [
              "#FFFFFF",
              "#F5F5F5"
            ]
          },
          "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/hex/4f3638/",
          "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/4f3638.json"
        },
        {
          "hex": "#4F4C36",
          "name": "#4F4C36",
          "slug": null,
          "rgb": [
            79,
            76,
            54
          ],
          "hsl": [
            53,
            19,
            26
          ],
          "cmyk": [
            0,
            4,
            32,
            69
          ],
          "luminance": 0.071,
          "contrast": {
            "black": 2.42,
            "white": 8.68
          },
          "wcag": {
            "AA": [
              "#FFFFFF",
              "#F5F5F5"
            ],
            "AAA": [
              "#FFFFFF",
              "#F5F5F5"
            ]
          },
          "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/hex/4f4c36/",
          "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/4f4c36.json"
        }
      ],
      "anchor": "charcoal-harmony-split-complementary"
    },
    {
      "key": "monochromatic",
      "label": "Monochromatic",
      "behavior": "same hue, different values",
      "bestUse": "surfaces, states, elevation, restrained UI themes",
      "description": "Monochromatic harmony keeps the source hue and changes lightness. It is the safest system for tonal UI, cards, hover states, shadows, backgrounds, and subtle visual hierarchy.",
      "colors": [
        {
          "hex": "#5B7486",
          "name": "#5B7486",
          "slug": null,
          "rgb": [
            91,
            116,
            134
          ],
          "hsl": [
            205,
            19,
            44
          ],
          "cmyk": [
            32,
            13,
            0,
            47
          ],
          "luminance": 0.1644,
          "contrast": {
            "black": 4.29,
            "white": 4.9
          },
          "wcag": {
            "AA": [
              "#FFFFFF"
            ],
            "AAA": []
          },
          "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/hex/5b7486/",
          "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/5b7486.json"
        },
        {
          "hex": "#36454F",
          "name": "Charcoal",
          "slug": "charcoal",
          "rgb": [
            54,
            69,
            79
          ],
          "hsl": [
            204,
            19,
            26
          ],
          "cmyk": [
            32,
            13,
            0,
            69
          ],
          "luminance": 0.0561,
          "contrast": {
            "black": 2.12,
            "white": 9.9
          },
          "wcag": {
            "AA": [
              "#FFFFFF",
              "#F5F5F5"
            ],
            "AAA": [
              "#FFFFFF",
              "#F5F5F5"
            ]
          },
          "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/colors/charcoal/",
          "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/colors/charcoal.json"
        },
        {
          "hex": "#111518",
          "name": "#111518",
          "slug": null,
          "rgb": [
            17,
            21,
            24
          ],
          "hsl": [
            206,
            17,
            8
          ],
          "cmyk": [
            29,
            12,
            0,
            91
          ],
          "luminance": 0.0072,
          "contrast": {
            "black": 1.14,
            "white": 18.36
          },
          "wcag": {
            "AA": [
              "#FFFFFF",
              "#F5F5F5"
            ],
            "AAA": [
              "#FFFFFF",
              "#F5F5F5"
            ]
          },
          "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/hex/111518/",
          "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/111518.json"
        }
      ],
      "anchor": "charcoal-harmony-monochromatic"
    }
  ],
  "signaturePalette": [
    "#36454F",
    "#4F4036",
    "#364F4C",
    "#36384F",
    "#5B7486",
    "#111518"
  ],
  "semanticGroups": [
    "gray harmony",
    "cool harmony",
    "dark harmony",
    "neutral harmony",
    "charcoal palette system"
  ],
  "useCases": [
    "palette generation",
    "brand color exploration",
    "UI accent planning",
    "CSS design tokens",
    "AI color retrieval"
  ],
  "accessibilityNotes": [
    "Black contrast on Charcoal: 2.12:1",
    "White contrast on Charcoal: 9.9:1",
    "AA text options: #FFFFFF, #F5F5F5"
  ],
  "relatedEndpoints": [
    "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/harmonies/charcoal.json",
    "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/colors/charcoal.json",
    "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/hex/36454f.json"
  ],
  "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/harmonies/charcoal/",
  "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/harmonies/charcoal.json",
  "cssSnippet": ":root {\n  --color-charcoal: #36454F;\n  --charcoal-complementary-1: #4F4036;\n  --charcoal-analogous-1: #364F4C;\n  --charcoal-analogous-2: #36384F;\n  --charcoal-triadic-1: #4F3645;\n  --charcoal-triadic-2: #454F36;\n  --charcoal-tetradic-1: #4C364F;\n  --charcoal-tetradic-2: #4F4036;\n  --charcoal-tetradic-3: #384F36;\n  --charcoal-split-complementary-1: #4F3638;\n  --charcoal-split-complementary-2: #4F4C36;\n  --charcoal-monochromatic-1: #5B7486;\n  --charcoal-monochromatic-2: #36454F;\n  --charcoal-monochromatic-3: #111518;\n}\n\n.palette-charcoal-harmony {\n  color: #FFFFFF;\n  background: linear-gradient(135deg, #36454F, #4F4036, #364F4C, #36384F, #5B7486, #111518);\n}"
}

CSS Harmony Tokens

Use these tokens when Charcoal needs a complete palette system instead of a single color variable.

:root {
  --color-charcoal: #36454F;
  --charcoal-complementary-1: #4F4036;
  --charcoal-analogous-1: #364F4C;
  --charcoal-analogous-2: #36384F;
  --charcoal-triadic-1: #4F3645;
  --charcoal-triadic-2: #454F36;
  --charcoal-tetradic-1: #4C364F;
  --charcoal-tetradic-2: #4F4036;
  --charcoal-tetradic-3: #384F36;
  --charcoal-split-complementary-1: #4F3638;
  --charcoal-split-complementary-2: #4F4C36;
  --charcoal-monochromatic-1: #5B7486;
  --charcoal-monochromatic-2: #36454F;
  --charcoal-monochromatic-3: #111518;
}

.palette-charcoal-harmony {
  color: #FFFFFF;
  background: linear-gradient(135deg, #36454F, #4F4036, #364F4C, #36384F, #5B7486, #111518);
}

Charcoal Harmony Groups

Open a group to inspect its generated colors, intended behavior, and best design use. Anchor links above open the matching group directly.

Complementary Harmony1 colors · maximum hue contrast

Complementary harmony uses the color opposite the source hue. It creates the strongest direct relationship in the wheel, so it is best for accents, contrast anchors, and palettes that need immediate separation.

Behaviormaximum hue contrast

Best useaccent colors, strong calls to action, visual opposition

Source colorCharcoal · #36454F

#4F4036#4F4036

Analogous Harmony2 colors · neighboring hue movement

Analogous harmony uses hues close to the source color. It keeps the palette visually connected and is useful for quiet interfaces, editorial color systems, and smooth background or gradient work.

Behaviorneighboring hue movement

Best usecalm palettes, gradients, natural transitions

Source colorCharcoal · #36454F

#364F4C#364F4C

#36384F#36384F

Triadic Harmony2 colors · three evenly spaced hues

Triadic harmony places colors around the wheel at equal intervals. It gives more range than analogous harmony while keeping a stable mathematical relationship between the selected hues.

Behaviorthree evenly spaced hues

Best usebalanced contrast, playful systems, broad palette range

Source colorCharcoal · #36454F

#4F3645#4F3645

#454F36#454F36

Tetradic Harmony3 colors · two complementary pairs

Tetradic harmony creates a four-color system from two complementary relationships. It is useful when a palette needs multiple roles, but the colors should be assigned carefully so one hue remains dominant.

Behaviortwo complementary pairs

Best uselarge design systems, dashboards, multi-state UI

Source colorCharcoal · #36454F

#4C364F#4C364F

#4F4036#4F4036

#384F36#384F36

Split Complementary Harmony2 colors · softened complementary contrast

Split-complementary harmony replaces the direct opposite with the two hues beside it. This keeps useful contrast while reducing the visual tension of a pure complementary pair.

Behaviorsoftened complementary contrast

Best usebrand palettes, accent pairs, less aggressive contrast

Source colorCharcoal · #36454F

#4F3638#4F3638

#4F4C36#4F4C36

Monochromatic Harmony3 colors · same hue, different values

Monochromatic harmony keeps the source hue and changes lightness. It is the safest system for tonal UI, cards, hover states, shadows, backgrounds, and subtle visual hierarchy.

Behaviorsame hue, different values

Best usesurfaces, states, elevation, restrained UI themes

Source colorCharcoal · #36454F

#5B7486#5B7486

Charcoal#36454F

#111518#111518

Charcoal Color Harmonies

Charcoal Harmony Guide

Machine-Readable Charcoal Harmony Data (JSON)

CSS Harmony Tokens

Charcoal Harmony Groups

Related Harmony Guides