# #ffc42e

A color — warm, vivid, playful, bold. Deterministic analysis from BrandSweets (no inference).

## Values

- Hex: `#ffc42e`
- RGB: rgb(255, 196, 46)
- HSL: hsl(43, 100%, 59%)
- OKLCH: oklch(0.851 0.164 84.8)
- Relative luminance: 0.6094
- Nearest named color: Amber (#ffbf00, Δ 1.399) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/amber
- Moods: warm, vivid, playful, bold
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/colors/ffc42e

## Tints & shades

- Tints (toward white): #ffca42, #ffcf57, #ffd56b, #ffdb80, #ffe194, #ffe5a3, #ffebb8, #fff1cc, #fff6e0, #fffcf5
- Shades (toward black): #ffbd14, #f5af00, #db9d00, #bd8700, #a37500, #855f00, #6b4d00, #4d3700, #332500, #140f00

## Harmonies

- Complementary: #2e69ff
- Analogous: #ff5b2e, #d2ff2e
- Triadic: #2effc4, #c42eff
- Split-complementary: #2ed2ff, #5b2eff
- Tetradic: #2eff5b, #2e69ff, #ff2ed2

## Colors that go with #ffc42e

Named partners (harmony on the OKLCH wheel, co-occurrence in curated palettes and brand systems, and the neutrals that carry it), best first:

- **Charcoal** #36454f [role, pool] — Charcoal is the body-text near-black for #ffc42e: its slight blue cast keeps type crisp beside a warm colour where pure #000 looks heavy. Seen in: Lido (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/vivid#lido), Beach Hut (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/light#beach-hut), Coastal (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#coastal), Disney (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/disney-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/charcoal
- **Cornflower Blue** #6495ed [harmony, pool: complementary] — Cornflower Blue sits directly opposite #ffc42e on the wheel — the strongest contrast one hue can give another, so use it small: a button, a link colour, one highlight. Seen in: Blueprint (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/technical#blueprint), Ahrefs (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/ahrefs-com), NBA (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/nba-com), Mastodon hosted on mastodon.social (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/mastodon-social). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/cornflowerblue
- **Deep Sky Blue** #00bfff [harmony, pool: split] — Deep Sky Blue is a split-complement of #ffc42e: nearly opposite, so it still pops against it, without the vibrating edge of a true complement. Seen in: Blueprint (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/technical#blueprint), Salesforce (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/salesforce-com), Prime Video (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/primevideo-com), Mistral AI (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/mistral-ai). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/deepskyblue
- **Crimson** #dc143c [pool] — Crimson is paired with #ffc42e in 8 real palettes, including McDonald's's brand system and Wells Fargo's brand system, as the supporting colour. Seen in: McDonald's (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/mcdonalds-com), Wells Fargo (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/wellsfargo-com), Tabloid (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/editorial#tabloid), Diner (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/vivid#diner). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/crimson
- **Denim** #1560bd [pool] — Designers have shipped Denim with #ffc42e: 11 real palettes, including Walmart's brand system and McDonald's's brand system, as the lead colour. Seen in: Walmart (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/walmart-com), McDonald's (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/mcdonalds-com), Warner Bros. (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/warnerbros-com), Wikipedia (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/wikipedia-org). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/denim
- **Dodger Blue** #1e90ff [pool] — Designers have shipped Dodger Blue with #ffc42e: 5 real palettes, including Google's brand system and Heatwave, as the lead colour. Seen in: Google (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/google-com), Heatwave (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/warm#heatwave), Miro (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/miro-com), Star Wars (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/starwars-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/dodgerblue
- **Medium Sea Green** #3cb371 [pool] — Medium Sea Green is paired with #ffc42e in 4 real palettes, including Olympics's brand system and Mint Modern, as the accent. Seen in: Olympics (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/olympics-com), Mint Modern (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/modern#mint-modern), Undergrowth (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/dark#undergrowth), Heineken (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/heineken-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/mediumseagreen
- **Midnight Blue** #191970 [pool] — 4 real palettes, including Southwest Airlines's brand system and FIFA's brand system put Midnight Blue beside #ffc42e, as the supporting colour. Seen in: Southwest Airlines (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/southwest-com), FIFA (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/fifa-com), Open House (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/clean#open-house), American Eagle (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/ae-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/midnightblue

## Contrast (WCAG 2.x, as text)

- On white (#ffffff): 1.59:1 — AA fail, AA-large fail, AAA fail. Fix: AA: text → #996e00 (4.58:1); AA: background → #575757 (4.54:1); AAA: text → #705000 (7.4:1); AAA: background → #3b3b3b (7.03:1)
- On black (#000000): 13.19:1 — AA pass, AA-large pass, AAA pass

## Brands using this color

- **Lemon Squeezy** — primary #fcc434 (Δ 0.495) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/lemonsqueezy-com
- **Walmart** — accent #fcc422 (Δ 0.732) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/walmart-com
- **McDonald's** — primary #ffc72c (Δ 0.769) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/mcdonalds-com
- **Warner Bros.** — accent #fec200 (Δ 1.153) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/warnerbros-com
- **Southwest Airlines** — accent #ffbf27 (Δ 1.167) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/southwest-com
- **Salesforce** — accent #fcc003 (Δ 1.44) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/salesforce-com
- **Ahrefs** — secondary #fac000 (Δ 1.664) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/ahrefs-com
- **Gumroad** — accent #ffc900 (Δ 1.903) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/gumroad-com

## Curated palettes containing it

- **Blueprint** (technical, cool, modern, dark) — #38bdf8, #818cf8, #fbbf24, #0f172a, #e2e8f0 — Cyan and indigo on navy is the developer-tool look; amber is the only warm note, so it always reads as 'attention'. — tool: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/new/38bdf8-818cf8-fbbf24-0f172a-e2e8f0 — collection: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/technical
- **Trailhead** (warm, bold, vivid) — #c2410c, #365314, #fbbf24, #f4efe6, #1f1a12 — Rust, pine and sun — high-visibility earth tones that read at a distance and on a trail sign. — tool: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/new/c2410c-365314-fbbf24-f4efe6-1f1a12 — collection: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/warm

## Fonts for this mood

- warm: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/mood/warm
- playful: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/mood/playful
- bold: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/mood/bold

## Palette tool

Open this color locked as the lead with four explored companions: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/new/ffc42e-c4bd9c-62b2cb-2b2d1f-f1ebe9?lock=0&style=vibrant
(Humans lock/regenerate in the tool; the URL is the state — read `lock=` back to see what they kept.)

## Connect an agent

Point any MCP client at the BrandSweets colors endpoint for the same engine:

- Endpoint: https://mcp.brandsweets.com/colors/mcp
- Tools: `analyze_color` (e.g. `analyze_color({ color: "#ffc42e" })`), `check_contrast` (with fixes), `generate_palette` (explore around locks), `suggest_palette` (mood/industry → curated-first), `list_palettes`.