Bistre

HEX: #3D2B1F | Modern Palette

On White
13.43:1
PASS
On Black
1.56:1
FAIL

Color Specifications

HEX
#3D2B1F
RGB
61, 43, 31
HSL
24°, 49% ,23%
CMYK
0, 29.51, 49.18, 76.08

About Bistre

Bistre (#3D2B1F) is a color with RGB(61, 43, 31) and HSL(24°, 49.18%, 23.92%). It is commonly associated with Bold, Earthy moods. In design, it fits Warm styles and is suitable for Text, Button, Background. Its complementary color is #1F313D, which creates strong contrast. Its triadic palette includes #1F3D2B and #2B1F3D. The name comes from bistre (French).

  • HEX: #3D2B1F
  • RGB: 61, 43, 31
  • HSL: 24°, 49.18%, 23.92%
  • Mood: Bold, Earthy
  • Style: Warm
  • Use case: Text, Button, Background
  • Complementary color: #1F313D
  • Triadic colors: #1F3D2B, #2B1F3D
  • The name comes from bistre (French).

Live Components

LIGHT
DARK
System Notification Box

Color Palettes

Bistre #3D2B1F is used in Monochromatic, Neutral + Accent, Analogous, 3 + 1 + 1 palettes, giving designers ready-made combinations for backgrounds, surfaces, accents, and interface elements.

Monochromatic Five tones of the same hue — a reliable scale for backgrounds, surfaces, and text.
BISTRE
 
 
 
 
Neutral + Accent Four near-neutral tones grounded by a saturated accent — clean and versatile for UI.
 
 
BISTRE
 
 
Analogous Five hues drifting across a 60° arc — naturally harmonious and pleasing to the eye.
 
 
 
 
 
3 + 1 + 1 Three analogous base colors, one complementary accent, one dark anchor — bold yet balanced.
 
 
 
 
 

Color Harmonies

Bistre #3D2B1F pairs with #1F313D as its complementary color, and #1F3D2B and #2B1F3D in triadic combinations. These harmony relationships help create balanced color combinations for UI, branding, and design work.

Complementary

The color directly opposite on the color wheel — creates maximum contrast and vibrance.

BISTRE
Analogous

Colors adjacent on the wheel — naturally harmonious and pleasing to the eye.

BISTRE
Triadic

Three colors equally spaced 120° apart — bold, balanced, and visually rich.

BISTRE
Split-Complementary

Two colors flanking the complement — high contrast with less tension than full complementary.

BISTRE
Tetradic (Square)

Four colors at 90° intervals — rich variety, best when one color dominates.

BISTRE
Monochromatic

Shades and tints of the same hue — cohesive, elegant, and easy to work with.

BISTRE

Shades & Tints

The shade and tint range for Bistre #3D2B1F moves from dark #110C09 tones through the base color to lighter #F6F1EE tones, making it useful for depth, hierarchy, and background variation.

BISTRE

Color Characteristics

Mood
Bold Earthy
Style
Warm
Use case
Text Button Background

Accessibility Simulation

Deuteranopia #31311E
Protanopia #2D2D1F
Tritanopia #3E2A2A
Achromatopsia #2F2F2F

Frequently Asked Questions

Bistre (#3D2B1F) is a color with RGB(61, 43, 31) and HSL(24°, 49.18%, 23.92%).

#3D2B1F pairs strongly with #1F313D as its complementary color. It can also be used with neutral tones for balanced UI and design layouts.

#3D2B1F is suitable for Text, Button, Background and works well with Warm styles.

#3D2B1F is commonly associated with Bold, Earthy.

The name Bistre is linked to bistre from French, meaning a pigment made from soot.

Name, History & Etymology

Origin Word bistre
Meaning a pigment made from soot
Language French
First Recorded Use 18th Century

History

The word "bistre" originates from the French word of the same spelling, which referred to a brown pigment made from the soot of wood smoke, especially beechwood. This pigment was widely used by old masters for ink drawings, washes, and underpaintings due to its warm, transparent brown tone. Its use predates the formal naming of the color in English, with the pigment itself being in use for centuries. The term entered English directly from French.

First Recorded Use

1704

Cultural Associations

Bistre was a popular choice for artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Rembrandt for their monochrome drawings and sketches, valued for its permanence and the rich, warm sepia-like tones it produced. It offered a more subtle and less stark alternative to black ink. In modern contexts, 'bistre' is primarily used in art and design to describe a specific shade of dark, yellowish-brown, often associated with vintage or antique aesthetics.

Similar Named Colors
Café Noir #4B3621 ΔE 5.33
Taupe #483C32 ΔE 6.17
Old Burgundy #43302E ΔE 6.23
Zinnwaldite Brown #2C1608 ΔE 6.83

Code Snippets

/* Background */
.element {
    background-color: #3D2B1F;
}

/* Text */
.element {
    color: #3D2B1F;
}

/* Border */
.element {
    border: 1px solid #3D2B1F;
}

/* Linear gradient to complementary */
.element {
    background: linear-gradient(
        to right,
        #3D2B1F,
        #1F435B
    );
}

/* Radial gradient */
.element {
    background: radial-gradient(
        circle,
        #3D2B1F,
        #1F435B
    );
}

// SCSS variable
$bistre: #3D2B1F;

// With RGB channels (useful for rgba() usage)
$bistre-r: 61;
$bistre-g: 43;
$bistre-b: 31;

// Usage
.element {
    background-color: $bistre;
    color: rgba($bistre-r, $bistre-g, $bistre-b, 0.8);
}