Burnt Umber

HEX: #8A3324 | Modern Palette

On White
8.14:1
PASS
On Black
2.58:1
FAIL

Color Specifications

HEX
#8A3324
RGB
138, 51, 36
HSL
8°, 73% ,54%
CMYK
0, 63.04, 73.91, 45.88

About Burnt Umber

Burnt Umber (#8A3324) is a color with RGB(138, 51, 36) and HSL(8.82°, 73.91%, 54.12%). It is commonly associated with Energetic, Romantic moods. In design, it fits Vivid, Warm styles and is suitable for Text, Button, Accent. Its complementary color is #247B8A, which creates strong contrast. Its triadic palette includes #248A33 and #33248A. The name comes from terra d'ombra (Italian).

  • HEX: #8A3324
  • RGB: 138, 51, 36
  • HSL: 8.82°, 73.91%, 54.12%
  • Mood: Energetic, Romantic
  • Style: Vivid, Warm
  • Use case: Text, Button, Accent
  • Complementary color: #247B8A
  • Triadic colors: #248A33, #33248A
  • The name comes from terra d'ombra (Italian).

Live Components

LIGHT
DARK
System Notification Box

Color Palettes

Burnt Umber #8A3324 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.
 
BURNT UMBER
 
 
 
Neutral + Accent Four near-neutral tones grounded by a saturated accent — clean and versatile for UI.
 
 
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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

Burnt Umber #8A3324 pairs with #247B8A as its complementary color, and #248A33 and #33248A 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.

BURNT UMBER
Analogous

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

BURNT UMBER
Triadic

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

BURNT UMBER
Split-Complementary

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

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Tetradic (Square)

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

BURNT UMBER
Monochromatic

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

BURNT UMBER

Shades & Tints

The shade and tint range for Burnt Umber #8A3324 moves from dark #140705 tones through the base color to lighter #FAEDEB tones, making it useful for depth, hierarchy, and background variation.

BURNT UMBER

Color Characteristics

Mood
Energetic Romantic
Style
Vivid Warm
Use case
Text Button Accent

Accessibility Simulation

Deuteranopia #58581E
Protanopia #444425
Tritanopia #8B3131
Achromatopsia #4F4F4F

Frequently Asked Questions

Burnt Umber (#8A3324) is a color with RGB(138, 51, 36) and HSL(8.82°, 73.91%, 54.12%).

#8A3324 pairs strongly with #247B8A as its complementary color. It can also be used with neutral tones for balanced UI and design layouts.

#8A3324 is suitable for Text, Button, Accent and works well with Vivid, Warm styles.

#8A3324 is commonly associated with Energetic, Romantic.

The name Burnt Umber is linked to terra d'ombra from Italian, meaning earth of shadow.

Name, History & Etymology

Origin Word terra d'ombra
Meaning earth of shadow
Language Italian
First Recorded Use Renaissance

History

Umber is a natural earth pigment composed of iron oxide and manganese oxide. It is one of the oldest pigments, used since prehistoric times. The name 'umber' comes from 'terra d'ombra' (earth of shadow) referring to Umbria, a region in Italy where it was historically mined. 'Burnt Umber' is created by calcining (heating) raw umber, which dehydrates the iron oxide and changes its oxidation state, resulting in a richer, warmer, reddish-brown hue compared to the cooler, greener raw umber. This process was known and utilized by artists during the Renaissance to achieve a wider range of earthy tones.

First Recorded Use

c. 16th century

Cultural Associations

Burnt Umber is a staple in art palettes, particularly for landscape, portraiture, and still life painting due to its versatility in depicting natural elements like soil, wood, and skin tones. It's often used for underpaintings, glazes, and creating deep shadows. Its warm, earthy quality evokes a sense of groundedness and natural beauty. It's also commonly found in interior design and fashion for its classic and sophisticated appeal.

Similar Named Colors
Sienna #882D17 ΔE 2.92
Vivid Auburn #922724 ΔE 3.71
Chestnut #954535 ΔE 5.02
Spartan Crimson #9E1316 ΔE 5.80

Code Snippets

/* Background */
.element {
    background-color: #8A3324;
}

/* Text */
.element {
    color: #8A3324;
}

/* Border */
.element {
    border: 1px solid #8A3324;
}

/* Linear gradient to complementary */
.element {
    background: linear-gradient(
        to right,
        #8A3324,
        #34C7E0
    );
}

/* Radial gradient */
.element {
    background: radial-gradient(
        circle,
        #8A3324,
        #34C7E0
    );
}

// SCSS variable
$burnt-umber: #8A3324;

// With RGB channels (useful for rgba() usage)
$burnt-umber-r: 138;
$burnt-umber-g: 51;
$burnt-umber-b: 36;

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