Gamboge

HEX: #E49B0F | Modern Palette

On White
2.33:1
FAIL
On Black
8.99:1
PASS

Color Specifications

HEX
#E49B0F
RGB
228, 155, 15
HSL
39°, 87% ,47%
CMYK
0, 32, 93, 11

About Gamboge

Gamboge (#E49B0F) is a color with RGB(228, 155, 15) and HSL(39.4°, 87.7%, 47.6%). It is commonly associated with Energetic, Bold moods. In design, it fits Vivid, Warm styles and is suitable for Text, Button, Accent. Its complementary color is #0F58E4, which creates strong contrast. Its triadic palette includes #0FE49B and #9B0FE4. The name comes from gamboge (French).

  • HEX: #E49B0F
  • RGB: 228, 155, 15
  • HSL: 39.4°, 87.7%, 47.6%
  • Mood: Energetic, Bold
  • Style: Vivid, Warm
  • Use case: Text, Button, Accent
  • Complementary color: #0F58E4
  • Triadic colors: #0FE49B, #9B0FE4
  • The name comes from gamboge (French).

Live Components

LIGHT
DARK
System Notification Box

Color Palettes

Gamboge #E49B0F 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.
 
 
GAMBOGE
 
 
Neutral + Accent Four near-neutral tones grounded by a saturated accent — clean and versatile for UI.
 
 
GAMBOGE
 
 
Analogous Five hues drifting across a 60° arc — naturally harmonious and pleasing to the eye.
 
 
GAMBOGE
 
 
3 + 1 + 1 Three analogous base colors, one complementary accent, one dark anchor — bold yet balanced.
 
 
 
 
 

Color Harmonies

Gamboge #E49B0F pairs with #0F58E4 as its complementary color, and #0FE49B and #9B0FE4 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.

GAMBOGE
Analogous

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

GAMBOGE
Triadic

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

GAMBOGE
Split-Complementary

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

GAMBOGE
Tetradic (Square)

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

GAMBOGE
Monochromatic

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

GAMBOGE

Shades & Tints

The shade and tint range for Gamboge #E49B0F moves from dark #181002 tones through the base color to lighter #FDF6E7 tones, making it useful for depth, hierarchy, and background variation.

GAMBOGE

Color Characteristics

Mood
Energetic Bold
Style
Vivid Warm
Use case
Text Button Accent

Accessibility Simulation

Deuteranopia #B4B400
Protanopia #A5A514
Tritanopia #EA9292
Achromatopsia #AAAAAA

Frequently Asked Questions

Gamboge (#E49B0F) is a color with RGB(228, 155, 15) and HSL(39.4°, 87.7%, 47.6%).

#E49B0F pairs strongly with #0F58E4 as its complementary color. It can also be used with neutral tones for balanced UI and design layouts.

#E49B0F is suitable for Text, Button, Accent and works well with Vivid, Warm styles.

#E49B0F is commonly associated with Energetic, Bold.

The name Gamboge is linked to gamboge from French, meaning a gum resin.

Name, History & Etymology

Origin Word gamboge
Meaning a gum resin
Language French
First Recorded Use 17th Century

History

The word 'gamboge' entered English from French, which in turn derived it from the Latin 'cambogium', referring to the Kingdom of Cambodia (Cambogia in Latin), where the resin was originally obtained. The resin itself, a vibrant yellow pigment, has been used for centuries in art (especially watercolor), traditional medicine, and as a dye. Its use as a pigment dates back to ancient times in Southeast Asia.

First Recorded Use

1634

Cultural Associations

Gamboge is a distinctive yellow-orange color, often associated with the pigment derived from the resin of trees in the Garcinia genus, particularly Garcinia hanburyi. It has been historically significant in Asian art, particularly in Buddhist art for coloring robes and manuscripts. In Western art, it was a popular watercolor pigment due to its transparency and intensity. However, its use has declined somewhat due to its toxicity (it acts as a strong purgative) and the availability of more stable and less toxic synthetic pigments.

Similar Named Colors
Marigold #EAA221 ΔE 1.91
Harvest Gold #DA9100 ΔE 2.93
Orange #FFA500 ΔE 5.10
Chrome Yellow #FFA700 ΔE 5.14

Code Snippets

/* Background */
.element {
    background-color: #E49B0F;
}

/* Text */
.element {
    color: #E49B0F;
}

/* Border */
.element {
    border: 1px solid #E49B0F;
}

/* Linear gradient to complementary */
.element {
    background: linear-gradient(
        to right,
        #E49B0F,
        #0F58E4
    );
}

/* Radial gradient */
.element {
    background: radial-gradient(
        circle,
        #E49B0F,
        #0F58E4
    );
}

// SCSS variable
$gamboge: #E49B0F;

// With RGB channels (useful for rgba() usage)
$gamboge-r: 228;
$gamboge-g: 155;
$gamboge-b: 15;

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