Black palettes

Rarely pure #000000 in a good palette. Warm blacks, blue-blacks and charcoal carry more than flat black does.

Black, a reference blackBlack
#111111
231 blacks in the library

Pick any swatch to see its codes, its contrast and the palette it comes from.

01Put it to work

Can you read text on it?
White text looks like thisVery easy to read
Fine for any text, even small print. Contrast 18.9 to 1
Black text looks like thisHard to read
Avoid for text. Use it for shapes and backgrounds instead. Contrast 1.0 to 1

White text reads better here. The contrast number compares how light the text is with how light the colour behind it is. It runs from 1, where the text disappears, to 21, black on white. The web accessibility standard asks for at least 4.5 for normal text and 3 for big headlines.

Pick a swatch above to see it in its own palette, next to the colours it was chosen to sit with.

02Tints and shades

A ramp from 50 to 950 around #111111, in equal perceptual steps, for backgrounds, borders and hover states. Click a step to copy it.

03507 palettes with black

AuroraAuroraDigital ArtDigital ArtTerminal MatrixDigital ArtNeon CanvasDigital ArtPixel SunsetDigital ArtPaintingPaintingVerdaccioPaintingNight StudioPaintingAbstract ExpressionismAbstract ExpressionismAction BlackAbstract ExpressionismColor FieldAbstract ExpressionismKline ContrastAbstract ExpressionismJazz ClubMusicStudio SessionMusicVinylMusicBauhausBauhausWorkshopBauhausTypographyBauhausWeimarBauhausCinematographyCinematographyKodachromeCinematographyBleach BypassCinematographyTeal & OrangeCinematographySculptureSculpture

04The styles that use it

Cyber Minimalism8Neumorphism7Neubrutalism7Monolithic Architecture7Cyberpunk6Luxury Minimal6Gothic6Glitch6Swiss / International6Punk6Japanese Minimalism6Brutalism6Abstract Expressionism5Bauhaus5Cinematography5Graffiti / Street Art5Drawing / Sketch5Conceptual Art5Fashion Design5Visual Art5Printmaking5Synthwave5Chromecore5Skeuomorphism5Steampunk5Tech Spec5Punk Grunge5Distorted Portraits5Art Deco5Afrofuturism5Japandi5Brutalist Architecture5International Style5Neo-Modernism5Architectural Expressionism5Gothic Architecture5Japanese Graphic5Vintage 80s5Digital Art4Music4

And 135 more, in the palettes above.

05Questions

How many black colour palettes are there?

The Omoro library has 507 palettes with at least one black, across 231 distinct black swatches, each with its hex code.

What colours go with black?

In the library's palettes, black most often sits beside yellow, blue and red, with grey and white as the neutrals.

Which design styles use black?

Cyber Minimalism, Neumorphism and Neubrutalism use it most. 175 styles use it in all.

Goes withYellow 43%Blue 33%Red 27%Brown 23%Green 20%Orange 17%
Every colour familyAll colors and shades →
All palettes →Browse the styles →