Ochre Color Palette
Ochre is hex #CC7722, rgb(204, 119, 34). Ochre is a natural earth pigment and one of the oldest colors used by humans in cave paintings. This hex is a deep golden-orange yellow.
By Mohamed Farhan · Updated Oct 19, 2026
Ochre color codes
Reading the ochre color codes
The hex code #CC7722 is three pairs of base-16 numbers for red, green and blue. CC is 204, 77 is 119 and 22 is 34, each on a scale from 0 to 255. That is why the same color is written rgb(204, 119, 34) in CSS. The red channel is the strongest here, which is what gives ochre its orange character.
HSL describes the same color the way people think about it. A hue of 30 degrees places ochre in the orange part of the color wheel. Saturation of 71% makes it vivid, and lightness of 47% makes it a mid-tone color. HSL is the easiest format to adjust by hand: keep the hue, then raise or lower lightness to create tints and shades that stay in the same family.
For print, the approximate CMYK mix is 0% cyan, 42% magenta, 83% yellow and 20% black. Screen and print colors never match perfectly, because monitors emit light while ink absorbs it, so always proof a printed sample before committing to ochre for packaging or stationery. See MDN's guide to CSS color values for every format browsers accept.
Ochre shades and tints
A full 50 to 950 scale built around #CC7722, so you can use ochre for backgrounds, borders, buttons and text without leaving the family. Click any shade to copy it.
// tailwind.config.js
theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
"ochre": {
50: "#F6E7D8",
100: "#EFD4BA",
200: "#E8C29B",
300: "#E1AF7D",
400: "#DA9C5F",
500: "#D38A40",
600: "#CC7722",
700: "#AB641C",
800: "#8A5117",
900: "#6A3E11",
950: "#492A0C",
},
},
},
}:root {
--ochre-50: #F6E7D8;
--ochre-100: #EFD4BA;
--ochre-200: #E8C29B;
--ochre-300: #E1AF7D;
--ochre-400: #DA9C5F;
--ochre-500: #D38A40;
--ochre-600: #CC7722;
--ochre-700: #AB641C;
--ochre-800: #8A5117;
--ochre-900: #6A3E11;
--ochre-950: #492A0C;
}A shade-by-shade guide to ochre
The 50 to 950 scale above follows the same structure as Tailwind's built-in palettes, so each step has a natural job. The lightest steps, 50 (#F6E7D8) and 100 (#EFD4BA), are page and card backgrounds: they carry the ochre mood without competing with content. Steps 200 (#E8C29B) and 300 (#E1AF7D) suit borders, dividers, hover states and selected rows.
The middle of the scale, 400 to 600, is where ochre is most recognizable, so use it for brand moments, illustrations and primary buttons. White text reaches the 4.5:1 body-text contrast minimum from step 700 upward, so use step 700 or darker when a button label needs to be white. Near-black text stays readable on steps 50 to 600.
The darkest steps, 800 (#8A5117) through 950 (#492A0C), make headings, body text and dark-mode surfaces that stay clearly related to ochre. Using step 900 or 950 for text instead of pure black is one of the simplest ways to make an interface feel designed rather than default.
Colors that go with ochre
How the ochre color combinations work
Complementary. Directly across the color wheel from ochre is #2277CC, which sits closest to denim blue among common named colors. Complementary pairs create the strongest contrast of hue, so use the second color sparingly, for a single call to action or highlight, rather than in equal amounts.
Analogous. #CC2222 and #CCCC22 sit 30 degrees either side of ochre. Analogous palettes feel calm and cohesive because the colors share undertones; they are ideal for illustrations, gradients and backgrounds where you want harmony more than contrast.
Triadic and split complementary. The triadic set (#22CC77 and #7722CC) is evenly spaced around the wheel and feels playful; the second color is closest to emerald green. The split complementary set (#22CCCC and #2222CC) keeps much of the complementary contrast but is easier to balance, which makes it a good choice for data visualization and multi-category tags.
Monochromatic. The monochromatic set runs from #EEC399 to #52300E. A single-hue palette is the safest way to build a calm, premium interface: rely on lightness for hierarchy, then add one neutral and one accent if you need emphasis.
Ochre compared with similar colors
bronze (#CD7F32) is about as light and more muted, and shares almost the same hue. Choose bronze if you want a softer, airier version; choose ochre if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
copper (#B87333) is about as light and more muted, and shares almost the same hue. Choose copper if you need more weight and contrast; choose ochre if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
burnt orange (#CC5500) is darker (40% vs 47% lightness) and more saturated, and shares almost the same hue. Choose burnt orange if you need more weight and contrast; choose ochre if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
Ochre in a real interface
Swatches only tell half the story. Here ochre carries the primary action, with tints from its own scale for the surface and panels.
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Using ochre in UI: buttons, text, backgrounds and dark mode
- Buttons. White labels on ochre reach 3.37:1, enough for large or bold text only. For regular button labels, use step 700 or switch to dark text.
- Text. Avoid ochre for body text on white; use step 700 or darker for links and headings that need to read as ochre.
- Backgrounds. Use steps 50 and 100 for large areas and keep the base color for smaller surfaces. Big blocks of a vivid mid-tone color draw attention, so give them a reason, like a hero section or pricing highlight.
- Dark mode. Steps 900 and 950 make a dark surface tinted with ochre. On dark backgrounds the base color often needs a lighter step (300 or 400) to keep enough contrast for icons and borders, as required by WCAG non-text contrast.
- States. Shift one step darker for hover and two steps darker for pressed. Keep focus rings in a contrasting color so keyboard users can always see them.
Contrast and accessibility
AA needs 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text. AAA needs 7:1.
Color contrast is measured as a ratio from 1:1 (no contrast) to 21:1 (black on white). Ochre scores 3.37:1 against white (AA large) and 6.23:1 against black (AA). The WCAG 2.1 contrast guideline asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text, which is why the shade guide above recommends specific steps for text and labels.
Contrast is only half of accessibility. Around 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women have some form of color vision deficiency, so never use ochre alone to signal meaning such as success, error or selection. Pair it with an icon, a label or a change in weight.
What ochre means
Yellow is optimism, attention and warmth. Pale yellows feel sunny and gentle; deep yellows like mustard feel vintage and confident.
Ochre is one of the oldest pigments used by humans, found in cave paintings tens of thousands of years old. It is a natural clay earth pigment ranging from yellow to deep orange-brown.
Yellow almost never works as text on white. Use it for backgrounds, highlights and warning states, and pair it with near-black text.
Where ochre works best
- Heritage and museum design
- Earthy interiors
- Coffee and craft goods
- Editorial accents
How to style ochre
Ochre pairs with deep brown, sage, cream and dark teal. It needs dark text for small sizes. Use it for heritage, museum and earthy brands, often as a highlight or illustration color.
Build a UI with ochre
Inspo AI generates a full React + Tailwind screen using #CC7722 as the brand color, grounded in real shipped designs.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Ochre · History and definition of ochre.
- WCAG 2.1: Contrast (Minimum) · The W3C rule behind the 4.5:1 and 3:1 thresholds used on this page.
- WCAG 2.1: Use of Color · Why color should never be the only way information is shown.
- MDN: CSS color values · Reference for hex, rgb() and hsl() syntax.
- Tailwind CSS: Customizing colors · How to add a custom color scale to your theme.
Similar colors
Questions people ask
What is the hex code for ochre?
The hex code for ochre used on this page is #CC7722. In RGB that is rgb(204, 119, 34), and in HSL it is hsl(30, 71%, 47%).
What colors go well with ochre?
Ochre pairs well with #F3DDBF, #FBF7EF, #3D2F25 (the Cave Wall palette above). Its complementary color is #2277CC, and analogous colors are #CC2222 and #CCCC22.
Is ochre a warm or cool color?
Ochre is a warm color. Its hue sits at 30 degrees on the color wheel with 71% saturation.
Can I use ochre for text?
Ochre has a contrast ratio of 3.37:1 against white and 6.23:1 against black. Body text needs at least 4.5:1, so it works as a background behind dark text, but not as text on white.
What does ochre mean?
Yellow is optimism, attention and warmth. Pale yellows feel sunny and gentle; deep yellows like mustard feel vintage and confident. Ochre in particular is used for heritage and museum design and earthy interiors.
How do I use ochre in Tailwind CSS?
Use an arbitrary value like bg-[#CC7722] for a one-off, or add the 50-950 scale from this page to theme.extend.colors in tailwind.config.js and use classes like bg-ochre-500 and text-ochre-900.
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