Whale
Whale (#7C8181) is a medium, neutral gray with a true neutral feel. It has a hue angle of 180° and a lightness of 60%. As a neutral it supports other colors rather than competing with them.
About this color
What Whale looks like, feels like and where it works.
Description
Whale (#7C8181) is a medium, neutral gray with a true neutral feel. It has a hue angle of 180° and a lightness of 60%. As a neutral it supports other colors rather than competing with them.
Psychology
Gray is neutral and composed. It recedes, which is why it is the workhorse of interfaces: borders, secondary text and surfaces that let accents stand out. As a mid-toned shade, Whale sits comfortably in the middle: present but not heavy.
Meaning
Gray suggests balance, restraint and professionalism, and sometimes dullness if nothing else adds life.
Why use this color
Whale is a flexible base. It is best as an accent, illustration or large heading color, with a lighter or darker partner for body text. Pair it with its tints and shades for a complete scale.
Applications
- UI borders, text and surfaces
- Technology and architecture
- Minimal, balanced layouts
- Backdrops for accent colors
History
Gray is one of the oldest color words in English. Payne's gray is named after the eighteenth century watercolorist William Payne.
Accessibility
White text on Whale has a contrast ratio of 3.95:1 (fails for body text); black text has 5.31:1 (AA). WCAG AA needs 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text and interface parts. Do not rely on color alone to carry meaning: pair it with text, an icon or a pattern.
Variations of Whale
Tailwind-style scale
Color harmonies of Whale
Want to explore these on a wheel? Open the color wheel.
Color blindness simulator
These are approximations to help you check that meaning never depends on color alone. Real vision varies from person to person.