Inky Cobalt Wharf
Inky Cobalt Wharf: a dark split complementary palette of #6B702D, #405B0A, #193C7D, #44184A, #1B1801. Deep, dramatic and immersive; best contrast 3.38:1.
A balanced palette of 5 colors drawing on green, blue, pink, with a tight lightness range that stays soft and cohesive. Its lightest and darkest colors reach a contrast of 3.38:1, better for large type and decoration. Open any color for its conversions, shades, harmonies and contrast.
Colors
- ≈ Muddy Green#6B702D
A medium, moderately saturated green (Muddy Green) that brings growth and calm. White text sits comfortably on it.
- ≈ Greenhouse#405B0A
A dark, moderately saturated green (Greenhouse) that brings a fresh, natural feel. White text sits comfortably on it.
- ≈ Tardis Blue#193C7D
A dark, moderately saturated blue (Tardis Blue) that brings open, airy calm. White text sits comfortably on it.
- ≈ Velvet Cosmos#44184A
A dark, moderately saturated pink (Velvet Cosmos) that brings gentle playfulness. White text sits comfortably on it.
- ≈ Soulless#1B1801
A very dark, muted black (Soulless) that brings bold, premium contrast. White text sits comfortably on it.
Tags
Psychology
Meaning
Applications
Similar palettes
Accessibility
- On white17.83:1Excellent 5/5
- On black3.98:1Fair 2/5
- Color blind friendly90% similarExcellent 5/5
Contrast is the best any color in the palette reaches on a plain white or black background. Color blind friendly shows how much of the difference between the colors is kept under the common kinds of color blindness.
| Color | Role | HEX | Lightness |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≈ Olive | Text | #6B702D | 53% |
| ≈ Pine | Accent | #405B0A | 43% |
| ≈ Cobalt | Primary | #193C7D | 37% |
| ≈ Ink | Surface | #44184A | 30% |
| ≈ Ink | Background | #1B1801 | 21% |
No palette color is readable as text on the background, so use #F1F5D7 for text.
:root {
--color-background: #1b1801;
--color-surface: #44184a;
--color-primary: #193c7d;
--color-accent: #405b0a;
--color-text: #f1f5d7;
}
@theme {
--color-background: #1b1801;
--color-surface: #44184a;
--color-primary: #193c7d;
--color-accent: #405b0a;
--color-ink: #f1f5d7;
}
About this palette
Inky Cobalt Wharf is palette number 15,427 of Tintly's fifteen million generated palettes. It is a dark palette built on a split complementary scheme, and it is anchored by Cobalt (#193C7D), the most saturated of its five colors.
The palette reads as deep, dramatic and immersive. Its colors run from Olive (#6B702D) at the light end to Ink (#1B1801) at the dark end, covering 21% to 53% perceptual lightness, so it has real range rather than five similar tones.
The five colors
1. ≈ Olive #6B702D: suggested role text. It is a yellow color with 53% lightness and a chroma of 0.09.
2. ≈ Pine #405B0A: suggested role accent. It is a green color with 43% lightness and a chroma of 0.107.
3. ≈ Cobalt #193C7D: suggested role primary. It is a blue color with 37% lightness and a chroma of 0.118.
4. ≈ Ink #44184A: suggested role surface. It is a magenta color with 30% lightness and a chroma of 0.099.
5. ≈ Ink #1B1801: suggested role background. It is a yellow color with 21% lightness and a chroma of 0.041.
Harmony and structure
One hue is paired with the two hues flanking its opposite. You keep most of the energy of a complementary scheme with less tension and more variety.
In this palette the hues fall in the yellow, green, blue and magenta families, spread across 220 degrees of the OKLCH hue circle. Dark palettes keep chroma between 0.04 and 0.14, and lightness between 20% and 52%, which is why the set feels consistent.
Temperature and mood
Overall the palette is temperature-balanced: 0 of its 5 chromatic colors lean warm and 1 lean cool. Its average chroma of 0.091 makes the saturation balanced.
That combination suits dark-mode interfaces, gaming and music apps and luxury packaging, and it is a good fit when you want a design to feel deep, dramatic and immersive.
Accessibility and contrast
The strongest pairing is Olive (#6B702D) with Ink (#1B1801) at a contrast ratio of 3.38:1, which is WCAG AA large. Across all 10 possible pairs, 0 reach the 4.5:1 AA level for normal text and 1 more reach 3:1 for large text.
No other palette color reaches 4.5:1 on the background (#1B1801), so this page suggests #F1F5D7 for text, a lightened Olive that reaches 15.94:1. Check any pair you use in the contrast checker.
All five colors stay distinguishable under protanopia, deuteranopia and tritanopia simulations, which is a good sign, although it is no substitute for testing with real users.
How to use it
Suggested roles: #1B1801 as the background, #44184A for cards and surfaces, #193C7D as the primary brand color, #405B0A as the accent, and #F1F5D7 for text (a computed lighter shade of Olive, because no palette color is readable on that background). A reliable starting split is 60% background and surface, 30% primary and 10% accent.
Use the lone hue as the dominant brand color and the two flanking hues as secondary and accent colors.
Typical uses for a dark palette include dark-mode interfaces, gaming and music apps, luxury packaging and cinematic presentations. Open it in the generator to lock the colors you love and reroll the rest, or in the visualizer to see it on real layouts.
More palettes like this
Frequently asked questions
Is Inky Cobalt Wharf accessible?
Its best pair reaches 3.38:1 (#6B702D on #1B1801). 0 of 10 pairs reach WCAG AA for normal text. Always check the exact text and background you use.
Which color should be the main brand color?
Cobalt (#193C7D) is the most saturated color that is neither the lightest nor the darkest, which makes it the natural primary.
What is this palette good for?
It suits dark-mode interfaces, gaming and music apps, luxury packaging and cinematic presentations, where a deep, dramatic and immersive feel works well.