Shadow Forest Estuary
Shadow Forest Estuary: a dark tetradic palette of #260A2C, #4A1C03, #0E4607, #2E576B, #7A5B63. Deep, dramatic and immersive; best contrast 3.01:1.
A balanced palette of 5 colors drawing on pink, brown, green, with a tight lightness range that stays soft and cohesive. Its lightest and darkest colors reach a contrast of 3.01:1, better for large type and decoration. Open any color for its conversions, shades, harmonies and contrast.
Colors
- ≈ Dark Prom Queen#260A2C
A very dark, muted purple (Dark Prom Queen) that brings quiet luxury. White text sits comfortably on it.
- ≈ Chocolate Castle#4A1C03
A dark, muted brown (Chocolate Castle) that brings earthy, grounded warmth. White text sits comfortably on it.
- ≈ British Racing Green#0E4607
A dark, moderately saturated green (British Racing Green) that brings a fresh, natural feel. White text sits comfortably on it.
- ≈ Night Shift#2E576B
A dark, muted blue (Night Shift) that brings open, airy calm. White text sits comfortably on it.
- ≈ Royal Fig#7A5B63
A medium, muted red (Royal Fig) that brings warmth and energy. White text sits comfortably on it.
Tags
Psychology
Meaning
Applications
Similar palettes
Accessibility
- On white18.06:1Excellent 5/5
- On black3.50:1Fair 2/5
- Color blind friendly92% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≈ Ink | Background | #260A2C | 21% |
| ≈ Espresso | Accent | #4A1C03 | 29% |
| ≈ Forest | Primary | #0E4607 | 35% |
| ≈ Slate | Surface | #2E576B | 44% |
| ≈ Slate | Text | #7A5B63 | 51% |
No palette color is readable as text on the background, so use #FEEDF1 for text.
:root {
--color-background: #260a2c;
--color-surface: #2e576b;
--color-primary: #0e4607;
--color-accent: #4a1c03;
--color-text: #feedf1;
}
@theme {
--color-background: #260a2c;
--color-surface: #2e576b;
--color-primary: #0e4607;
--color-accent: #4a1c03;
--color-ink: #feedf1;
}
About this palette
Shadow Forest Estuary is palette number 8,947 of Tintly's fifteen million generated palettes. It is a dark palette built on a tetradic scheme, and it is anchored by Forest (#0E4607), the most saturated of its five colors.
The palette reads as deep, dramatic and immersive. Its colors run from Slate (#7A5B63) at the light end to Ink (#260A2C) at the dark end, covering 21% to 51% perceptual lightness, so it has real range rather than five similar tones.
The five colors
1. ≈ Ink #260A2C: suggested role background. It is a magenta color with 21% lightness and a chroma of 0.071.
2. ≈ Espresso #4A1C03: suggested role accent. It is a orange color with 29% lightness and a chroma of 0.078.
3. ≈ Forest #0E4607: suggested role primary. It is a green color with 35% lightness and a chroma of 0.107.
4. ≈ Slate #2E576B: suggested role surface. It is a cyan color with 44% lightness and a chroma of 0.057.
5. ≈ Slate #7A5B63: suggested role text. It is a rose color with 51% lightness and a chroma of 0.042.
Harmony and structure
Four hues are spaced around the wheel in two complementary pairs. It is the richest scheme, and the hardest to balance.
In this palette the hues fall in the magenta, orange, green, cyan and rose families, spread across 319 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: 2 of its 5 chromatic colors lean warm and 1 lean cool. Its average chroma of 0.071 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 Ink (#260A2C) with Slate (#7A5B63) at a contrast ratio of 3.01:1, 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 (#260A2C), so this page suggests #FEEDF1 for text, a lightened Slate that reaches 16.00:1. Check any pair you use in the contrast checker.
Under protanopia (reduced red sensitivity), #2E576B and #7A5B63 may look alike, so avoid using that difference alone to carry meaning. Under deuteranopia (reduced green sensitivity), #4A1C03 and #0E4607 may look alike, so avoid using that difference alone to carry meaning.
How to use it
Suggested roles: #260A2C as the background, #2E576B for cards and surfaces, #0E4607 as the primary brand color, #4A1C03 as the accent, and #FEEDF1 for text (a computed lighter shade of Slate, because no palette color is readable on that background). A reliable starting split is 60% background and surface, 30% primary and 10% accent.
Let one hue take most of the space and use the others sparingly. Control the mood with lightness and saturation rather than hue.
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 Shadow Forest Estuary accessible?
Its best pair reaches 3.01:1 (#260A2C on #7A5B63). 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?
Forest (#0E4607) 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.