Burnt Umber

Rembrandt's secret chiaroscuro, deep warm pigment from calcined Umbrian earth

HEX#5E3427

RGBrgb(94, 52, 39)

HSLhsl(14, 41%, 26%)

HSVhsv(14, 59%, 37%)

CMYKcmyk(0%, 45%, 59%, 63%)

HEXA#5E3427FF

RGBArgba(94, 52, 39, 1)

HSLAhsla(14, 41%, 26%, 1)

OKLCHoklch(62.2%, 0.054, 43)

LCHlch(55.6%, 13.4, 57)

🎨 Color Palettes

Analogous2-3 adjacent hues (≤60°)

Triadic3 hues spaced 120° apart

Split ComplementaryMain color + colors adjacent to its complement

Complementary2 hues spaced 180° apart

Tetradic (Rectangle)4 hues forming a rectangle

MonochromaticSingle hue with varying saturation and lightness

♿ WCAG Contrast Colors

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Aa14px Body

High Contrast Text

#E7CDC5Ratio 7:1AAA

Suitable for body text, headings, and primary content, ensuring readability for all users

Aa14px Body

Standard Text

#C0A868Ratio 4.5:1AA

Suitable for regular body content, meeting WCAG AA standards

Aa14px Body

Large Text / UI Components

#7C903CRatio 3:1AA Large

Suitable for large text (≥18px bold or ≥24px), icons, UI component boundaries

Aa14px Body

Decorative / Dividers

#337A44Ratio 2:1Fail

Suitable for decorative elements, dividers, non-essential text

📊 Color Scales

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Lightness VariationFixed hue and saturation, stepwise lightness adjustment ±30%

#24140F

#3A2018

#5D3427

#814836

#A55C45

#BD7661

Saturation VariationFixed hue and lightness, stepwise saturation adjustment ±30%

#4A3E3B

#503B34

#57372E

#5D3427

#643020

#6B2D1A

#712913

Lightness + Saturation Mixed VariationSimultaneous lightness and saturation adjustment

#2E221E

#31211C

#3A241D

#593227

#7A402E

#9E4C33

#C45736

Hue Fine-TuningFixed saturation and lightness, stepwise hue fine-tuning ±15°

#5D2728

#5D2B27

#5D2F27

#5D3427

#5D3827

#5D3D27

#5D4127

💡 Use Cases

🖼️

Classical Oil Painting

Burnt umber is an indispensable dark-toned mixing color in oil painting, used to shape the depth of figures and scenery.

🎭

Stage Sets

Used in theatrical or concert stage sets, burnt umber creates a sense of historical weight and solemnity.

🪑

Antique Reproduction Furniture

Used for finishes on distressed, antique-reproduction furniture, burnt umber mimics the deep, warm patina acquired over time.

📸

Portrait Photography Backdrop

As a studio backdrop color, burnt umber highlights the facial lighting of the subject, creating an oil painting-like texture.

📜 Origin & History

Burnt Umber is one of the oldest pigments in Western painting, originating from natural brown earth calcined since ancient Roman times. Its deep, warm, and transparent color has been cherished by painters since the Renaissance.

Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci praised burnt umber's stability in his 'Treatise on Painting', often using it for the underlying shadows and dark areas of sketches, laying the groundwork for later chiaroscuro techniques.

In the 17th century, Dutch painter Rembrandt utilized burnt umber to its fullest extent. Its deep warm tone and transparent quality became the core of the dark areas in his signature 'Rembrandt lighting'.

In the modern pigment industry, burnt umber remains an important color in artist-grade oil paints. Its chemical properties are extremely stable, allowing it to remain unfaded for centuries.

🧠 Color Psychology

MysteriousThe deep warm tone and semi-transparency bring an unfathomable depth, like light and shadow in an old mansion, inviting exploration.

DeepExtremely low brightness and rich color layering give an emotional impression of profound thought and deep experience.

SolemnAssociated with the religious themes of classical Western painting, it carries a solemn, dignified psychological suggestion, suitable for formal occasions.

WarmthThough dark, it is warm, like a candlelit dark corner, possessing an introverted, embracing warmth.

StrengthOriginating from the earth's minerals, it imparts a sense of solid, indestructible strength, evoking trust.

NostalgicClosely tied to the works of Old Masters, using this color is a tribute to art history and tradition.

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