Alum Red

An orange-leaning red glaze, from iron oxide, simple and deep

HEX#C45A3A

RGBrgb(196, 90, 58)

HSLhsl(14, 54%, 50%)

HSVhsv(14, 70%, 77%)

CMYKcmyk(0%, 54%, 70%, 23%)

HEXA#C45A3AFF

RGBArgba(196, 90, 58, 1)

HSLAhsla(14, 54%, 50%, 1)

OKLCHoklch(76.4%, 0.09, 44)

LCHlch(71.7%, 26, 56)

🎨 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

#FFFFFFRatio 4.3:1AA Large

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

Aa14px Body

Standard Text

#FFFFFFRatio 4.3:1AA Large

Suitable for regular body content, meeting WCAG AA standards

Aa14px Body

Large Text / UI Components

#CCDE91Ratio 3:1AA Large

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

Aa14px Body

Decorative / Dividers

#43C761Ratio 2:1Fail

Suitable for decorative elements, dividers, non-essential text

📊 Color Scales

Online Color Picker → Gradient Generator →

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

#4F2417

#763623

#9D492F

#C45B3B

#D07C62

#DC9C89

#E8BDB0

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

#9E6F61

#AB6854

#B86247

#C45B3B

#D1542E

#DE4D21

#EB4614

Lightness + Saturation Mixed VariationSimultaneous lightness and saturation adjustment

#55342A

#764232

#994F38

#BE5A3C

#D16F52

#DF876D

#EAA08A

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

#C43B3D

#C4443B

#C44F3B

#C45B3B

#C4663B

#C4723B

#C47D3B

💡 Use Cases

🏺

Folk Ceramic Art

Alum red painted bowls and plates are local kiln specialties. The alum red patterns on white porcelain are festive in their simplicity, full of the flavor of daily life.

🍵

Daily Tea Utensils

Alum red gaiwans and teacups are affordable, practical for daily brewing without worry. The orange-red color sets off the tea liquor, making it appear clearer.

🖼️

Folk Decoration

Alum red paper-cut style New Year paintings and door curtains are excellent decorative items for countryside guesthouses, creating a lively rural atmosphere.

🎁

Cultural Creative Souvenirs

Alum red Forbidden City co-branded washi tape and notebooks are affordable yet cultured, a favorite souvenir choice for tourists.

📜 Origin & History

Alum red is a low-temperature red glaze using iron oxide as the colorant, named for using green alum (ferrous sulfate) as a mordant. With lower firing requirements and much higher success rates than copper red glazes, alum red became the most widespread red ceramic glaze in ancient times.

During the Song Dynasty, Cizhou and Ding kilns extensively used alum red to paint patterns. Alum red decoration (white porcelain with red designs) was a signature product of northern folk kilns. Alum red was inexpensive, allowing commoners to afford red porcelain.

In the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, due to a shortage of copper materials, official kilns also used alum red instead of high-temperature copper red. Jiajing alum red plates and bowls exist in large quantities; their orange-leaning color has a distinct simple beauty.

In the Qing Dynasty, alum red continued to evolve. Alum red with gold tracing was a mainstream variety of export porcelain. Chinese alum red porcelain was sold far into Europe, becoming an Eastern luxury item on aristocratic dining tables.

Japan learned the alum red technique from China. Imari ware's alum red and gold porcelain was exported back to Europe. Alum red became a shared visual language of East Asian ceramics.

🧠 Color Psychology

Simple and AffableAlum red lacks the nobility of copper red but possesses the warmth of the earth, like the rustic ceramic bowls in a countryside kitchen—dependable and warm.

Warm and EverydayAlum red is the red of the common people—not sacred, not majestic, just a touch of warmth in ordinary days, comforting to the human heart.

Folklore FestivityAlum red porcelain painted with auspicious patterns was a must-have for folk weddings, carrying the most simple and passionate blessings of village society.

Traces of HandworkThe orange tone and uneven brushstrokes of alum red are the marks of handcraft; each piece is different, bearing the warmth of the artisan.

Retro NostalgiaAlum red carries memories of 1970s enamel basins and thermos flasks, a shared warm backdrop of childhood for several generations.

Cultural ExchangeAlum red porcelain is a witness to the Maritime Silk Road. A small alum red plate carries centuries of trade and aesthetic exchange between East and West.

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