Which Colors Make Red?
The answer depends on your medium. In traditional RYB paint mixing and on digital screens (RGB light), red is a primary color. That means you start with red rather than mixing other basic colors to make it. In CMYK printing, however, magenta and yellow are combined to produce red.
Paint: Red is a primary color
RGB light: Red is a primary color
Printing: Magenta + Yellow → Red
Which Colors Make Red in Printing?
In CMYK printing, red is a secondary color created by mixing magenta and yellow inks together. Adjusting the ratio shifts the hue: more yellow creates a fiery vermilion or orange-red, while more magenta leans the color toward a rich crimson or ruby.
Popular Red Shades and Color Codes
Explore a curated selection of standard web red color options with their corresponding RGB, HEX, and HSL values.
| Colour name | Hex code | RGB value | HSL value | Notes & Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red (Pure Red) | #FF0000 |
rgb(255, 0, 0) |
hsl(0, 100%, 50%) |
Pure 100% primary red in RGB/Hex space. | |
| Crimson | #DC143C |
rgb(220, 20, 60) |
hsl(348, 83%, 47%) |
Strong, bright, deep red CSS named color. | |
| Dark Red | #8B0000 |
rgb(139, 0, 0) |
hsl(0, 100%, 27%) |
Standard CSS named deep maroon shadow red. | |
| Firebrick | #B22222 |
rgb(178, 34, 34) |
hsl(0, 68%, 41%) |
Warm, earthy dark red CSS named color. | |
| Light Coral | #F08080 |
rgb(240, 128, 128) |
hsl(0, 79%, 72%) |
Soft light red with warm pinkish undertones. | |
| Salmon | #FA8072 |
rgb(250, 128, 114) |
hsl(6, 93%, 71%) |
Warm pinkish-orange red CSS named color. | |
| Misty Rose | #FFE4E1 |
rgb(255, 228, 225) |
hsl(6, 100%, 94%) |
Very soft red pastel tint for UI backgrounds. | |
| Scarlet | #FF2400 |
rgb(255, 36, 0) |
hsl(8, 100%, 50%) |
Vibrant, high-intensity orange-tinged red. | |
| Ruby Red | #E0115F |
rgb(224, 17, 95) |
hsl(337, 86%, 47%) |
Rich jewel tone with subtle magenta undertones. | |
| Indian Red | #CD5C5C |
rgb(205, 92, 92) |
hsl(0, 53%, 58%) |
Muted, chestnuty CSS named red. | |
| Maroon | #800000 |
rgb(128, 0, 0) |
hsl(0, 100%, 25%) |
Classic W3C HTML standard deep dark red. | |
| Burgundy | #800020 |
rgb(128, 0, 32) |
hsl(345, 100%, 25%) |
Rich, elegant dark red with purple undertones. | |
| Cherry Red | #D2042D |
rgb(210, 4, 45) |
hsl(348, 96%, 42%) |
Classic vivid fruit-inspired bold red. | |
| Coral Red | #FF4040 |
rgb(255, 64, 64) |
hsl(0, 100%, 63%) |
Bright, energetic light red tone. |
Extended Red Palette Gradient Spectrum
Explore a smooth spectrum of red shades ranging from deep maroons down to subtle red-tinted ghost whites.
| Colour name | Hex code | RGB value | HSL value | Notes & Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maroon | #4a0005 |
rgb(74, 0, 5) |
hsl(356, 100%, 15%) |
Deep dark maroon shade. | |
| Burgundy | #70000a |
rgb(112, 0, 10) |
hsl(355, 100%, 22%) |
Dark wine burgundy shade. | |
| Crimson | #9e0010 |
rgb(158, 0, 16) |
hsl(354, 100%, 31%) |
Rich deep crimson shade. | |
| Ruby Red | #c30010 |
rgb(195, 0, 16) |
hsl(355, 100%, 38%) |
Vibrant ruby red jewel tone. | |
| Scarlet | #de1a1a |
rgb(222, 26, 26) |
hsl(0, 79%, 49%) |
Bright and fiery scarlet. | |
| Coral Red | #f23d3d |
rgb(242, 61, 61) |
hsl(0, 87%, 59%) |
Energetic coral red tone. | |
| Light Red | #ff6b6b |
rgb(255, 107, 107) |
hsl(0, 100%, 71%) |
Soft and bright light red. | |
| Salmon Red | #ff8787 |
rgb(255, 135, 135) |
hsl(0, 100%, 76%) |
Warm salmon red tint. | |
| Pastel Red | #ffa8a8 |
rgb(255, 168, 168) |
hsl(0, 100%, 83%) |
Gentle pastel red hue. | |
| Blush Red | #ffc9c9 |
rgb(255, 201, 201) |
hsl(0, 100%, 89%) |
Light blush red tone. | |
| Rose Tint | #ffe3e3 |
rgb(255, 227, 227) |
hsl(0, 100%, 95%) |
Very pale rose red tint. | |
| Ghost White Red | #fff5f5 |
rgb(255, 245, 245) |
hsl(0, 100%, 98%) |
Near-white subtle red tint. |
Explore over 180 distinct red color shades. Browse our complete catalog organized by tone—from classic scarlets and fiery vermilions to rich maroons, earth terracottas, and vibrant magentas. Each color comes ready with HEX, RGB, and HSL codes for your next design project.
Using Red Color Codes in Web Design
Red commands instant attention and signals urgency, making it essential for critical UI interactions. Vivid crimson and scarlet tones are reserved for destructive action prompts, error banners, and badge counts, while deeper burgundy shades lend sophistication to hero sections and luxury highlights.
More Colors with RGB, HEX, and HSL values
Looking for more colors and color tools? Browse all Color Tools for color codes, converters, shade references, and other color resources.