Yellow color · XKCD survey name
Sand Color Code: #E2CA76
The HEX code for Sand is #E2CA76. It is a medium-light, rich yellow color made of 226 red, 202 green and 118 blue (HSL 47°, 65%, 67%). Black text reads best on it (12.94:1 contrast).
Sand color values
#E2CA76
rgb(226, 202, 118)
hsl(47, 65%, 67%)
47, 48%, 89%
hwb(47 46% 11%)
0%, 11%, 48%, 11%
14862966
CMYK is a standard screen-to-print conversion. Printed results depend on inks, paper and color profiles.
What is Sand?
“Sand” is a crowd-sourced name from the XKCD Color Survey, in which participants typed names for colors they were shown. It is a popular everyday label rather than an official standard.
Its hue angle of 47° places it in the yellow part of the color wheel, with 65% saturation (rich) and 67% lightness (medium-light). It is a warm color.
Compared with the other yellow colors in the Aqeeb Studio library, it is lighter than 49% of them and more saturated than 2% of them.
Its relative luminance is 0.597, which makes it a light color. That is above the 0.179 crossover point at which black and white text have equal contrast, so black text has the advantage.
Sand counts as a light color: its HSL lightness is 67% and its relative luminance is 0.597. Black text reads best on it (12.94:1 contrast).
Text contrast on Sand
| Text | Preview | Ratio | AA normal | AA large | AAA normal | AAA large |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White text | Sample text | 1.62:1 Poor | Fail | Fail | Fail | Fail |
| Black text | Sample text | 12.94:1 Excellent | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass |
Ratios use the WCAG 2 formula and are truncated, never rounded up. Test any pair with the contrast checker.
Colors that go with Sand
Complementary color
Complementary colors sit directly opposite each other on the color wheel (180° apart). They give the strongest hue contrast, which suits calls to action and accents.
Analogous colors
Analogous colors are neighbors on the wheel, 30° either side of the base hue. They blend smoothly and are easy to combine in backgrounds, gradients and illustrations.
Triadic colors
A triadic scheme uses three hues spaced 120° apart. It is lively yet balanced, and works best when one color leads and the other two act as accents.
Split-complementary colors
Split-complementary keeps the base color and uses the two colors on either side of its complement (150° and 210°). The contrast is strong but gentler than a direct complement.
Tetradic colors
A tetradic (rectangle) scheme combines two complementary pairs at 0°, 60°, 180° and 240°. It offers variety but needs one dominant color to stay balanced.
Monochromatic variants
Monochromatic variants keep the same hue and saturation and only change lightness, which makes them dependable for UI scales and subtle layered designs.
A “≈” before a name means the exact harmony color has no named match, so the link goes to the closest named color.
Tints and shades of Sand
Lighter tints (mixed with white)
Darker shades (mixed with black)
Select any swatch to copy its HEX code. Build longer scales with the tints and shades tool.
Similar colors
Where to use Sand
- Card, highlight and section backgrounds with dark text (12.94:1 contrast with black)
- Infographics and chart series
- Highlighters, badges and caution markers
- Backgrounds that need to feel bright
- Accents on dark layouts
Use Sand in CSS
:root {
--color-sand: #E2CA76;
}
.element {
color: var(--color-sand);
background-color: #E2CA76;
border: 2px solid #E2CA76;
}Questions about Sand
What is the HEX code for Sand?
Sand is #E2CA76.
What is the RGB value of Sand?
The RGB value of Sand is 226, 202, 118: 226 red, 202 green and 118 blue on a 0–255 scale, written rgb(226, 202, 118) in CSS.
What is the HSL value of Sand?
The HSL value of Sand is 47°, 65%, 67% (hue, saturation, lightness), written hsl(47, 65%, 67%) in CSS.
What is the CMYK value of Sand?
A standard conversion gives about C 0%, M 11%, Y 48%, K 11%. Real print results depend on the inks, paper and color profile, so treat CMYK here as a reference value.
Is Sand a light or dark color?
Sand counts as a light color: its HSL lightness is 67% and its relative luminance is 0.597. Black text reads best on it (12.94:1 contrast).
How does Sand look with white text?
White text on Sand has a contrast ratio of 1.62:1, rated Poor. It falls below the WCAG minimum for text.
How does Sand look with black text?
Black text on Sand has a contrast ratio of 12.94:1, rated Excellent. It meets WCAG AA for normal text.
What colors go well with Sand?
Cornflower Blue is its complementary color, and Dark Salmon sits beside it as an analogous color. Lighter and darker variants of the same hue also work well for monochromatic palettes.
Where can Sand be used?
It suits card, highlight and section backgrounds with dark text (12.94:1 contrast with black); infographics and chart series; highlighters, badges and caution markers.
How do I use Sand in CSS?
Use color: #E2CA76; for text, background-color: #E2CA76; for fills, or define a custom property such as --color-sand: #E2CA76; and reuse it with var(--color-sand).
About this color page
Crowd-sourced name from the XKCD Color Survey (CC0). Values are calculated from the HEX code; color names are labels, not trademarks or standards unless stated. Screens render colors differently, so always check important colors on your own device. See the disclaimer.