Yellow color · XKCD survey name
Sand Yellow Color Code: #FCE166
Sand Yellow (#FCE166) is a medium-light, vivid yellow shade: RGB 252, 225, 102, HSL 49°, 96%, 69%. Black text reads best on it (16.10:1 contrast).
Sand Yellow color values
#FCE166
rgb(252, 225, 102)
hsl(49, 96%, 69%)
49, 60%, 99%
hwb(49 40% 1%)
0%, 11%, 60%, 1%
16572774
CMYK is a standard screen-to-print conversion. Printed results depend on inks, paper and color profiles.
What is Sand Yellow?
“Sand Yellow” 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 49° places it in the yellow part of the color wheel, with 96% saturation (vivid) and 69% lightness (medium-light). It is a warm color.
Compared with the other yellow colors in the Aqeeb Studio library, it is lighter than 55% of them and more saturated than 32% of them.
Its relative luminance is 0.755, which makes it a very 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 Yellow counts as a light color: its HSL lightness is 69% and its relative luminance is 0.755. Black text reads best on it (16.10:1 contrast).
Text contrast on Sand Yellow
| Text | Preview | Ratio | AA normal | AA large | AAA normal | AAA large |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White text | Sample text | 1.30:1 Poor | Fail | Fail | Fail | Fail |
| Black text | Sample text | 16.10:1 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 Yellow
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 Yellow
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 Yellow
- Card, highlight and section backgrounds with dark text (16.10:1 contrast with black)
- Accents that need to stand out: call-to-action buttons, charts and illustrations
- Backgrounds that need to feel bright
- Accents on dark layouts
- Infographics and chart series
- Highlighters, badges and caution markers
Use Sand Yellow in CSS
:root {
--color-sand-yellow: #FCE166;
}
.element {
color: var(--color-sand-yellow);
background-color: #FCE166;
border: 2px solid #FCE166;
}Questions about Sand Yellow
What is the HEX code for Sand Yellow?
Sand Yellow is #FCE166.
What is the RGB value of Sand Yellow?
The RGB value of Sand Yellow is 252, 225, 102: 252 red, 225 green and 102 blue on a 0–255 scale, written rgb(252, 225, 102) in CSS.
What is the HSL value of Sand Yellow?
The HSL value of Sand Yellow is 49°, 96%, 69% (hue, saturation, lightness), written hsl(49, 96%, 69%) in CSS.
What is the CMYK value of Sand Yellow?
A standard conversion gives about C 0%, M 11%, Y 60%, K 1%. Real print results depend on the inks, paper and color profile, so treat CMYK here as a reference value.
Is Sand Yellow a light or dark color?
Sand Yellow counts as a light color: its HSL lightness is 69% and its relative luminance is 0.755. Black text reads best on it (16.10:1 contrast).
How does Sand Yellow look with white text?
White text on Sand Yellow has a contrast ratio of 1.30:1, rated Poor. It falls below the WCAG minimum for text.
How does Sand Yellow look with black text?
Black text on Sand Yellow has a contrast ratio of 16.10:1, rated Excellent. It meets WCAG AA for normal text.
What colors go well with Sand Yellow?
Cornflower is its complementary color, and Light 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 Yellow be used?
It suits card, highlight and section backgrounds with dark text (16.10:1 contrast with black); accents that need to stand out: call-to-action buttons, charts and illustrations; backgrounds that need to feel bright.
How do I use Sand Yellow in CSS?
Use color: #FCE166; for text, background-color: #FCE166; for fills, or define a custom property such as --color-sand-yellow: #FCE166; and reuse it with var(--color-sand-yellow).
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.