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How to Use Crimson in Print and Web Design

Add a burst of color to your projects

By Jacci Howard Bear Jacci Howard Bear Writer A graphic designer, writer, and artist who writes about and teaches print and web design. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on October 30, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Design Graphic Design Photoshop Animation & Video 3D Design

What to Know

Crimson is a bright color that stands out prominently. Use it sparingly to draw attention to an element or as a colorful background. Use CMYK formulations for crimson in your page layout software. For display on a computer monitor, use RGB values. Crimson carries the symbolism of red as a power color and the color of love. It's also associated with the Christian church and its Bible. This article explains how to use the color crimson in design files, how to choose Pantone colors close to crimson, and what crimson symbolizes.

What Is Crimson

Crimson refers to a bright red with a tinge of blue. It's often considered the color of fresh blood (blood red). Dark crimson is close to maroon and is a warm color, along with red, orange, and yellow. In nature, crimson is most often a ruby red color that occurs in birds, flowers, and insects. The bright red color of love known as crimson was originally a dye produced from an insect.

Using Crimson Color in Design Files

Crimson is a bright color that stands out prominently. Use it sparingly to draw attention to a phrase or element or as a colorful background to indicate danger, anger, or caution. Avoid using it in conjunction with black, as the two colors provide low color contrast. White provides a much better contrast with crimson. Crimson often appears in designs for Valentine's Day and at Christmas. Lifewire / Derek Abella When planning a design project destined for commercial printing, use CMYK formulations for crimson in your page layout software. For display on a computer monitor, use RGB values. Use hexadecimal designations when working with HTML, CSS, and SVG. You can best achieve crimson shades with the following formulations: Crimson (web color): Hex #DC143C RGB 220, 20, 60 CMYK 7,100, 78, 1Alizarin Crimson: Hex #E32636 RGB 227, 38, 54 CMYK 5, 98, 85, 1Razzmatazz (Crayola crayon; a rosy crimson): Hex #E3256B RGB 227, 37, 107 CMYK 5, 97, 35, 0Raspberry (web color; a dark rosy crimson): Hex #872657 RGB 135, 38, 87 CMYK 42, 96, 41, 19Electric Crimson: Hex #FF003F RGB 255, 0, 63 CMYK 0, 99, 72, 0Spanish Crimson: Hex #E51A4C RGB 229, 26, 76 CMYK 4, 99, 64, 1Crimson Glory: Hex #BE0032 RGB 190, 0, 50 CMYK 17, 100, 84, 8

Choosing Pantone Colors Closest to Crimson

When working with ink on paper, sometimes a solid color of crimson, rather than a CMYK mix, is a more economical choice. The Pantone Matching System is the most widely recognized spot color system in the world. Use it to specify a spot color in your page layout software. Here are the Pantone colors suggested as best matches to the crimson shades listed above. Crimson (web color): Pantone Solid Coated 199 CAlizarin Crimson: Pantone Solid Coated 1788 CRazzmatazz (Crayola crayon; a rosy crimson): Pantone Solid Coated 213 CRaspberry (web color; a dark rosy crimson): Pantone Solid Coated 7435 CElectric Crimson: Pantone Solid Coated 192 CSpanish Crimson: Pantone Solid Coated 1925 CCrimson Glory: Pantone Solid Coated 200 C

Symbolism of Crimson

Crimson carries the symbolism of red as a power color and the color of love. It's also associated with the Christian church and its Bible. Various shades of crimson are associated with 30 U.S. colleges, including the University of Utah, Harvard University, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Alabama—the Crimson Tide. People living in the Elizabethan era associated crimson with royalty, nobility, and others of high social standing. Only individuals designated by English law could wear the color. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Scarlet Shades and Symbolism in Website Design What Color Is Plum and What Is its Symbolism? What Color Is Blood Red and What Is Its Symbolism? What Color Is Lilac? All About the Color Chartreuse and Its Use in Design The Color Cobalt and How Is It Used in Publishing Navy Blue: So Dark It's Almost Black What Color Is Fuchsia? Symbolism and Usage in Design How to Design With Blue and Complementary Colors How to Print to PDF The Many Hues of Medium Blue Colors How to Create the Out of Bounds Effect in Photoshop How to Print in Black and White on Mac How to Connect Speakers Using Speaker Wire How to Insert and Paint 3D Models in Paint 3D What Is a Knockout in Graphics, Prepress, and Printing? Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies