Color Codes for Logo Palettes
How HEX, RGB, CMYK and spot color codes work in logo palettes, with standard values for white and common named colors, and how to find codes in vector files.
Contents
A color code is a precise value that identifies a color within a specific color model. A logo palette typically needs HEX and RGB values for screens, CMYK values for process printing, and spot-color references such as Pantone when printed color must match closely. A complete palette records each brand color in every model the artwork will be used in. It does not rely on a loose name like 'burgundy' or 'charcoal', because those names can mean different colors to different people and tools.
The main color code formats
| Format | Example (white) | Typical use | Notes |
| HEX | #FFFFFF | Web, apps, digital design tools | Six hexadecimal digits, two each for red, green and blue |
| RGB | 255, 255, 255 | Screens, video, digital exports | Each channel runs from 0 to 255 |
| CMYK | 0, 0, 0, 0 | Process (four-color) printing | Ink percentages of cyan, magenta, yellow and black; results depend on press, paper and color profile |
| Spot color (e.g. Pantone) | A named or numbered ink reference | Print jobs that need consistent brand color | Proprietary systems; take values from an official guide or brand documentation |
HEX and RGB carry the same information in different notation, so converting between them is exact. Converting from RGB to CMYK is not exact. Screens can display some colors that four-color ink cannot reproduce, and the resulting CMYK numbers change with the color profile used. Choose the profile deliberately, record the CMYK values it produces, and check them against a printed proof.
The color code for white
White is #FFFFFF in HEX, which can be shortened to #FFF, and rgb(255, 255, 255) in RGB. In CMYK, white is 0, 0, 0, 0. That means no ink at all, so 'white' prints as the color of the paper. On colored or transparent stock, white areas need white ink or a planned knockout. If a tool asks for a single color number, FFFFFF equals 16,777,215 in decimal, though most design software expects HEX or RGB instead. Many palettes use an off-white rather than pure white. An off-white is a separate color and needs its own exact code.
Standard named colors and their codes
The CSS specification defines a fixed set of named colors. These are dependable reference values because every browser interprets them the same way. They are starting points, not brand colors.
| CSS name | HEX | RGB |
| white | #FFFFFF | 255, 255, 255 |
| beige | #F5F5DC | 245, 245, 220 |
| brown | #A52A2A | 165, 42, 42 |
| green | #008000 | 0, 128, 0 |
| orange | #FFA500 | 255, 165, 0 |
| yellow | #FFFF00 | 255, 255, 0 |
Some of these values may not match what people expect from the name. CSS 'green' is a medium green, while pure RGB green (#00FF00) is named 'lime' in CSS. CSS 'brown' leans noticeably red. If a palette calls for a brown or green with a particular character, define a custom value rather than adopting the CSS name.
Color names without a single standard code
Amber, army green, bronze, burgundy, charcoal and bright yellow are not CSS named colors. Swatch libraries and palette generators assign them different values, and the material behind this article confirms no definitive code for any of them. For that reason, none is listed here. Treat any value you find under one of these names as a single interpretation. Judge it on the screens or materials the logo will appear on, then record the exact code you choose. Bronze needs extra care because it is a metallic effect. A flat HEX or CMYK value can only approximate it, and print work may call for a metallic spot ink.
Reading a specific code: #2F3136
Each pair of hexadecimal digits converts to one RGB channel: 2F is 47, 31 is 49, and 36 is 54. The result is rgb(47, 49, 54). Three low, nearly equal values produce a very dark gray. Blue is slightly the highest of the three, which gives the color a faint cool cast. A shade like this suits dark backgrounds or charcoal-like text and marks. If it is used in a logo, define its CMYK value separately and proof it, because dark grays can shift in print depending on how the black is built.
Recording codes in a logo palette
- Give each color a role, such as primary, secondary, accent or neutral, and define its light and dark backgrounds.
- Record HEX, RGB and CMYK values for every color, plus a spot reference if the brand prints with spot inks.
- Note which color profile produced the CMYK values so printers and designers can reproduce them.
- Check contrast between text or logo colors and their backgrounds before finalizing the palette.
- Store the values in the brand style guide and in the vector source file's swatches so the two stay consistent.
/* Example: palette values as CSS custom properties */
:root {
--brand-dark: #2F3136; /* rgb(47, 49, 54) */
--brand-light: #FFFFFF; /* rgb(255, 255, 255) */
}Finding color codes inside vector logo files
In true vector artwork, each fill and stroke stores its own color value, which you can read from the swatches or fill panel of a vector editor. Check the document's color mode first. The same artwork reports different numbers in RGB mode and in CMYK mode. In an SVG file, colors are stored as plain text, so they can also be read in a code editor.
<path fill="#2F3136" d="..." />A file extension does not prove that a file contains editable vector paths. An AI, EPS, PDF or SVG file can simply wrap an embedded raster image, so open the file and inspect its contents. Colors in an embedded raster image belong to its pixels and will not update when you edit swatches. If you sample a PNG or JPG preview with an eyedropper, the result is only approximate. Compression, anti-aliased edges and color profile conversion all shift pixel values. Treat sampled codes as estimates and confirm them against official brand documentation where it exists.
Permissions and brand colors
Being able to download a logo or read its color codes does not give you permission to modify the artwork, use its fonts or use the trademark. These are separate questions governed by the brand owner's terms and by trademark law. In some cases, a color itself can be protected as part of a brand's identity. Reproducing another company's exact palette in a way that suggests a connection to that company can therefore raise legal issues.
Gaps in this overview
The material behind this article contained no confirmed brand-specific color values, Pantone references or CMYK conversions, so none are given. Codes for amber, army green, bronze, burgundy, charcoal and bright yellow are omitted for the same reason. CMYK equivalents for the RGB values above depend on the chosen color profile. Generate them in your design software and verify them with a printed proof.