Introduce radiance with the color amber.
Learn how to integrate amber with other colors into your designs, photos, and illustrations.
Located halfway between yellow and orange on the color wheel, amber is a bright and warm color. Artists and designers everywhere use color to evoke meaning, with amber often injecting a sense of not only warmth but well-being and even radiance. Let’s dive into how you can use this color and others effectively in your next illustration or design concept.
The meaning of amber.
Amber represents happiness, vitality, confidence, and sometimes even safety (think traffic lights). As the primary color in a design, amber is open and welcoming. When you use it as an accent color, it feels upbeat, helpful, and supportive.
- HEX #FFBF00
- RGB 255, 191, 0
Hue variations.
With a composition midway between yellow (#FFFF00) and orange (#FFA500), amber is naturally allied to both of those colors. In addition, its color is similar to tangerine (#F28500) and freesia (#F6C324).
Colors that pair well with amber.
Here are some color combinations to try on your next project:
- Royal blue and amber are both bright and energetic. They’re also complementary colors. The warmth of the amber balances the cool tones of the blue for a dynamic, eye-catching effect.
- Deep brown and amber represent earth tones — amber actually gets its name from tree resin — so try this combination when you want to evoke a feeling of calmness and grounding. These two colors often embody a feeling of autumn and the changing of the seasons as well.
- For extra vibrancy in your design, pair aqua with amber. It’s a bold and upbeat combination that feels funky and fresh, with a bit of a retro vibe.
Perhaps the Eighties rock band 311 said it best: “amber is the color of your energy.” Use this warm color to bring radiance and warmth to your projects. Discover even more ways to pep up your designs.
Find out what you can make — from logos and icons to illustrations and poster art — with Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign.