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- Bright Orange
Everything about
the color Bright Orange
The meaning of the color Bright Orange and color combinations to inspire your next design.
What color is bright orange?
Bright orange is a vivid shade of orange. The bright orange hex color code is #FFA500.
What colors do you mix to get orange?
Wondering how to make bright orange? Orange is a secondary color, which means you can mix red and yellow paint to create it. Combining equal parts yellow and red will result in a true orange, but adding slightly more yellow will lighten the mixture to reach bright orange’s vivid hue.
In RGB color space, bright orange is composed of 100 percent red, 64.7 percent green and 0 percent blue.
The history of bright orange
The color name “orange” was first used in English in 1512. Prior to the 15th century, the hue was known instead as “yellow-red”. The color takes its name from the typical shade of the citrus fruit orange.
In the 20th century, orange’s eye-catching appearance has made it a popular choice for clothing and equipment designed to stand out. Life jackets, astronaut uniforms, traffic cones and high visibility work clothing are often colored bright orange, while prisoners are sometimes dressed in orange to make them easier to spot in case of an escape attempt. Even San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge is colored orange to make it more visible in fog.
Bright orange is the national color of The Netherlands. Throughout Asia, the hue can be symbolic of religion; in Hinduism, the deity Krishna is commonly portrayed dressed in orange while in Buddhism orange is the color of enlightenment, the highest state of being.
What does the color orange represent?
Bright orange is a bold, vibrant color that conveys warmth, excitement and enthusiasm. It combines the energy of red with the cheerfulness of yellow, the two hues it sits between on the color wheel.
Bright orange has a number of associations. As orange is the shade of changing leaves, it’s often thought of as the color of autumn. In North America, it’s strongly linked with Halloween. A study from Forbes magazine in 1991 found it’s also the color associated with good value, which is why low-cost brands like Home Depot use orange in their branding.
Orange is believed to be a color that can stimulate the appetite. As it is the hue of healthy foods and warming spices like pumpkin, paprika, sweet potato, carrots and citrus fruit, orange has positive associations with health, life and energy. Because it is so tightly linked with good flavor, many foods are artificially colored orange.
In color psychology, orange is thought to uplift, encourage socializing and inspire productivity.
How to use bright orange
As bright orange is a bold hue, it’s best used in situations where you wish to capture attention. Orange is often used by brands that wish to convey a sense of fun and energy—like Fanta and Nickelodeon.
However, its vivid appearance means orange is better suited to use as an accent color, as it could easily overwhelm in large amounts.
What colors go with bright orange?
Bright orange can be used with a number of different colors. It could form an autumnal palette alongside cream, olive green, reds and browns, or pop next to bold purples. If you want to temper orange’s intensity, pair with white. It can also work well alongside blue, which is its complementary color on the color wheel. The colors that pair well with bright orange include:
Similar colors to bright orange
Looking for a different hue? The following colors are related to bright orange:
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