Fine‑tune Red, Green, Blue channels (0–255) to create over 16 million colors. Instantly view HEX, HSL, and CMYK equivalents.
The RGB (Red, Green, Blue) additive color model is the foundation of digital screens, cameras, and web design. By mixing varying intensities of red, green, and blue light, over 16.7 million distinct colors can be produced. This interactive tool lets you explore the full sRGB gamut with scientific precision.
Every digital color is a vector: C = (R, G, B) with R,G,B ∈ [0, 255].
HEX encoding: #RRGGBB where each pair is a hexadecimal byte.
Isaac Newton's prism experiments (1666) revealed that white light comprises a spectrum. However, the trichromatic theory of human vision — that our eyes contain three types of cone cells sensitive to red, green, and blue — was established by Thomas Young and Hermann von Helmholtz in the 19th century. The first practical RGB color model emerged with color television (NTSC, PAL) and later the sRGB standard (IEC 61966-2-1:1999), which defines the color space used by most computer monitors, web browsers, and smartphones. This tool operates within the sRGB gamut, ensuring accurate color representation on calibrated displays.
| Format | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| RGB (decimal) | Additive primaries; each channel 0–255. | rgb(70, 130, 180) |
| HEX | Hexadecimal triplet; compact representation. | #4682B4 |
| HSL | Hue (0–360°), Saturation, Lightness; intuitive for designers. | hsl(207, 44%, 49%) |
| CMYK | Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key; used for print (approximate conversion). | cmyk(61%, 28%, 0%, 29%) |
Choosing the right RGB values directly impacts readability. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) recommend a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text. Our luminance readout helps you estimate perceived brightness. For instance, pure blue (0,0,255) has low luminance (~0.07) and requires very light text. Use the slider to find accessible combinations — a critical step for inclusive design.
While sRGB is the de facto standard, professionals often work with wider gamuts like Adobe RGB or DCI‑P3. This tool focuses on sRGB; however, the underlying principles remain identical. The conversion to HSL follows the standard algorithm (max, min, delta). CMYK values are derived using a simple key generation method: K = 1 - max(R',G',B') and C = (1-R'-K)/(1-K), etc. For critical print work, always use a dedicated ICC profile.