Gamboge Orange (brown)

HEX: #996600 | Modern Palette

On White
4.94:1
PASS
On Black
4.26:1
FAIL

Color Specifications

HEX
#996600
RGB
153, 102, 0
HSL
40°, 100% ,60%
CMYK
0, 33.33, 100, 40

About Gamboge Orange (brown)

Gamboge Orange (brown) (#996600) is a color with RGB(153, 102, 0) and HSL(40°, 100%, 60%). It is commonly associated with Energetic, Bold moods. In design, it fits Vivid, Neon styles and is suitable for Text, Button, Accent. Its complementary color is Smalt (#003399), which creates strong contrast. Its triadic palette includes Green-cyan (#009966) and #660099. The name comes from Gamboge (English).

  • HEX: #996600
  • RGB: 153, 102, 0
  • HSL: 40°, 100%, 60%
  • Mood: Energetic, Bold
  • Style: Vivid, Neon
  • Use case: Text, Button, Accent
  • Complementary color: Smalt (#003399)
  • Triadic colors: Green-cyan (#009966), #660099
  • The name comes from Gamboge (English).

Live Components

LIGHT
DARK
System Notification Box

Color Palettes

Gamboge Orange (brown) #996600 is used in Monochromatic, Neutral + Accent, Analogous, 3 + 1 + 1 palettes, giving designers ready-made combinations for backgrounds, surfaces, accents, and interface elements.

Monochromatic Five tones of the same hue — a reliable scale for backgrounds, surfaces, and text.
 
GAMBOGE ORANGE (BROWN)
 
 
 
Neutral + Accent Four near-neutral tones grounded by a saturated accent — clean and versatile for UI.
 
 
GAMBOGE ORANGE (BROWN)
 
 
Analogous Five hues drifting across a 60° arc — naturally harmonious and pleasing to the eye.
 
 
 
 
 
3 + 1 + 1 Three analogous base colors, one complementary accent, one dark anchor — bold yet balanced.
 
 
 
 
 

Color Harmonies

Gamboge Orange (brown) #996600 pairs with Smalt (#003399) as its complementary color, and Green-cyan (#009966) and #660099 in triadic combinations. These harmony relationships help create balanced color combinations for UI, branding, and design work.

Complementary

The color directly opposite on the color wheel — creates maximum contrast and vibrance.

GAMBOGE ORANGE (BROWN)
SMALT
Analogous

Colors adjacent on the wheel — naturally harmonious and pleasing to the eye.

GAMBOGE ORANGE (BROWN)
Triadic

Three colors equally spaced 120° apart — bold, balanced, and visually rich.

GAMBOGE ORANGE (BROWN)
GREEN-CYAN
Split-Complementary

Two colors flanking the complement — high contrast with less tension than full complementary.

GAMBOGE ORANGE (BROWN)
Tetradic (Square)

Four colors at 90° intervals — rich variety, best when one color dominates.

GAMBOGE ORANGE (BROWN)
SMALT
Monochromatic

Shades and tints of the same hue — cohesive, elegant, and easy to work with.

GAMBOGE ORANGE (BROWN)

Shades & Tints

The shade and tint range for Gamboge Orange (brown) #996600 moves from dark #1A1100 tones through the base color to lighter #FFF7E6 tones, making it useful for depth, hierarchy, and background variation.

GAMBOGE ORANGE (BROWN)

Color Characteristics

Mood
Energetic Bold
Style
Vivid Neon
Use case
Text Button Accent

Accessibility Simulation

Deuteranopia #787800
Protanopia #6D6D03
Tritanopia #9D6060
Achromatopsia #707070

Frequently Asked Questions

Gamboge Orange (brown) (#996600) is a color with RGB(153, 102, 0) and HSL(40°, 100%, 60%).

#996600 pairs strongly with Smalt (#003399) as its complementary color. It can also be used with neutral tones for balanced UI and design layouts.

#996600 is suitable for Text, Button, Accent and works well with Vivid, Neon styles.

#996600 is commonly associated with Energetic, Bold.

The name Gamboge Orange (brown) is linked to Gamboge from English, meaning A gum resin used as a yellow pigment and a purgative, obtained from a tree (Garcinia cambogia) native to Southeast Asia..

Name, History & Etymology

Origin Word Gamboge
Meaning A gum resin used as a yellow pigment and a purgative, obtained from a tree (Garcinia cambogia) native to Southeast Asia.
Language English
First Recorded Use 17th Century

History

Gamboge as a pigment has a long history, particularly in Asian art (e.g., Chinese painting, Thai manuscripts) where it was valued for its vibrant, transparent yellow. It was introduced to Europe in the 17th century and quickly adopted by artists. The 'orange (brown)' descriptor indicates a darker, perhaps less pure or mixed, shade of the traditional bright gamboge yellow, possibly incorporating other pigments or referring to the raw resin's varied appearance.

First Recorded Use

The word 'gamboge' itself entered English in the early 17th century, derived from 'Camboge', referring to Cambodia, the region where the resin was originally sourced. The specific color 'Gamboge Orange (brown)' is a modern descriptive term for a shade of gamboge.

Cultural Associations

In traditional Asian art, gamboge was often used for its luminous quality, particularly in watercolor and ink wash paintings. Its use in European art also became significant, valued for its transparency and richness. The 'orange (brown)' variation might evoke the natural, earthy tones of the raw resin or its appearance when mixed with other colors to create deeper, warmer hues.

Similar Named Colors
Golden Brown #996515 ΔE 2.19
Drab #967117 ΔE 5.28
Ginger #B06500 ΔE 6.96
Grizzly #885818 ΔE 7.01

Code Snippets

/* Background */
.element {
    background-color: #996600;
}

/* Text */
.element {
    color: #996600;
}

/* Border */
.element {
    border: 1px solid #996600;
}

/* Linear gradient to complementary */
.element {
    background: linear-gradient(
        to right,
        #996600,
        #3377FF
    );
}

/* Radial gradient */
.element {
    background: radial-gradient(
        circle,
        #996600,
        #3377FF
    );
}

// SCSS variable
$gamboge-orange-(brown): #996600;

// With RGB channels (useful for rgba() usage)
$gamboge-orange-(brown)-r: 153;
$gamboge-orange-(brown)-g: 102;
$gamboge-orange-(brown)-b: 0;

// Usage
.element {
    background-color: $gamboge-orange-(brown);
    color: rgba($gamboge-orange-(brown)-r, $gamboge-orange-(brown)-g, $gamboge-orange-(brown)-b, 0.8);
}