FR

Free tool · color chart

Shades of Yellow: 19 Yellow Color Names With Hex Codes

From almost-white light yellow to dark goldenrod, here are the different types of yellow, each with its name and code. Click a swatch to copy its HEX, RGB or CMYK code, or make your own shade of yellow with the sliders.

Swatch 500

Yellow 500

Closest named shade: Dark goldenrod #B8860B

  • HEX #A47F00
  • RGB rgb(164, 127, 0)
  • CMYK 0, 23, 100, 36
  • HSL hsl(46, 100%, 32%)

Make your own shade

#A47F00 #A47F00
Open as a gradient
  • Free, no sign-up
  • Codes free to use
  • Nothing is uploaded

Light Yellow Colors

Pale, soft yellows: vanilla, pastel yellow, butter yellow and straw.

Medium Yellow Shades

Bright, true yellows: lemon, canary, corn, gold, mustard and saffron.

Dark Shades of Yellow

Deep yellows leaning toward ochre and golden brown: goldenrod, old gold, dark goldenrod.

List of Yellow Color Names and Hex Codes

Every shade of yellow on this page with its HEX, RGB and CMYK codes, copied in one click.

Shade HEX RGB CMYK
Light yellow #FFFFE0 rgb(255, 255, 224) 0, 0, 12, 0
Lemon chiffon #FFFACD rgb(255, 250, 205) 0, 2, 20, 0
Pastel yellow #FDFD96 rgb(253, 253, 150) 0, 0, 41, 1
Butter yellow #FFFD74 rgb(255, 253, 116) 0, 1, 55, 0
Lemon yellow #FFF44F rgb(255, 244, 79) 0, 4, 69, 0
Canary yellow #FFEF00 rgb(255, 239, 0) 0, 6, 100, 0
Corn yellow #FBEC5D rgb(251, 236, 93) 0, 6, 63, 2
Vanilla #F3E5AB rgb(243, 229, 171) 0, 6, 30, 5
Golden yellow #FFDF00 rgb(255, 223, 0) 0, 13, 100, 0
Mustard yellow #FFDB58 rgb(255, 219, 88) 0, 14, 65, 0
Gold #FFD700 rgb(255, 215, 0) 0, 16, 100, 0
Straw #E4D96F rgb(228, 217, 111) 0, 5, 51, 11
Amber #FFBF00 rgb(255, 191, 0) 0, 25, 100, 0
Saffron #F4C430 rgb(244, 196, 48) 0, 20, 80, 4
Old gold #CFB53B rgb(207, 181, 59) 0, 13, 71, 19
Dark khaki #BDB76B rgb(189, 183, 107) 0, 3, 43, 26
Goldenrod #DAA520 rgb(218, 165, 32) 0, 24, 85, 15
Yellow ochre #CB9D06 rgb(203, 157, 6) 0, 23, 97, 20
Dark goldenrod #B8860B rgb(184, 134, 11) 0, 27, 94, 28
Shades of yellow chart from light to dark with hex codes
The full chart as an image: the 11 swatches and the 19 named shades, with their codes.

What Colors Make Yellow?

In paint and in printing, yellow is a primary color: no mix of pigments makes it, so you start from a yellow tube or pencil. On a screen, though, red and green light add up to yellow. Every shade of yellow then starts from a basic yellow.

  • Yellow, in light (screens)

    red light + green light

    On a screen, red and green light add up to yellow. With paint, red and green make brown instead.

  • Pastel yellow

    yellow + white

    Add the yellow to the white: a pale yellow takes plenty of white and very little yellow.

  • Golden yellow (amber)

    yellow + a touch of orange

    A touch of orange, or red, warms yellow up toward gold and amber.

  • Mustard yellow

    yellow + a touch of brown

    A touch of brown tones yellow down and gives it that warm, slightly muted look.

  • Dark yellow

    yellow + a touch of purple

    To darken yellow, use a touch of purple, its opposite color, rather than black: black turns it greenish.

Depending on your supplies

Colored pencils

With pencils, you don’t mix: you layer. Lay down the lightest shade in light strokes, then the darker one on top, without pressing. To lighten yellow, finish with a white pencil; to darken it, add a touch of grey or of its opposite color.

Markers

Water-based markers don’t blend well: pick the right shade straight away. With alcohol markers, go over a darker shade with a lighter one while it is still wet to soften the transition.

Watercolor

Mix on the palette, not on the paper. For a lighter shade, add water rather than white: the white of the paper does the lightening.

Paint

Acrylic or gouache: always add the dark color to the light one, a little at a time. Write down the amounts so you can find your shade again.

Yellow Color Palettes

Four palettes taken from the chart, ready for a coloring page or a design. Click a color to copy its code.

Printable Yellow Color Chart to Color In

A printable sheet to practice with: recreate each shade of yellow with colored pencils or paint, box by box.

The printable sheet

One Letter page: the numbered chart with its codes, an empty row to recreate each shade, and a strip for your tests.

Try them on a coloring page

Three shades from the chart on a real drawing: the lightest in the center, the darkest at the edge.

Want to do it by hand? Pick a drawing to print or color online.

Frequently asked questions

How many shades of yellow are there?

Endless: every mix makes a new shade. This page gathers the 19 best-known yellows with their names, and the chart gives 11 of them, from lightest to darkest.

What is the hex code for yellow?

Pure yellow is #FFFF00, or rgb(255, 255, 0). For a warmer yellow, use golden yellow (#FFDF00) or swatch 500 of the chart.

How do you darken yellow without making it muddy?

Add a touch of purple, its opposite color, or a little ochre. Black quickly turns yellow greenish.

What are the most used shades of yellow?

Among the most used: mustard yellow, lemon yellow, pastel yellow and golden yellow.

What colors go with yellow?

Grey for a modern yellow, navy blue for contrast, off-white and sage green for a soft look.