Salmon Color – All You Need to Know About the Color Salmon

When thinking of the salmon color, the first image to come to mind might be that salmon sushi you ordered the other day. However, you can create some amazing salmon color palettes for wedding invitations, or you might want to create a business logo using the salmon color. The color salmon can also add a beautifully soft and warm touch to interior designs. Next, we will be looking at what color goes with salmon, and answering a few other relevant questions.

What Is the Salmon Color?

The color salmon can be described as a range of colors from salmon pink or light pink to more pinkish orange. The different shades can all be found somewhere between pink and orange. The colors in the table represent some web color options for salmon and coral, a color that closely resembles salmon. However, coral is more orange-pink and a little brighter than salmon. However, there are many shades and tones of each color.

Each hue has a color hex code that helps identify it, and color codes for web design and printing.

Salmon Color: A Brief History

As mentioned, the salmon color comes from the flesh of the fish with the same name. The colors of the fish can also range between light orange and almost white hue. This will depend on the fish’s diet and the levels of astaxanthin, a reddish-orange pigment, also known as a carotenoid. This is obtained from the shrimp and krill the fish consumes.

If you search A Dictionary of Color (1930) by Maerz and Paul, you might find a color sample of salmon. In 1949, salmon pink also came into the spotlight, when Crayola introduced it as part of their range.

Salmon Color Meaning

All colors have meaning, and since the color salmon is a combination of red, orange, and pink, it will have similar associations. Red is more of an aggressive color that is associated with passion, love, energy, and courage among others. Pink is more subdued and is associated with romance, femininity, hope, and compassion. Orange is stimulating, uplifting, and positive. The color salmon thus symbolizes vitality, health, and determination. There is also warmth, energy, and comfort.

Salmon is a welcoming color that also symbolizes compassion and has a supporting and inspirational effect.

Different Shades of the Color Salmon

As with all colors, you have various shades and tones of salmon. These colors can each be identified with a hex code, and you can see the difference in each color code. Each color code will show the different percentages or values that make up an individual color. Below you will find a few similar colors to that of the color salmon.

Salmon Pink

This is the particular salmon color that was introduced in the 1940s by the famous brand known as Crayola crayons. The web version of this color can be described as a very light red and is a lot closer to the pink side of the spectrum when compared to the salmon color.

Light and Dark Salmon

These colors both resemble salmon, but have slight variations in composition, making them a little lighter or darker than the original salmon color. These colors are mainly used as web versions of the salmon color and can be described as a very light orange or soft orange respectively.

Terracotta

This color represents terracotta pottery, which is a rich, earthy, and warm tone. Terracotta is a deep burnt orange that has a brownish undertone. The web version below is more of a soft red, but there are different shades also available from pink to peach, with different undertones.

Salmon Color Combinations

What color goes with salmon? Many colors go well with salmon, including greens and blue-green hues. These work well because they complement salmon and are governed by color theory and looking at the color wheel. Salmon also goes well with neutral colors like black, beige, and white as well as beige. Below are further color combinations that go with salmon.

Complementary Salmon Colors

When you refer to a color wheel, complementary colors are those that are positioned across from each other. When paired, these colors create contrast and tend to stand out. The light cyan color is the first option for this particular salmon color, but there are other blues and greens you can try such as mint green, teal, or navy blue.

However, there are many other options to create a beautiful salmon color palette.

Analogous Salmon Colors

Colors that are found next to each other on the color wheel are considered analogous. Pairing these colors produces a harmonious color palette, as all the colors share similar characteristics. Besides light pink and orange, you can also try using colors like mauve or metallic gold to make an intriguing salmon color palette.

Monochromatic Salmon Colors

This color combination is simple and uses variations of the salmon color. This means you can use darker shades and lighter tints of the color salmon. This color combination can offer a well-balanced salmon color palette.

Triadic Salmon Colors

This color combination uses three colors, one main color and two accent or supporting colors. When it involves the color wheel, it usually involves colors that are spread out evenly. So, when you draw a line between them, they will produce a triangular shape.

This type of color combination also offers contrast and appears vibrant and uplifting.

How to Make Salmon Color Acrylic Paint

There are paint colors that are close to salmon, however, if you want to mix your own, then having a basic knowledge of color theory is a must. For example, you need to know what happens when you mix all three primary colors or if you can mix complementary colors.

Also, when mixing colors, always test out the colors first and experiment with different shades and tints before you begin your painting.

Remember to add all of your mixing efforts to a color chart. So, let us see how to make salmon-colored acrylic paint. You can start by adding two parts titanium white, and one part of lemon yellow and scarlet red to your mixing surface. Blend all the colors, which should produce a nice shade of salmon. You can add more white to lighten it, or more yellow to make it brighter. You can also try swapping the yellow with orange paint to see what difference this would make.

Salmon Color Interior Designs

A salmon color might not be the first to come to mind when decorating the home. However, it is quite a versatile color that can bring in warmth and add a welcoming quality to a space. Salmon is a welcoming color, but it is also a bold color to work with. You can feature it as your wall color, but to some, it might be a bit too much. Below are some ideas for using the salmon color in the home.

• The color salmon can work perfectly with neutral colors like white, beige, and gray. Shades of orange and yellow can also go well, but shades of green and blue are what add contrast.
• You can paint an accent wall salmon and keep the others a more neutral white. This should make a more subtle statement.
• Use patterned wallpaper with a salmon color palette to create the accent wall.
• Cushions, rugs, throws, and other accessories can also bring in the salmon color, without it becoming too much.

The salmon color can be a wonderful addition to your home’s interior. Making use of it with perfect color combinations can produce salmon color palettes that are suited for both retro and modern style ideas.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Color Goes With Salmon?

Numerous colors can work with salmon, like beige, and white. Gray is also a good choice to pair with salmon. Shades of yellow and orange can also work, but various shades of green and blue work best as contrasting colors.

What Color Is Salmon?

The color salmon can be described as a pinkish orange, as it contains a little of both. The color can be lighter or darker than a coral color, depending on the shade, but both are separate hues. The salmon color is similar to that of the fish with the same name.

Is Salmon a Warm or Cool Color?

Salmon is a combination of red and orange, so it is a warm color. This means it will pair well with contrasting cooler colors, such as green and blue.

Charlene Lewis( Writer for Color Theory and Painting )

In 2005, Charlene completed her Wellness Diplomas in Therapeutic Aromatherapy and Reflexology from the International School of Reflexology and Meridian Therapy. She worked for a company offering corporate wellness programs for a couple of years, before opening up her own therapy practice. It was in 2015 that a friend, who was a digital marketer, asked her to join her company as a content creator, and this is where she found her excitement for writing.

Since joining the content writing world, she has gained a lot of experience over the years writing on a diverse selection of topics, from beauty, health, wellness, travel, and more. Due to various circumstances, she had to close her therapy practice and is now a full-time freelance writer. Being a creative person, she could not pass up the opportunity to contribute to the Art in Context team, where is was in her element, writing about a variety of art and craft topics. Contributing articles for over three years now, her knowledge in this area has grown, and she has gotten to explore her creativity and improve her research and writing skills.

Learn more about the Art in Context Team.