On Web Browser Colors

Colors can be represented numerically, in Red Green Blue Values. Colors can also be referenced by name. Some colors are called "Web Safe," which means they should look the same on all browsers and systems, despite different systems and browsers. "Safe Colors" are like "Safe Sex"; i.e., the goal has not yet been achieved.

Hexadecimal System: The Red, Green, and Blue values can take on 256 values, from 0 to 255. 0 means none of that component, ff is the maximum, i.e., 255. In the hexadecimal system, each "place" can hold 16 possible levels, from 0 to 15 in the decimal system, or 0 to f in hexadecimal. The hexidecimal system is based on 16 levels, instead of the ten we use in the decimal system. The 16 levels are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, a, b, c, d, e, and f. If there are 256 levels of Red, Blue, and Green, then there are 16,777,216 colors possible. Not all of these are supported by software, however.

Here is a list comparing the hexidecimal and decimal representations of the same numbers:

Hexadecimal    Decimal 
   00           00
   01           01
   02           02
   03           03
   ...          ...
   09           09
   0a           10
   0b           11
   0c           12
   0d           13
   0e           14
   0f           15
   10           16
   11           17
   ...          ...
   20           32
   21           33
   ...          ...
   
   ff          255

 Colors           Name
"000000"        "Black"
"ff0000"        "Red"
"00ff00"        "Green"
"0000ff"        "Blue"
"ffffff"        "White"

Supposedly Web Safe Colors

Colors made up of RGB components selected from the following six levels of RGB are supposed to be "Web Safe":

 00, 33, 66, 99, cc, ff

These 6 X 6 X 6 = 216 are "Web safe"; however, Internet Explorer misrepresents some of these. These will probably become "safer" over time.

Be aware, however, that nothing can correct for defective monitors or ones that have been set differently.

In addition to colors represented by number, there are 142 names recognized by HTML that are not necessarily Web safe, but still fun to use, such as "BlanchedAlmond", "PapayaWhip" "DodgerBlue," and "LemonChiffon".

A list of 142 Color Names and their Equivalent RGB Values

Try Out Any of 16,777,216 Possible Colors

For more information, see:

WWW School Colors

Visibone Color Charts