What Color Does Red and Black Make?
Red + Black = Dark red / maroon #800000
Red and black mixed make dark red or maroon. A 50/50 mix gives #800000.
Color 1
#FF0000
Color 2
#000000
Mixed Result
HEX: #A90000
RGB: 169, 0, 0
Closest name: Maroon
Red + Black = Maroon
Want more mixes? Explore the full Color Mixing Simulator.
Quick answer
Red + Black = Dark red / maroon (#800000)
Swatch shows the headline mix color—compare with the ratio table and adjust live in the simulator.
Why this mix looks the way it does
Adding black to red lowers value without necessarily shifting hue—a shade in classical terms. Equal parts pure red (#FF0000) and black (#000000) yield maroon (#800000), the same family as CSS “maroon”. Small amounts of black quickly deepen scarlet into wine and burgundy, which is why print designers specify percentages rather than eyeballing. In UI, treat these steps as semantic “danger pressed” or luxury accent colors, not body text on dark mode without contrast testing.
Five mix ratios (hex previews)
Ratios describe how much of each primary contributes to the blend; hex values are reference stops for design tokens and mood boards.
| Mix | Name | Swatch | Hex | Copy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80% red + 20% black | Bright crimson | #CC0000 | ||
| 60% red + 40% black | Deep red | #B30000 | ||
| 50% red + 50% black | Maroon | #800000 | ||
| 40% red + 60% black | Wine | #660000 | ||
| 20% red + 80% black | Near black red | #4D0000 |
Using this combination in UI and brand design
Maroon headers and buttons read premium on cream or gold palettes; pair with off-white type only after contrast validation. Use lighter ratio rows for hover states and darker rows for pressed states. Build systematic reds in the palette generator, then verify focus rings and links in the contrast checker.
Build harmonious ramps and harmonies from any swatch above in the palette generator, then validate text, links, and buttons with the contrast checker.