Magenta vs fuchsia vs pink
In CSS, magenta and fuchsia are two names for exactly the same colour, #FF00FF, just as cyan and aqua are. Outside CSS the names drift apart: the community colour-name list gives Fuchsia as #ED0DD9, a little redder. Pink is a different thing altogether: a light tint of red rather than a red–blue mix.
| Name | HEX | Hue, lightness | Best text |
|---|---|---|---|
| magenta / fuchsia (CSS) | #FF00FF | 300°, 50% | Black 6.70:1 |
| Fuchsia (name list) | #ED0DD9 | 305°, 49% | Black 5.66:1 |
| deeppink (CSS) | #FF1493 | 328°, 54% | Black 5.77:1 |
| hotpink (CSS) | #FF69B4 | 330°, 71% | Black 7.93:1 |
| darkmagenta (CSS) | #8B008B | 300°, 27% | White 8.50:1 |
The name comes from the Battle of Magenta in 1859, fought the same year a new aniline dye of this colour came on the market.
Screen magenta vs printer's magenta
Magenta is one of the four process inks (the M in CMYK), so it is tempting to assume #FF00FF prints as pure magenta ink. It does convert to 0, 100, 0, 0. But process magenta on paper is a noticeably pinker, less violet colour than screen magenta, and far less bright. If magenta is a brand colour, design with a printed swatch in hand rather than trusting the monitor.
Pairing a colour this loud
Magenta works best with neutrals that let it be the only colour: black, charcoal, white. Lime is its exact screen complement, a clashing, 1990s-rave combination that suits posters and not much else. Pantone's 2023 Color of the Year, “Viva Magenta”, was a much deeper crimson-magenta, a good reminder that the name covers a wide range.
Questions
What is magenta in RGB?
rgb(255, 0, 255); HSL hsl(300, 100%, 50%).
Is magenta in the rainbow?
No. There is no single wavelength of magenta light; our eyes see it when red and blue light arrive together without green. That is why it sits where the colour wheel joins red back to violet. Explore it on the colour wheel.