Over the course of the last decade we’ve witnessed a steady increase in the use of pink in everything from tech products like iPhones to runway fashion and home decor. But how do you use it in graphic design? The visually arresting nature of rose gold color in particular, with its flashy metallic undertones, means that anything it’s added to is intended to be seen – likely in high definition.
Let’s face it, everything feels much more glamorous when a little rose gold is added in. Rose gold, the trendy spinoff of pink color, might as well be the luxury version of Millennial Pink. So, let’s dive right in. In this article, we’ll explore the popularity of rose gold, analyzing what color is rose gold, how to make the popular coppery tone, color palettes, and learn how to design with it in Picsart.
What color is rose gold?
Rose gold has a hexadecimal color code of #B76E79. In the RGB color space, rose gold is composed of 71.8% red, 43.1% green, and 47.5% blue. In a CMYK color space, it is composed of 0% cyan, 39.9% magenta, 33.9% yellow, and 28.2% black. If you’re designing for web, the closest rose gold websafe color is #cc6666. Rose gold has RGB values of R:183, G:110, B:121 and CMYK values of C:0, M:0.4, Y:0.34, K:0.28.
Rose gold is historically known for its use in fine jewelry like engagement rings and was a popular color in Russia in the 1800s, often referred to as “Russian gold.” A famous example of this is the Faberge egg of rose gold color commissioned by Tzar Nicholas II for his wife, Empress Alexandra as an Easter gift in 1913. Another famed piece of rose gold fine jewelry is Cartier’s Trinity Ring. Jean Cocteau, the acclaimed French writer, is known for wearing this ring on his pinkie.
How do you make rose gold?
Rose gold is a metallic color that lives in the pink spectrum on the color wheel. If you’re learning how to make rose gold color by mixing paints, you simply combine gold, silver, and red paint hues together to get a new color. You might also experiment with mixing red and white together to create pink, then adding gold and silver for added effect.
What colors go with rose gold?
Rose gold has an air of sophistication and playfulness, so it’s easy to work with across a variety of design projects. You can create a unique rose gold color palette, leveraging it in a soft, romantic background or as an eye-catching accent color on a black and white flyer. A little bit of rose gold can go a long way in your design when paired with the right color choices. So consider any of the following color combinations for your next rose gold color palette.
Complementary colors
The complementary color of rose gold, which is the color directly across from it on the color wheel, is gray (#6DB7AC). Gray creates an elegant background that allows the subtle undertones of the rose gold hue to truly shine. We like to pair rose gold with Dove Gray and slate gray.
Split complementary colors
The split complementary color scheme offers most of the contrast of a complementary color scheme but without the saturation intensity. Combine rose gold with Frosted Emerald (#6DB787) and Bluebird Feather (#6D9DB7) for a cool rose gold color palette. The muted blue and green shades allow for the metallic nature of rose gold to truly pop.
Analogous colors
To create an analogous color scheme, pair rose gold with Light Brown (#B7876D) and Light Purple (#B76D9D).
Triadic colors
This color scheme produces a vibrant combination and consists of three colors spaced evenly (120°) apart on the color wheel. Combine rose gold with Bud Green (#78B76D) and Glaucous (#6D78B7) to create this scheme.
You can also experiment with shades of blue like Royal Blue, Pastel Aqua, Seafoam Blue, Wedgwood Blue, or Navy Blue to make rose gold radiate. You’ll often see these color pairings in interior design and on wedding invitations because their combination lends a very elegant look.
Tetradic colors
The Tetradic color scheme is made up of four colors spaced evenly (90°) apart on the color wheel. Pair rose gold with Bud Green (#78B76D), Larchmere (#6DB7AC), and Light Purple (#AC6DB7). Remember to balance warm and cold colors while using this scheme in your design. Due to its coppery nature, rose gold has a warm undertone so it pairs better with cool shades of purple like Lavender rather than the warmer shade of Lilac.
Monochromatic colors
To create a monochromatic palette combine rose gold with its different shades and hues. Some of these include Pressed Flower (#C58B93) and Rose Dust (#A4636C).
Similar colors
Looking for similar colors to rose gold? Check out Old Rose (#C08081), Coral Rose (#C37f7A), Rojo Dust (#B57466), Copper Penny (#AD6F69), Coral Clay (#Bf796E), Carley’s Rose (#A87376), and Rita’s Rouge (#BA7176). You can use these to design a cool ombre or gradient effect.
What are some rose gold color palette ideas?
1) Combine rose gold, navy blue, platinum, and champagne to bring out a sunny color synergy. You’ll often seen these pairings on wedding invitations and programs.
2) Pair rose gold with sandstone, amberglow, fried brick, and purple for a warm earthy palette.
3) For a dramatic rose gold color palette with a touch of glam, pair rose gold with black, midnight blue, and falu red.
4) Consider pairing rose gold with black and ivory for a retro 1950s Barbie design style.
5) Create the perfect fall themed color palette using rose gold, echo blue, dark grey, navy, sangria, and mauve.
6) Pair rose gold, lavender, and grey for a soft pastel themed spring edit or use it on an Easter card.
7) Make a monochromatic Valentine’s Day wallpaper for your phone using various shades of pink and balance it out with some ivory. Bonus: yellow gold works well for any text you might add to this rose gold color palette.
Is pink gold the same as rose gold?
Rose gold and pink gold are best known as metals made from a gold and copper alloy. Adding copper to gold adds a beautiful pinkish hue to the gold alloy due to the already bold pink-orange color of copper. While pink gold and rose gold are often used interchangeably, the difference between these names is the copper content: the higher the copper content, the stronger the pinkish-orange coloration. The content of copper in rose gold is higher than in pink gold, hence the deeper pinkish shade of rose gold. To compare:
18K Rose Gold consists of 75% gold + 22.5% copper + 2.75% silver
18K Pink Gold consists of 75% gold + 20% copper + 5% silver
Create fantastic photos using rose gold
Now that you’re familiar with all things rose gold, it’s time to start designing with it! Here’s how:
On the web:
1) Open the Picsart Web Editor and start a new project.
2) Click on Background and type in the rose gold hex code.
3) Add rose colored stickers to your edit by clicking on Stickers and searching for an image of your choice.
4) Further customize your edit by adding Text using the Text tool.
5) When you’re done with your edit, click Export to Download to your laptop. You can also name your file, change the file format, and upscale at this step.
On mobile:
1) Open the Picsart app and tap on the plus sign (+) at the bottom of the screen to start a new project.
2) Tap on Drawings, then Create New. Now, use the Color Wheel to select a rose gold hue or simply type in the above-mentioned rose gold color code (#B76E79). That’s it! Now you have a rose gold background.
3) Scroll across the Editor toolbar on the bottom of your screen and tap on Sticker, then search for rose gold.
4) Adjust the opacity, multiply, and reposition the stickers as needed. Tap Apply when done to save your edit.
5) Tie your edit together by using a Filter found under fx. Here, we went with Glitch. Adjust the level of the filtering by long pressing on the filter.
6) When you’re done, tap Next, then Save or Post your edit to share with the Picsart community.
Create at the Speed of Culture
Picsart is a photo and video editing platform and creative community. A top 20 most downloaded app worldwide with over 150 million monthly active users, its AI-powered tools enable creators of all levels to design, edit, draw, and share content anywhere. The platform has amassed one of the largest open-source content collections in the world, including photos, stickers, backgrounds, templates, and more. Used by consumers, marketers, content creators and businesses, Picsart tools fulfill both personal and professional design needs. Picsart has collaborated with major artists and brands like BLACKPINK, Taylor Swift, Lizzo, Ariana Grande, Warner Bros. Entertainment, iHeartMedia, Condé Nast, and more. Download the app or start editing on web today, and upgrade to Gold for premium perks!
