Yellow Orange is a warm shade midway between yellow and orange. The yellow-orange hex color code is #FFAE42.
To make yellow-orange paint using only primary colors, mix two parts yellow paint with one part red paint. Alternatively, combining equal parts of orange and yellow paint will create a warm hue. The more yellow you add, the brighter your mixture will be.
On the color wheel, yellow-orange sits between yellow and orange, meaning it can be thought of as a stepping stone between the two hues. But it’s actually positioned closer to orange hues than shades like amber and freesia, which are both slightly more yellow in appearance.
Yellow-orange is a mixture of yellow and orange, two colors that have existed for centuries.
The word “yellow” was first used in the year AD700, but its use as a color stretches back even further—yellow ochre pigment was one of the first colors used in cave paintings during the Stone Age. In Ancient Egypt, yellow was treasured for its likeness to the color of gold.
The word “orange” was first used as a color name in English in 1512. Prior to the 15th century, the hue was known instead as “yellow-red”. The color is named after the typical shade of the citrus fruit orange.
In the modern era, yellow and orange are not always popular colors. Yellow, in particular, is often disliked—a survey in the year 2000 found only six percent of respondents named it their favorite color, compared to 45 percent for blue.
Just like the two hues, it’s made up of, yellow-orange conveys happiness, excitement, and enthusiasm. As it is the color of sunshine, it’s likely to be associated with warmth and energy. Its likeness to the color of autumn leaves means it could also be linked with the change of seasons.
Yellow and orange are the two brightest, most visible hues on the color wheel. In the 20th century, they’re commonly used by vehicles and items that want to stand out for safety or hazard reasons—road signs, life jackets, and school buses are all bright orange or yellow hues. By extension, yellow-orange might also be associated with hazards.
According to color psychology, yellow oranges’ vibrant appearance can uplift, inspire boldness and promote feelings of happiness.
Yellow orange’s warm, earthy tone makes it a great choice for when brighter shades of yellow or orange might be too intense. It grabs attention without overwhelming the viewer.
Use yellow-orange as an accent to add a splash of color to a design, or combine it with browns and reds for a soothing autumnal palette.
Yellow-orange can be matched with a number of different colors. You could use it together with other shades of orange and yellow for a fun and fruity color scheme, contrast it with striking purples, or calm it down with other earthy hues. Yellow-orange also looks great with light blue, which is its complementary color on the color wheel. The colors that pair well with yellow-orange include:
Looking for a different hue? The following colors are related to yellow-orange.
The yellow-orange color code is #ffae42. In a RGB color space, it’s composed of 100% red, 68.2% green, and 25.9% blue. In a CMYK color space, it’s composed of 0% cyan, 31.8% magenta, 74.1% yellow, and 0% black. It has a hue angle of 34.3 degrees, a saturation of 100%, and a lightness of 62.9%. Yellow-orange has RGB values of R:255, G:174, B:66 and CMYK values of C:0, M:0.32, Y:0.74, and K:0. Its decimal value is 16756290.
The hexadecimal color #ffae42 has RGB values of R: 100, G: 68.2, B: 25.9 and CMYK values of C: 0, M: 0.32, Y: 0.74, K:0.
As a blend of orange and yellow, it’s a color associated with positive feelings. Orange is described as evoking feelings of joy, warmth, vitality, and enthusiasm. Yellow elicits happiness, energy, and optimism.
It’s only natural then that yellow-orange gives off a fresh, summery feel. As a citrus color, yellow-orange is associated with fresh fruit, and health and promotes a sense of general wellness. It’s also reminiscent of autumn leaves, Thanksgiving pumpkins, and Halloween when combined with black.
As a color, it conjures up feelings of heat and fire and offers emotional help in times of grief and disappointment. Because it’s a combination of orange and yellow, it uplifts spirits, awakens confidence, and creates a positive outlook and enthusiasm for life.
