The meaning behind ebony
About the color
Unlike jet black, ebony has undertones of brown and sometimes olive. In the RGB space, the ebony color code is a dark shade of green. The color name comes from a dense, finely textured hardwood that is black or brownish-black in color. When ebony is polished, it has a mirror-like finish, making it a once-popular choice for ornamental use. The word ebony comes from the Ancient Egyptian word “hbny.” The word is sometimes used as a synonym for the color black. The ebony hex code is #555D50.
As a material, ebony is native to several areas, including India, Sri Lanka, Gabon, Mauritius, and Indonesia. The earliest use of this hardwood was noted in Ancient Egyptian relics. By the 16th century, furniture pieces carved from ebony were considered luxurious in Europe. Modern use of ebony includes small figurines and parts of certain musical instruments such as the clarinet, the oboe, and the black keys of a piano. Due to years of unsustainable harvesting practices, many species of ebony are endangered, and it is illegal to cut them down.
Although lighter than black, ebony carries many of the same themes. The color meaning of ebony includes seriousness, timelessness, and prestige. Because of its association with luxury, you can use ebony to convey opulence and elegance. When paired with ivory, a type of off-white, you can use ebony as a more distinguished alternative to black and white.
| Type | Value |
|---|---|
| HEX | #555D50 |
| RGB | 85, 93, 80 |
| CMYK | 0.09, 0, 0.14, 0.64 |
Application in design
The Pantone Institute has identified ebony as a color, but that hex code for ebony comes across as a dark shade of blue, instead of green. The word ebony is sometimes used as a synonym for black, so you’ll need to be careful when creating a design based on ebony with the hexadecimal code specified above. This specific ebony appears to have undertones of brown and a dark shade of olive. In some applications, it may work as an alternative to black, but pairing it with jet black may be too serious or heavy.
Because ebony reads as very dark and somewhat desaturated green, you may find that it works well alongside olive and other greyish-green colors. Think of a camouflage pattern. Ebony works as a base or background tone for a design that has a military or combat theme. In some applications, you can treat ebony as a neutral. Pair with whites, off-whites, and lighter greys to convey a vintage or classic look that is less stark than pure black and pure white.
Use an ebony palette for visual projects with an international or global theme. It contrasts well with oranges and red tones for an aesthetic inspired by parts of Africa or the Indian subcontinent. If the goal is to evoke artwork from these regions, ebony works as a part of your palette.
