Non-Dithering Colors

Here is a chart of 216 "non-dithering" colors. What that means is that the colors will look like the color you ask for on all browsers and all computer screen resolution settings assuming a video color capability of at least 256 colors. Tests have shown that Internet Explorer used in the Windows platform does not properly render four of these colors and they are marked with an asterisk (*).

Note: If your monitor is misaligned your colors may appear dull or too bright. Click here to go to a monitor test screen where you can properly adjust your monitor.


What is Dithering?

We've all seen colors created by what appeared to be one solid color and then a few lighter colored dots blended in. The colors may look blotchy or just full of dots but not a solid color. We have seen the same problem when printing things as well. Some colors are made up of multiple colors sprinkled together so that your eye blends or dithers the colors, so that you see only one. Unfortunately with some of the resolution and color settings used we don't see the intended blend, but rather the dots and splotches. It comes from placing the dots together and not truly mixing them.

The colors in the following chart give smooth colors on web pages because these are the 216 colors used to make up the Windows and Macintosh color palettes. All the other colors are achieved by mixing or dithering these colors.

The numbers shown in each color swatch are the hexadecimal numbers you need to use in your web page to display the corresponding color. Note that each one is made using the hexadecimal values 00, 33, 66, 99, CC, and FF which represent corresponding intensities of the three primary colors RED, GREEN, and BLUE. The value 00 represents a total absense of that particular color and the value FF represents all you can get of it.

Hexadecimal is a numbering system used with computers and provides a way to represent the values formed by four bits at a time with two hexadecimal values representing 16 bits. In hexadecimal you count 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, F.

FFFFFF
White
FFFFCC FFFF99 FFFF66 FFFF33

FFFF00
Yellow

FFCCFF FFCCCC FFCC99 FFCC66 FFCC33 FFCC00
FF99FF FF99CC FF9999 FF9966 FF9933 FF9900
FF66FF FF66CC FF6699 FF6666 FF6633 FF6600
FF33FF FF33CC FF3399 FF3366 FF3333 FF3300
FF00FF
Magenta
FF00CC FF0099 FF0066 FF0033 FF0000
Red
CCFFFF CCFFCC CCFF99 CCFF66 CCFF33 CCFF00
CCCCFF CCCCCC CCCC99 CCCC66 CCCC33 CCCC00
CC99FF CC99CC CC9999 CC9966 CC9933 CC9900
CC66FF CC66CC CC6699 CC6666 CC6633 CC6600
CC33FF CC33CC CC3399 CC3366 CC3333 CC3300
CC00FF CC00CC CC0099 CC0066 CC0033 CC0000
99FFFF 99FFCC 99FF99 99FF66 99FF33 99FF00
99CCFF 99CCCC 99CC99 99CC66 99CC33 99CC00
9999FF 9999CC 999999 999966 999933 999900
9966FF 9966CC 996699 996666 996633 996600
9933FF 9933CC 993399 993366 993333 993300
9900FF 9900CC 990099 990066 990033 990000
66FFFF 66FFCC 66FF99 66FF66 66FF33 66FF00
66CCFF 66CCCC 66CC99 66CC66 66CC33 66CC00
6699FF 6699CC 669999 669966 669933 669900
6666FF 6666CC 666699 666666 666633 666600
6633FF 6633CC 663399 663366 663333 663300
6600FF 6600CC 660099 660066 660033 660000
33FFFF 33FFCC 33FF99 33FF66 33FF33 33FF00*
33CCFF 33CCCC 33CC99 33CC66 33CC33 33CC00
3399FF 3399CC 339999 339966 339933 339900
3366FF 3366CC 336699 336666 336633 336600
3333FF 3333CC 333399 333366 3393333 333300
3300FF* 3300CC 330099 3390066 330033 330000
00FFFF
Cyan
00FFCC 00FF99 00FF66 00FF33* 00FF00
Green
00CCFF 00CCCC 00CC99 00CC66 00CC33 00CC00
0099FF 0099CC 009999 009966 009933 009900
0066FF 0066CC 006699 006666 006633 006600
0033FF* 0033CC 003399 003366 003333 003300
0000FF
Blue
0000CC 000099 000066 000033 000000
Black
If a color doesn't look good, don't use it.