Editorial color profile
Meaning, applications, and color guidance
Ultra Violet can create depth without requiring a dark composition everywhere. A pale companion gives it room to lead, and a measured warm accent prevents an all-purple arrangement from losing its hierarchy. Start by deciding where the violet should feel substantial and where it should remain a detail.
The directions below consider a performance identity, a patterned accessory, and an editorial cover system. Give the palette a light surface and a distinct dark anchor before adding decorative shades.
The HEX, RGB, and illustration on this page are screen approximations. Use a current physical Pantone reference to select and approve the material-specific production target.[2]
Key color facts
- Pantone selected PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet as its Color of the Year for 2018. This provides a documented historical context for the reference.[1]
- The TCX reference identifies Ultra Violet within the Fashion, Home + Interiors Cotton library. It is distinct from a Solid Coated or Uncoated ink reference; keep the system and suffix when specifying the color.[2]
- WCAG 2.2 sets a minimum contrast of 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text under Success Criterion 1.4.3. Evaluate the actual digital foreground and background together.[3]
- For this catalog HEX approximation: Calculated contrast with black: 2.87:1.
Calculated screen contrast
#5F4B8B
- Relative luminance
- 0.093
- Black contrast
- 2.87:1
- White contrast
- 7.33:1
Recommended use cases
Performance identity
Use violet for the principal poster field, with pale type areas, deep navy anchors, and a small gold accent. Carry the same violet shape into tickets and program covers so the identity remains recognizable when imagery and production sizes change.
Consideration: Check the smallest show details and directional labels independently from the headline; fine information needs its own clear hierarchy.
Patterned accessory
Set a violet motif against a muted lavender ground, with moss and ink details used sparingly. Alternate open intervals with more concentrated pattern areas so the accessory has a visual rhythm rather than the same intensity across its entire surface.
Consideration: Review the full pattern repeat and finished folds; the amount of violet visible in use can differ from a flat layout.
Editorial cover system
Combine a strong violet title area with warm paper and a narrow clay detail. Repeat the title geometry across editions while giving images a neutral frame, allowing the color to identify the series without determining the mood of every photograph.
Consideration: Test the composition as a thumbnail and on the final format before committing to small decorative lines or closely related violet tones.
Color palette ideas
Violet Theatre
Ultra Violet
#5F4B8B
Pale Lilac
#D9D0E5
Night Navy
#24263F
Muted Gold
#C9AD73
Ultra Violet: Give Ultra Violet the main field or identifying shape.
Pale Lilac: Leave lighter intervals around longer information and open margins.
Night Navy: Anchor the strongest labels, outlines, or structural details here.
Muted Gold: Repeat this accent sparingly to connect differently sized elements.
Pale Lilac creates a lighter interval around the violet, Night Navy anchors detailed information, and Muted Gold introduces a selective warm detail. The arrangement is most effective when the gold remains small and the violet owns the principal expressive shape.
Woodland Violet
Ultra Violet
#5F4B8B
Lavender Gray
#C5BECE
Moss
#737B54
Deep Ink
#2B2D34
Ultra Violet: Use Ultra Violet on the featured object or motif.
Lavender Gray: Create a quieter neighbor around the principal colored surface.
Moss: Give this companion a distinct, limited supporting assignment.
Deep Ink: Ground the family through consistent placement of smaller details.
Lavender Gray extends the violet family without matching its depth, while Moss changes the temperature and Deep Ink gives small details definition. Use open spacing to separate the motif from its supporting colors rather than outlining every shape.
Violet Press
Ultra Violet
#5F4B8B
Warm Paper
#EEE3CF
Clay Detail
#BC846C
Plum Ink
#392E47
Ultra Violet: Repeat Ultra Violet at a consistent point across layouts.
Warm Paper: Leave room around imagery without adding competing emphasis.
Clay Detail: Adjust this supporting area beside the featured color.
Plum Ink: Distinguish fine information through value, placement, and foreground contrast.
Warm Paper opens the composition and Plum Ink handles dense information. Clay Detail supplies a restrained warm interruption. This direction keeps the violet recognizable while allowing photographs and changing editorial content enough neutral space to retain their own character.
Production guidance
- Specify the full PANTONE 18-3838 TCX textile reference. Use a current physical Pantone sample; a screen preview cannot approve an ink or another material.[2]
- For a performance identity, review the poster, program cover, fabric banner, and screen graphic together. Document the intended hierarchy and approve material-specific samples so the deep violet does not merge with navy or ink in the finished application.
- These companion colors are original editorial suggestions. Agree on proportions, surfaces, and acceptance samples before ordering a coordinated collection.
Application example
Frequently asked questions
Is the Ultra Violet HEX value a production specification?
No. HEX and RGB are approximate screen representations. Specify the full reference and system, then approve a current physical Pantone sample alongside the intended material.
How can Ultra Violet avoid overwhelming a layout?
Give it one principal area and surround that area with a lighter, quieter surface. Keep a separate dark for detailed information, then use warm accents sparingly. If every element needs violet to become visible, revisit spacing, typography, and size before adding more saturation.
How should I check text on Ultra Violet?
Check the exact background, foreground, and text size under WCAG 2.2. The displayed black ratio is a starting point; transparency, images, and interactive states need separate assessment.
Sources
Pantone Color of the Year 2018: Ultra Violet
Publisher: Pantone.
Accessed October 13, 2026.
PANTONE 18-3838 TCX Ultra Violet Color Finder
Publisher: Pantone.
Accessed October 13, 2026.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2
Publisher: World Wide Web Consortium.
Published October 5, 2023. Accessed October 13, 2026.