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Shark

#212121 aka “YouTube Dark” by YouTube

Shark is a warm dark color with the hex code #212121. Also known as "YouTube Dark" by YouTube . This muted hue can be represented as RGB 33, 33, 33 in digital design or CMYK 0%, 0%, 0%, 87% for print applications. Find matching Pantone color. Currently, 1 brand uses this color in their visual identity, making it a proven choice for professional branding and web design.

Shark color values

HEX
#212121
RGB
33, 33, 33
HSL
0°, 0%, 13%
CMYK
0, 0, 0, 87

Shades & tints

Darker Lighter

About this color

Shark sits at 0° on the color wheel with 0% saturation and 13% lightness, placing it in the red segment of the spectrum. At near-zero saturation, it reads as a pure near-black neutral, with hue playing almost no role in its character. Near-black lightness makes it read as a deep, absorptive tone — color is implied more than seen.

In digital environments, Shark is rendered as rgb(33, 33, 33), where the red channel dominates at 33, though the other channels keep the hue balanced. Low saturation at this depth produces the kind of sophisticated, near-neutral dark that works for application shells, sidebars, and dark-mode base layers.

For print, Shark translates to a CMYK breakdown of 0C 0M 0Y 87K. The dominant black channel (87%) does most of the tonal work here — cyan, magenta, and yellow contribute minimally, so the printed result will be a deep, near-neutral tone that reads differently from its screen equivalent. In brand applications, this exact value is specified as YouTube Dark.

Color harmonies

Complementary

Split-Complementary

How to use Shark

CSS Variable 

:root {
  --brand-primary: #212121;
  --brand-primary-rgb: 33, 33, 33;
}

Define as a CSS custom property for consistent theming across your site.

Tailwind Config 

colors: {
  brand: '#212121',
}

Add to your Tailwind config to use classes like bg-brand.

Print Design (CMYK) 

C: 0%
M: 0%
Y: 0%
K: 87%

Use these CMYK values in Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, or print specifications.

RGB for Screens 

rgb(33, 33, 33)
rgba(33, 33, 33, 0.8)

Use RGB notation for compatibility or add alpha channel for transparency.

Brands using Shark

1 brand uses this color in their identity

YouTube

Entertainment • In-house (Google)

Frequently asked questions

What color is #212121?
#212121 is Shark, a warm dark color with RGB values of 33, 33, 33. It has a hue of 0°, 0% saturation, and 13% lightness in the HSL color space.
What is the RGB value of #212121?
The RGB color code for #212121 is rgb(33, 33, 33). This means it contains 33 red, 33 green, and 33 blue in the RGB color model.
Is Shark a warm or cool color?
Shark (#212121) is a warm color with a hue between 0-60° or 300-360° on the color wheel.
How do I use #212121 in CSS?
You can use #212121 in CSS with: background-color: #212121; or color: #212121; or as an RGB value: rgb(33, 33, 33). For print design, use CMYK: 0%, 0%, 0%, 87%.

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