Get inspired with pink design templates.
Pink is used in projects that express happiness, innocence, optimism, celebration and contentment.
Inspiration in the color pink.
Learn the history, meaning, and use of pink and make more amazing things.
What is the meaning of the color pink?
Bubble gum and a newborn puppy’s nose share this bright, sweet hue. In a more animated example, the Pink Panther flashes across screens in this shade. Even a bottle of Pepto Bismol softens the symptoms it soothes with its calming pink color.
You can use pink in amazing ways. Read to discover the history of the color pink, how to use pink color, and much more.
The history of pink.
The word “pink” was originally the name of a flower (the dianthus) and entered English in the 14th century.
In the Middle Ages, pink color paints were commonly used in religious paintings in Europe, but not in much else. At the time, pink was a rare find in fashion.
Pink color gained greater popularity in art in the Renaissance.
By the Renaissance, pink color was the standard hue used by artists to achieveartists brushed more lifelike hands and faces in painting.
By the 1700s, the color pink enjoyed its fashion heyday in the courts of Europe.
Fashionistas of the 18th century would dress with pink frill, pink lace, pink scarves, and even pink wigs. Madame de Pompadour (1721–1764), the mistress of King Louis XV of France, was well known for her stunning pink color clothes. Who knows? Perhaps it was this amorous peak of pink that makes us look at pink as a color of love today.
The color pink across culture.
Pink is often associated with femininity in Western culture.
That isn’t a global association, though. It’s also a relatively new one. Because pink is considered “pale red,” in the Middle Ages, it was seen as a youthful or boyish version of the crimson red favored in men’s clothing. Until about one hundred years ago, pink was thought of as a masculine color in Europe and the Americas.
By the 1950s, pink had shifted from a “boy’s color” to one for girls.
The origin of the switch might have been the overall shift in clothing. Children — boys and girls — were usually dressed in white before then, because white could be bleached and kept clean. With the boom in post-war production and consumerism, more colorful clothing hit the markets. The color pink became a favorite for young girls.
The color pink also tells a different story in different cultures.
Around the world, pink can mean different things to different cultures. In South Korea, pink symbolizes trust. In Latin America, colonial-era architecture favors shades of pink. In Japan, pink is worn by more men than women.
How to use the color pink.
1
2
3
4
5
You can also use pink to complement other colors.
Just picture the sorbet-like colors that swirl together on the horizon of a sunset. Pink melts delectably into reds, oranges, and yellows. You can also pair pink with blue to cool a project down and make the pink even brighter to the eye. Madam de Pompadour, for instance, was admired for her breathtaking combinations of blue and pink. This is often done with lighter shades of pink and blue.
Inspiration in nature.
In search of pink color in nature, look to gemstones like pink topaz, corundum (pink sapphire), calcite, and barite-rhodochrosite. Animals, too, sport this happy color in examples like the ocellated frogfish and the famous flamingo. To return back to its namesake, pink can also be paired in projects with green for a color combination inspired by flower beds filled with dianthus.
Use the psychology of pink.
In psychology, pink is found to provide a sense of calm. That calmness brings feelings of relaxation and contentment. Pink is a soothing color, not a rousing one. Think of it as the difference between romance (pink) versus passion (red). Pink has even been used for its calming effect in environments like prisons and football locker rooms (for the opposing team, of course).
Are you making something about universal love, innocence, optimism, or even something sweet?
The pink color symbolizes many things. Blending the passion of red with the purity of white, pink is hopeful yet innocent. It can be romantic, but also overly optimistic. It charms. It energizes. It captures your eye, whether in a sea of flowers or a bow tied in a child’s hair. Pink makes its statement in an instant and appealing way.
Information about pink color.
The pink HEX code picker is #FFC0CB. This is the classic “pale red pink,” a perfect balance of red and white. Even classic “pale red pink” has different shades and intensities. If you add white, pink grows calm and soft. If you add red, pink becomes more intense.
Perfect pink can be achieved in a RGB space with 100% red, 75.3% green, and 79.6% blue. Pink can be achieved in a CMYK color space with 0% cyan, 25% magenta, 20% yellow, and 0% black.
Load more