What Color Is Ebony? Difference Between Black And Ebony

Joan Agie
Oct 17, 2023 By Joan Agie
Originally Published on Oct 25, 2021
Many artists often wonder what color is ebony.
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Age: 3-18
Read time: 6.2 Min

Human culture in different countries often takes energy from different colors.

Color ebony is one of the most famous wood colors. This word was first used for describing the dark black color in the 15th Century.

Ebony got its name from a dark-colored heartwood of the ebony tree, which is a South Asian tropical tree. This wood is often used for making piano keys and chess pieces. The elegance extended by the traditional furniture of this color has led to a growth in the demand for various traditional furniture pieces across the world. The ebony skin color has its roots in Egyptian culture. The Egyptian people were black in appearance and the word ebony was used to describe them. There are various shades of black and this color is considered the most powerful and elegant color. These colors are so dark because most of the light is absorbed in them. Dark shades complement both brighter and lighter hues. There are various colors that pair with black as well as ebony.

After you have taken the much-needed energy from the tones of the ebony color chart, you must also know about what color is bronze and what color is copper.

What are the different shades of black?

Ebony color is almost black but has a bit of brown in it. It was named after ebony wood, which was originally found in India and other Asian countries. The primary difference between black and ebony is that black is the darkest known color due to absence or absorption of visible light.

Different shades of black mean the colors which differ only slightly from pure black. The off-black colors, which are a part of the neutral color scheme are some of the variations of black that exude elegance. They are usually used in interior design as a background for brighter colors. Black and dark gray colors are thought to be powerful accent colors and they suggest weight, dignity, formality, and solemnity. The various shades of black are: carbon black, super black, roseman black, vantablack, coal-black, red black, graphite, and midnight. There are at least more than 50 different shades of black.

Ebony is a very dark shade of black color with olive. That tree was considered a native tree of India as well as Sri Lanka. Ebony was first used as a color in 1590.

What colors go well with ebony?

When it involves the usage of shades to make a statement, few colors have the potential to command interest pretty like ebony.

Ebony has depth, and however, it’s additionally flexible and complementary with plenty of shades within the color wheel. Unlike white, which has a tendency to temper bolder shades, the slightest sliver of this color can immediately intensify every tone it’s paired with. There’s a chunk more, however, to this color that meets the eyes.

Ebony color can describe both the nice and cozy or cool cease of the spectrum, relying on its undertones. The colors that complement ebony are those that lend contrast to it. It pairs well with dusty roses, brown, white, navy, and light beige. This combination with lighter colors like white gives a feeling of charm and always stands out in the context. To provide a monochromatic look, ebony color can be used with stone gray, emerald green, and even yellow. Pairing red-orange with ebony and purple with ebony also provides a powerful and bolder combination.

Ebony wood is commonly used for making piano keys and chess pieces.

What is the darkest shade of black?

No matter what your style is, black is a versatile tone fit for a number of interior styles like ultra-modern, rustic, contemporary, or casual vintage. They make a warm and cozy design for the interiors. Not only in interiors but black can complement many other colors too in fashion.

The darkest shade of black is called the vantablack. It is the blackest of the black as it absorbs 99.9% of the light. It reflects less than 1% and it is the same from all the viewing angles. This super-black coating holds the world record of being the darkest man-made substance ever. To produce such color, artists and scientists had collaborated.

Black goes with light pink, taupe, chartreuse, green, gray, white, teal, copper, red, and brown. It is also complementary to gold, orange, sage, silver, peach, navy blue, mustard, cobalt, plum, olive, and even coral.

People choose a black color to describe their passion, temperament, and mystery. Dark shades help in concentrating and making the spirit strong. This color can be easily combined with all colors including dark and light colors. Matching the black color with any saturated color gives a perfect combination.

Ebony Black Color vs Natural Black

Black is said to be the darkest of all colors, as it is the result of the complete absorption of visible light or absence of light. Whereas ebony is a very dark color, and a south Asian tropical tree that has a hard, dark-colored heartwood. Ebony color refers to a dark, rich brown color that seems to be almost black. Upon closer examination, you'll see that ebony is in brown rather than black because it has got a brown tint in it.

Ebony is a dense black or brown hardwood with subtle undertones, usually yielded with the help of numerous species within the genus Diospyros, which additionally consists of the persimmons. Ebony is so dense that it can easily sink in water.

It is finely-textured and has a reflect end while polished, making it precious as a decorative timber.

It has a hex code of #555D50. In a CMYK color space, ebony is made up by combining 9% cyan, no magenta, 14% yellow, and 64% black. Ebony has 96.9 degrees hue angle and a saturation value of 7.5% and 33.9% of lightness.

Is ebony black or dark gray?

Shades of black are the colors that differ only slightly from pure black. Black and dark gray colors are considered the most powerful accent colors. They suggest weight, dignity, formality, and solemnity. A shade is defined as a pure color mixed with black. It is according to the color theory.

Color ebony is a very dark black shade. It has a bit of brown and olive in it. The black piano keys are made of ebony wood. Chess pieces are also made from this wood.

Ebony is defined as the color which is almost black and light is mostly absorbed by it. But dark gray is the color that is formed by combining black with some white. It has a little lighter shade than ebony and it also reflects some of the light.

With a tint of brown, ebony is a very dark black color. Shades of black mostly symbolize destructive power and negativity. It also represents a sense of mystery and foreboding. Whereas ebony largely escapes this symbolism.

Due to its brown tint and historical roots in Egypt, ebony is called the most creative force of fertility which was associated with the rich, dark silt left by the Nile after the river flooded. It is one of the darker shades of black. And the power of ebony cannot be underrated. It is both considered a compliment as well as a contrast to all colors. 

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for what color is ebony then why not take a look at what color is cyan, or what color is carbon?

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Written by Joan Agie

Bachelor of Science specializing in Human Anatomy

Joan Agie picture

Joan AgieBachelor of Science specializing in Human Anatomy

With 3+ years of research and content writing experience across several niches, especially on education, technology, and business topics. Joan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Anatomy from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria, and has worked as a researcher and writer for organizations across Nigeria, the US, the UK, and Germany. Joan enjoys meditation, watching movies, and learning new languages in her free time.

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