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Burnt Orange
#CC5500 · click to copy
Warm
HEX
#CC5500
RGB
204, 85, 0
CMYK
0%, 58%, 100%, 20%
Pigment
PO48, PR101
Lightfastness
Excellent (I)
Moods & Keywords
orange
warm
earth
autumn
nostalgic
vintage
earth
autumn
warm
orange
Pigment & Material
PO48, PR101
Synthetic
Iron oxide mixed with red and yellow ochres. A natural earth colour found in ancient cave paintings.
Origin & History
Burnt orange as a concept derives from the burning or calcining of orange-red ochre minerals. The colour became culturally prominent in the 1970s as part of the "harvest gold and avocado green" era of interior design. The University of Texas adopted it as their official colour ("Texas Orange") in the early 20th century.
Also Known As
Smalt Orange
Terra Cotta
Pumpkin
Copper Orange
Psychology
Warm, grounded, and autumnal. Burnt orange combines orange's energy with earth's stability. It suggests harvest, late afternoon light, and the smell of wood fires. More sophisticated than bright orange, it feels at home in natural landscapes and rustic interiors.
In Culture
A defining colour of 1970s design — appearing in everything from kitchen appliances to wallpaper. The University of Texas "Longhorn Orange" is one of the most recognised sports colours in America. In nature, burnt orange is the colour of fallen leaves, desert sandstone, and autumn foxes.
Natural Sources
Red ochre (iron oxide) heated to high temperatures shifts from red toward orange-brown — producing burnt ochre. The natural mineral limonite, when calcined, produces similar tones. Clay minerals with high iron content bake to burnt orange in kilns.
Making It Yourself
Heat red ochre mineral or red iron oxide pigment in a metal pan over high flame — the colour shifts from red-brown toward orange-brown as temperature increases.
Alternatively: mix cadmium red with yellow ochre and a touch of raw sienna.
Natural clay: fire iron-rich clay in kiln to terra cotta (the process that gives terracotta its name).
Alternatively: mix cadmium red with yellow ochre and a touch of raw sienna.
Natural clay: fire iron-rich clay in kiln to terra cotta (the process that gives terracotta its name).
Art Movements
Earth Art
Abstract Expressionism
1970s Colour Field Painting
Famous Works
Wrapped Coast
Christo and Jeanne-Claude, 1969
Double Negative
Michael Heizer, 1969
Rust and Blue
Mark Rothko, 1953
Available As
Winsor & Newton — Burnt Orange (mixed)
Daniel Smith — Quinacridone Burnt Orange (PO48)
Golden — Quinacridone Burnt Scarlet
Natural Earth Pigments — Burnt Ochre
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Colour data compiled with AI. Spot an error or have more to add? Leave a Note — ekphra reviews and updates.
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