Tints & Shades: Color Variations Guide

What are Tints and Shades?

Tints are lighter variations created by adding white. They maintain the original hue while becoming progressively lighter.

Shades are darker variations created by adding black. They keep the same hue but become progressively darker.

How Our Generator Works

Our tool creates 10 tints and 10 shades from your base color:

• Tints (100-950): From lightest to your base color
• Shades (50-900): From your base color to darkest

Design Applications

Tints (Light Variations)

• Backgrounds: Subtle, non-distracting surfaces
• Hover States: Gentle interactive feedback
• Disabled Elements: Low-contrast inactive states

Shades (Dark Variations)

• Text Colors: High-contrast readable content
• Borders: Define element boundaries
• Active States: Strong interactive feedback

CSS Framework Integration

Our generator provides ready-to-use code for:

• Tailwind CSS v3/v4: Custom color configurations
• CSS Variables: Modern browser support
• SCSS Variables: Preprocessor compatibility

Best Practices

✅ Use tints for backgrounds - better readability
✅ Use shades for text - ensure contrast
✅ Test accessibility - maintain WCAG standards

❌ Don't mix randomly - stick to one color family
❌ Don't ignore contrast - ensure text readability

Quick Tips

• 50-200: Perfect for backgrounds and subtle elements
• 300-400: Ideal for borders and disabled states
• 500: Your main brand color
• 600-700: Great for text and icons
• 800-900: Strong emphasis and headers

This systematic approach ensures cohesive design systems with proper visual hierarchy.