# Source: https://docs.ideogram.ai/using-ideogram/prompting-guide/9-prompting-references/memory-colors-for-naming-color-nuances.md

# Memory Colors for Naming Color Nuances

When describing colors in a prompt, using specific, visually grounded references is much more effective than generic terms like “red” or “green.” Since Ideogram doesn’t understand numerical color codes (like RGB or hex) in prompts yet, using familiar, real-world references — often called *memory colors* — helps convey a more accurate color nuance. These references evoke a mental image based on shared visual experience, such as “cherry red” or “sky blue.”

The list below groups memory-based color terms by base color. Each one can help you fine-tune your prompt and get closer to the exact hue you’re aiming for.

**🔴 Red**\
Apple, cherry, cranberry, blood, scarlet, ruby, wine, burgundy, brick, rose, garnet, fire engine, tomato, coral, blush, pomegranate, strawberry, chili, paprika, beet, firelight, jam, sangria, red velvet, ember

**🟠 Orange**\
Pumpkin, tangerine, apricot, rust, amber, carrot, marmalade, clay, copper, burnt orange, squash, paprika, cantaloupe, butternut, saffron, cheddar, flame, tiger, persimmon, ginger, ochre

**🟡 Yellow**\
Lemon, canary, gold, butter, mustard, sunflower, honey, daffodil, marigold, corn, banana, champagne, straw, yolk, dandelion, custard, pineapple, flax, amber glow, maize, goldenrod

**🟢 Green**\
Emerald, olive, sage, forest, moss, mint, jade, chartreuse, pistachio, lime, seafoam, fern, avocado, shamrock, basil, eucalyptus, pear, pickle, ivy, clover, pine, cactus, wasabi, celery

**🔵 Blue**\
Sky, baby blue, robin’s egg, navy, royal, sapphire, denim, indigo, ice blue, slate, teal, powder blue, steel blue, periwinkle, cobalt, storm, glacier, cornflower, ink, horizon, arctic, bluebell, lake, dusk

**🟣 Purple**\
Lavender, plum, violet, eggplant, orchid, grape, amethyst, wine, mauve, lilac, iris, mulberry, blackberry, heather, wisteria, fig, thistle, aubergine, twilight, royal purple, raisin, elderberry

**⚪ White / Off-White**\
Pearl, cream, ivory, alabaster, porcelain, eggshell, chalk, snow, linen, milk, moonlight, lace, frosting, meringue, cloud, rice paper, marble, parchment, vanilla, whipped cream, winter white

**⚫ Black / Gray**\
Charcoal, graphite, slate, ash, onyx, coal, soot, obsidian, lead, pewter, smoke, shadow, ink, iron, flint, steel, raven, gunmetal, stormcloud, tar, night, cinder

**🟤 Brown / Tan**\
Chocolate, coffee, cinnamon, chestnut, caramel, toffee, walnut, sand, taupe, ochre, clay, hazelnut, sepia, sienna, almond, pecan, mocha, maple, cocoa, bronze, dirt, suede, umber

**🩷 Pink**\
Rose, blush, salmon, bubblegum, flamingo, cotton candy, coral, peach, watermelon, raspberry, fuchsia, magenta, strawberry milk, hibiscus, tulip, rose quartz, guava, flamingo, cherry blossom, lipstick, flamingo feather

**🩵 Cyan / Aqua**\
Aqua, turquoise, glacier, lagoon, ocean, seafoam, pool, iceberg, teal, cyan, electric blue, mint, carribean, celeste, marine, arctic water, jellyfish glow, frostbite, cerulean, surf, wave

**🌈 Multicolored / Iridescent**\
Oil slick, holographic, rainbow, opal, abalone, prism, pearlized, shimmer, aurora, peacock feather, soap bubble, CD surface, crystal sheen, beetle shell, starlight, dragonfly wing

#### Descriptive Modifiers for Color

To further refine the color you're describing, you can combine memory-based color terms with descriptive modifiers. These help define the **intensity**, **temperature**, **finish**, or **lighting** of the color — allowing for more control and expressiveness in your prompts.

Here are common categories and examples of useful modifiers:

* **Intensity or Brightness**\
  Pale, light, soft, faint, pastel, bright, deep, vivid, bold, dark, muted, rich, intense
* **Warmth and Temperature**\
  Warm, cool, neutral, icy, frosted, fiery, dusky, earthy
* **Finish or Surface Quality**\
  Glossy, matte, metallic, shimmering, iridescent, pearlescent, velvet-like, translucent, silky, powdery
* **Light and Shadow Modifiers**\
  Sunlit, shadowed, backlit, faded, dimmed, glowing, reflective, foggy, moonlit

**Examples**\
You can combine these with memory-based color terms for added clarity and control:

> * *Powdery sky blue*
> * *Rich cherry red*
> * *Frosted mint green*
> * *Dusky rose pink*
> * *Shimmering sapphire blue*
> * *Matte ivory white*