62 palettes

Magic Color Palette: One Glowing Color and Its Dark

Press the button for one magic palette: five swatches, most from a dark background to a glow.

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Stage curtain in red and goldDark brown shadow, deep red folds, red curtain, gold fringe, cream spotlight.#2C1C12 · #5E0F1A · #D42A2E · #E6B832 · #F8EFD2

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All 62 palettes

Arcane 10

Astrologer's robe: cream on deep indigo Deep indigo night, purple lining, cobalt robe, gold embroidery, cream glow.
Book of spells: gold on dark plum Dark plum shadow, purple cover, old gold clasp, cream pages, gold glow.
Enchanted staff: pale gold on black Black background, bark brown wood, indigo cloth, amethyst gem, pale gold glow.
Midnight study: amber on black Black background, dark plum drapes, violet robe, cream candle, amber glow.
Midnight tower: pale yellow on ink blue Ink blue sky, storm gray stone, purple roof, amber window, pale yellow glow.
Night-sky map: pale gold on midnight blue Midnight blue sky, indigo robe, violet trim, silver stars, pale gold glow.
Portal: pale lilac on dark slate Dark slate wall, indigo ring, magenta swirl, pink sparks, pale lilac glow.
Rune circle: gold on deep indigo Deep indigo shadow, charcoal floor, violet runes, lilac sparks, gold glow.
Scroll and seal: pale gold on dark brown Dark brown desk, deep violet ink, wine seal, sand scroll, pale gold glow.
Seer's globe: white on deep violet Deep violet night, brass stand, amethyst glass, lavender mist, white glow.

Show all 62 palettes (52 more)

Potions and poisons 10

Antidote: white on dark teal Dark teal shadow, sea green glass, aqua liquid, pale cyan shine, white glow.
Apothecary jars: pale gold on dark green Dark green shadow, jade jar, scarlet wax seal, sand label, pale gold glow.
Cauldron on the boil: pale green on charcoal Charcoal cauldron, pine green shadow, emerald brew, lime bubbles, pale green glow.
Fire tonic: bright yellow on deep red Deep red shadow, crimson glass, ember orange liquid, peach fumes, bright yellow glow.
Fizzing flask: neon green on dark slate Dark slate bench, teal glass, bright teal liquid, mint fizz, neon green glow.
Poison bottle: acid green on dark brown Dark brown shelf, bottle green glass, clay cork, bone white label, acid green glow.
Rose elixir: cream on burgundy Burgundy shadow, brass stopper, rose liquid, pale pink glass, cream glow.
Sleeping potion: pale yellow on midnight blue Midnight blue night, indigo bottle, lavender liquid, pale lavender vapor, pale yellow glow.
Swamp brew: lemon on bark brown Bark brown mud, olive water, sickly green froth, pale mint steam, lemon glow.
Witch's shelf: amber on bark brown Bark brown wood, olive herbs, moss green jars, cream labels, amber glow.

Fairy light 10

Blossom sprite: cream on brown Brown branch, sea green leaves, pink petals, pale pink wings, cream glow.
Dewdrop: pearl white on bottle green Bottle green shadow, emerald leaf, aqua drop, pale cyan shine, pearl white glow.
Firefly jar: lemon on ink blue Ink blue night, bottle green grass, brass lid, pale blue glass, lemon glow.
Glowworm cave: pale cyan on dark teal Dark teal water, charcoal rock, turquoise threads, aqua haze, pale cyan glow.
Marsh wisp: pale green on dark teal Dark teal marsh, olive reeds, silver mist, mint wisp, pale green glow.
Moonlit wings: white on deep indigo Deep indigo night, lavender dress, pale lavender wings, ice blue dust, white glow.
Morning fairy: pale yellow on dark green Dark green shade, moss green leaf, peach petals, pale peach wings, pale yellow glow.
Pixie dust: cream on purple Purple dusk, lilac dress, pink sparkle, pale gold dust, cream glow.
Snow fairy: white on royal blue Royal blue dusk, sky blue dress, pale cyan frost, ice blue wings, white glow.
Toadstool circle: pale yellow on pine green Pine green night, moss green ground, rose pink caps, pale mint dew, pale yellow glow.

Dark magic 10

Cave of bats: pale yellow on black Black cave, wine wings, storm gray rock, amber eyes, pale yellow glow.
Crimson moon: coral on black Black hills, deep indigo sky, dark plum clouds, crimson moon, coral glow.
Cursed mirror: sickly green on black Black background, dark slate glass, old gold frame, silver crack, sickly green glow.
Haunted candle: sickly green on dark plum Dark plum background, slate smoke, brass holder, bone white wax, sickly green glow.
Marsh curse: lime on dark green Dark green background, olive reeds, stone gray fog, bone white lantern, lime glow.
Midnight hex: acid green on black Black background, burgundy cloak, storm gray smoke, bone white candle, acid green glow.
Poison apple: acid green on black Black background, bark brown stem, crimson apple, pale pink shine, acid green glow.
Raven's shadow: bone white on black Black background, ink blue feathers, indigo sheen, scarlet eye, bone white moon glow.
Shadow cloak: lilac on black Black background, deep violet cloak, crimson lining, silver clasp, lilac glow.
Thorn spell: lime on charcoal Charcoal background, pine green thorns, crimson rose, gray mist, lime glow.

Stage magician 12

Backstage trunk in earth brown and brass Dark brown shadow, wine lining, earth brown trunk, brass corners, sand label.
Card trick in red and black Black spades, bottle green table, cobalt card backs, red hearts, white cards.
Dove in white and midnight blue Black sleeve, midnight blue backdrop, brass cage, silver shadow, white dove.
Hat and gloves in black and crimson Black hat, crimson lining, old gold band, white gloves, pale yellow spotlight.
Linking rings in silver and dark plum Black sleeve, dark plum backdrop, silver rings, ice blue shine, white cuff.
Rabbit trick in black and pearl white Black hat, wine cloth, pale pink ears, pearl white rabbit, pale gold spotlight.
Show poster in scarlet and amber Black ink, deep red border, scarlet banner, amber stars, cream paper.
Silk scarves in scarlet and cobalt Black sleeve, cobalt silk, scarlet silk, emerald silk, bright yellow silk.
Spotlight in pale gold and black Black background, brown boards, slate haze, pale gold beam, cream spotlight.
Stage curtain in red and gold Dark brown shadow, deep red folds, red curtain, gold fringe, cream spotlight.
Velvet cape in charcoal and purple Charcoal cape, purple lining, red bow tie, gold clasp, white shirt.
Wand and sparkle in black and gold Black wand, deep indigo backdrop, gold sparks, lemon sparkle, white tips.

Elements 10

Bolt from the cloud: white on charcoal Charcoal cloud, indigo sky, steel blue rain, pale lavender flash, white glow.
Campfire spell: pale yellow on dark brown Dark brown background, deep red coals, ember orange flame, amber tips, pale yellow glow.
Fire and ice: ice blue on ink blue Ink blue night, scarlet flame, amber ember, cyan ice, ice blue frost.
Frost charm: white on ink blue Ink blue background, royal blue ice, cyan frost, pale cyan shine, white glow.
Glacier heart: white on dark slate Dark slate background, cobalt deep ice, sky blue ice, pale blue mist, white glow.
Phoenix feather: lemon on burgundy Burgundy shadow, scarlet feather, orange edge, gold tip, lemon glow.
Root magic: pale mint on earth brown Earth brown soil, clay root, jade leaf, mint bud, pale mint glow.
Stone circle: amber on bark brown Bark brown soil, moss green turf, stone gray pillars, sand lichen, amber glow.
Storm cliff: bright yellow on dark slate Dark slate cliff, storm gray cloud, steel blue sea, silver spray, bright yellow glow.
Thunderhead: pale cyan on midnight blue Midnight blue background, slate cloud, gray rain, electric blue bolt, pale cyan glow.

How this list was compiled: Own work, written for Draw This Next on 2026-10-01: palettes of five colors for pictures of magic, each color with a job in the picture (the background, the robe, the glass, the glow). Outside the Stage magician group a palette starts with its darkest color and ends with the color that glows; the stage palettes are the things of a stage act (the hat, the cards, the curtain, the dove) and most end on the spotlight or the lightest thing. Every palette, name, color word, hex code and job is our own. The magic is the storybook kind: no book, film, show or game is named and nothing is copied from one. Color names are plain English words and one word is one code everywhere on the list. Checked on 2026-10-01: every code is #RRGGBB, no palette and no name repeats, each color word fits the hue and lightness of its code, no two colors of a palette are closer than 8 in CIE Lab, the first color of a palette outside the stage group is its darkest and its glow contrasts with that dark by 4.5 to 1 or more (WCAG relative luminance), and no palette is on another palette list of this site or of its sister sites. The hex codes are for a screen; with paint or pencils, take the nearest color. Licence: own work

How it works

A magic color palette here is five colors with a job each. In most, that is a dark background, the things in the picture and one color that glows. Each comes as swatches with hex codes.

Read the full guide

Read the strip

Most strips start with the darkest color at the top and end on the glow. The name gives that pair, the glow on its dark. The line under it gives every color its job, such as the robe, the glass or the mist.

Pick a kind of magic

A menu under the button keeps to one kind: arcane violets with gold, potions and poisons, fairy light, dark magic, a stage act in black, white, red and gold, or the elements. For a magical color palette with a scene to put it in, deal a subject from the fantasy art prompt generator.

Questions and answers

What colors look magical?

On this list, a small light color against a much darker one: pale gold on midnight blue, acid green on black, white on deep violet. The glow reads as light because the dark behind it is so much darker.

What colors are used for dark magic?

Most start from black or a near-black, and more than half glow in sickly green, acid green or lime; some add crimson, wine or violet. They stay storybook-spooky: a cursed mirror, a thorn spell, a cave of bats.

Are these colors from a book or a film?

No. Every palette was made up for this list, and no book, film, show or game is named or copied. The magic is the general storybook kind: wizards, potions, fairies, a stage act and the elements.

How do I make a color look like it glows?

Put it next to a much darker color and keep it small. Outside the stage group, the glow of each palette here contrasts with its darkest color by 4.5 to 1 or more, and it is the last swatch on the strip.