Steel Blue (RAL 5011)
Steel Blue (RAL 5011) Parameter Conversion Table
More converters →Steel Blue (RAL 5011) Color Schemes
Steel Blue (RAL 5011) WCAG Accessibility Contrast
WCAG Calculator →The contrast ratio of this color against common foreground/background colors (based on the WCAG 2.1 standard)
Steel Blue (RAL 5011) Shade Variants
Gradient Generator →Steel Blue (RAL 5011) Color Introduction
Definition
Steel Blue (RAL 5011) (HEX #232C3F) has the RGB value rgb(35, 44, 63), the HSL value hsl(221°, 29%, 19%) and the CMYK print value cmyk(44%, 30%, 0%, 75%). In terms of color schemes, the complement of Steel Blue (RAL 5011) is #3F3623, and placing the two side by side produces a striking, eye-catching contrast; paired with the analogous colors #233A3F and #28233F that sit next to it on the color wheel, it transitions naturally and harmoniously; in a split-complementary scheme (#3F2823, #3A3F23) it keeps its contrast tension without losing layering; and a monochromatic scheme built on Steel Blue (RAL 5011) uses gradients of lightness and saturation to create a unified design with a strong sense of depth. Under the WCAG accessibility standard, Steel Blue (RAL 5011) has a contrast ratio of 13.97:1 against white and 1.50:1 against black; paired with a white background it reaches AAA, making body text highly readable.
Color Characteristics
Blue is the color of sky and ocean, evoking vastness, trust and reason. Steady and imposing, it is almost irreplaceable in technology, finance and corporate identity design. Specifically, Steel Blue (RAL 5011) has a lightness of 19% and a saturation of 29%, steady and powerful as a background or primary color, pairing well with light text for good readability; moreover, its saturation is fairly low and its gray tone is soft, carrying a quiet, Morandi-like character. In a word: An extremely deep cool-toned blue.
Color Psychology
Blue can evoke calm, focus and trust, with a marked stabilizing effect; psychologically it symbolizes reason, loyalty and depth. For this reason Steel Blue (RAL 5011) tends to leave a first impression of being cool and reliable in the viewer’s mind, and this emotional tone also defines the role it plays in design.
Best Uses
Blue suits fintech, corporate websites, government systems and any scene that needs professional trust. In real projects, Steel Blue (RAL 5011) is also often used as a dark background or heading text color; in “Blue”-themed designs, the adjacent colors or lightness gradients built around it quickly establish a cohesive, clearly layered color scheme.
Steel Blue (RAL 5011) Featured In
This color is included in the following color cards and color families. Click a card to browse more colors in the corresponding collection.