Blue
Steel Blue
Steel Blue
#4682B4Click to copy
Steel Blue Parameter Conversion Table
More converters →HEX#4682B4Copy
RGBrgb(70, 130, 180)Copy
HSLhsl(207, 44%, 49%)Copy
HSV/HSBhsv(207, 61%, 71%)Copy
CMYKcmyk(61%, 28%, 0%, 29%)Copy
Steel Blue Color Schemes
Complementary
#4682B4
Click to copy#B47846
Click to copyAnalogous
#46B4AF
Click to copy#464BB4
Click to copySplit Complementary
#B4464B
Click to copy#B4AF46
Click to copyMonochromatic
#4682B4
Click to copy#99B2C7
Click to copy#DBE4EB
Click to copy#294D6B
Click to copy#0D1821
Click to copy#000000
Click to copySteel Blue WCAG Accessibility Contrast
WCAG Calculator →The contrast ratio of this color against common foreground/background colors (based on the WCAG 2.1 standard)
Sample text Aa
White background #FFFFFF
4.11 : 1
AA NormalAA LargeAAA NormalAAA Large
Sample text Aa
Black background #000000
5.11 : 1
AA NormalAA LargeAAA NormalAAA Large
Sample text Aa
Light gray background #F5F5F5
3.77 : 1
AA NormalAA LargeAAA NormalAAA Large
Sample text Aa
Dark gray background #333333
3.08 : 1
AA NormalAA LargeAAA NormalAAA Large
Steel Blue Shade Variants
Gradient Generator →Lighten with White Mixed with white for a lighter, softer color
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Darken with Black Mixed with black for a deeper, heavier color
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Muted / Morandi Mixed with gray and desaturated for a sophisticated muted tone
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Steel Blue Color Introduction
Definition
Steel Blue (HEX #4682B4) has the RGB value rgb(70, 130, 180), the HSL value hsl(207°, 44%, 49%) and the CMYK print value cmyk(61%, 28%, 0%, 29%). In terms of color schemes, the complement of Steel Blue is #B47846, and placing the two side by side produces a striking, eye-catching contrast; paired with the analogous colors #46B4AF and #464BB4 that sit next to it on the color wheel, it transitions naturally and harmoniously; in a split-complementary scheme (#B4464B, #B4AF46) it keeps its contrast tension without losing layering; and a monochromatic scheme built on Steel Blue uses gradients of lightness and saturation to create a unified design with a strong sense of depth. Under the WCAG accessibility standard, Steel Blue has a contrast ratio of 4.11:1 against white and 5.11:1 against black; paired with a black background it reaches AA, making it suitable for text in dark mode.
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 has a lightness of 49% and a saturation of 44%, striking and generous as a background or primary color, offering good readability with either light or dark text; moreover, its saturation is fairly low and its gray tone is soft, carrying a quiet, Morandi-like character. In a word: A cold, hard metallic 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 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 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 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.
