Blue Whale
Also known as: Into the Night , Tangaroa , Petrol Slumber , Tahitian Pearl
On screen, Blue Whale registers as cool and professional: a deep blue at home in trust-driven interfaces and corporate branding. Match it with brown accents when the design calls for energy over calm. On white it reads clearly at 12.92:1 contrast, safe for body text under WCAG AA.
Reference
Blue Whale color codes
- HEX
- #1E3442
- RGB
- rgb(30, 52, 66)
- RGBA
- rgba(30, 52, 66, 1)
- HSL
- hsl(203, 38%, 19%)
- HSV
- hsv(203, 55%, 26%)
- CMYK
- cmyk(55%, 21%, 0%, 74%)
- LAB
- lab(20.4 -5.5 -11.7)
- OKLCH
- oklch(31.3% 0.038 237.6)
Analysis
Color intelligence
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Gamut
The full range of colors a device or space can show. sRGB is the common screen gamut; Display P3 is wider. A color outside a gamut cannot be shown accurately there and must be mapped inward.Full glossary entry →Displays accurately on every screen and translates well to print.
Temperature
Undertone
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neutral, leaning cool
subtle blue undertone in this near-neutral
Nearest standard colors
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Delta E (ΔE)
A measure of how different two colors look. Below 1 the difference is invisible to almost everyone; below 2.3 most people can't tell them apart; above 10 they are clearly different colors. We use CIEDE2000, the modern standard.Full glossary entry →
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Delta E (ΔE)
A measure of how different two colors look. Below 1 the difference is invisible to almost everyone; below 2.3 most people can't tell them apart; above 10 they are clearly different colors. We use CIEDE2000, the modern standard.Full glossary entry →- CSS: midnightblue #191970 · ΔE 11.2
- RAL 5008: Grey blue #313C48 · ΔE 4.7 · approximate
RAL values are widely published approximations of the physical standard. For Pantone-adjacent workflows, match by eye against a physical fan deck. Pantone's values are proprietary and device-dependent, so we don't print lookups.
Where Blue Whale works
- Web & UI: Dark enough for body text and icons on white backgrounds. It passes WCAG AA as-is.
- Interiors: Strong for a whole room, excellent in doses: an accent wall, cabinetry, or a statement chair.
- Fashion: Wears best as the statement piece, a top, scarf, or shoes, against neutral basics.
- Branding: Sits in the trust register: a natural primary for finance, health, and B2B brands.
- Web & UI: A supporting-cast color for UI: chart fills, tags, and empty-state illustrations, but not text.
- Branding: A secondary brand color by nature: it supports a stronger primary and shines in illustration.
Copy as: every ecosystem
Variations
Tints, shades, and tones of Blue Whale
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Tint
A color mixed with white, which raises its lightness. Pink is a tint of red. Tints feel softer and more open than the base color.Full glossary entry →
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Tint
A color mixed with white, which raises its lightness. Pink is a tint of red. Tints feel softer and more open than the base color.Full glossary entry →Tints (lighter)
Shades (darker)
Harmonies
Color harmonies
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Complementary colors
Two colors opposite each other on the wheel. They create the strongest contrast and make each other look more intense, so they work best used unevenly.Full glossary entry →
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Complementary colors
Two colors opposite each other on the wheel. They create the strongest contrast and make each other look more intense, so they work best used unevenly.Full glossary entry →Palettes built from Blue Whale by rotating its hue in OKLCH space. Click any swatch to copy its hex code.
Complementary
Analogous
Triadic
Split-complementary
Tetradic
Monochromatic
Accessibility
Contrast & accessibility
Aa on white
contrast 12.92:1
AA pass AAA pass AA large pass
Aa on black
contrast 1.63:1
AA fail AAA fail AA large fail
Best text color on a Blue Whale background: #ffffff
Palettes
Palettes featuring Blue Whale
Blue Whale with its complement
Soft neighbors of Blue Whale
Blue Whale triad
Explore
Similar colors
- Black Box #0F282F · ΔE 6.1
- Black Pearl #1E272C · ΔE 6.4
- Infinity #222831 · ΔE 6.5
- Dark #1B2431 · ΔE 6.8
- Cinder #242A2E · ΔE 6.9
- Mallard #254855 · ΔE 7.3
Looking for maximum contrast instead? The complement of Blue Whale is closest to Cola .
FAQ
Blue Whale FAQs
What color is Blue Whale?
Blue Whale is a dark blue with the hex code #1E3442. In HSL terms it has a hue of 203°, 38% saturation, and 19% lightness.
What is the hex code for Blue Whale?
The hex code for Blue Whale is #1E3442. In RGB it's rgb(30, 52, 66), and in CMYK it's cmyk(55%, 21%, 0%, 74%).
What colors go well with Blue Whale?
Blue Whale pairs naturally with brown tones from its complementary harmony, and with red accents from its split-complementary palette. Its own tints and shades always work as a monochrome scheme.
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