Surgical
Also known as: Pottery Blue , Dupain , Brig , Estero Sky
As a medium take on cyan, Surgical carries crisp and refreshing energy that suits tech interfaces and water themes. Surgical plays well with orange tones. The harmonies below show which ones. Against dark backgrounds it stays legible (7.51:1), but avoid it as text on white.
Reference
Surgical color codes
- HEX
- #59A4C1
- RGB
- rgb(89, 164, 193)
- RGBA
- rgba(89, 164, 193, 1)
- HSL
- hsl(197, 46%, 55%)
- HSV
- hsv(197, 54%, 76%)
- CMYK
- cmyk(54%, 15%, 0%, 24%)
- LAB
- lab(63.4 -18.1 -22.6)
- OKLCH
- oklch(68.2% 0.086 225.4)
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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cool
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: cadetblue #5F9EA0 · ΔE 10.3
- RAL 5024: Pastel blue #6A93B0 · ΔE 7.4 · 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 Surgical works
- Web & UI: Reads as an interactive accent: fills, hovers, focus rings. Keep body text in a darker neutral.
- Interiors: Use it where you want the eye to land: a front door, built-ins, or one bold wall.
- Fashion: One garment in this color carries an outfit; two starts to compete.
- Branding: The safest brand-primary family there is; differentiate with an unexpected accent.
- Web & UI: Use it decoratively for dividers, chart series, and illustration accents, and let neutrals carry the type.
- Branding: Best in a brand's supporting palette: packaging interiors, patterns, campaign accents.
Copy as: every ecosystem
Variations
Tints, shades, and tones of Surgical
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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 Surgical 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 2.80:1
AA fail AAA fail AA large fail
Aa on black
contrast 7.51:1
AA pass AAA pass AA large pass
Best text color on a Surgical background: #000000
Palettes
Palettes featuring Surgical
Surgical with its complement
Soft neighbors of Surgical
Surgical triad
Explore
Similar colors
- Laguna #36A5C9 · ΔE 2.9
- Cousteau #55A9D6 · ΔE 4.7
- Serene Sea #78A7C3 · ΔE 4.9
- Blue Ocean #009DC4 · ΔE 5.1
- Sub-Zero #57A1CE · ΔE 5.2
- Aquarius #2DB0CE · ΔE 5.3
Looking for maximum contrast instead? The complement of Surgical is closest to Escalope .
FAQ
Surgical FAQs
What color is Surgical?
Surgical is a medium cyan with the hex code #59A4C1. In HSL terms it has a hue of 197°, 46% saturation, and 55% lightness.
What is the hex code for Surgical?
The hex code for Surgical is #59A4C1. In RGB it's rgb(89, 164, 193), and in CMYK it's cmyk(54%, 15%, 0%, 24%).
What colors go well with Surgical?
Surgical pairs naturally with orange tones from its complementary harmony, and with pink accents from its split-complementary palette. Its own tints and shades always work as a monochrome scheme.
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