Cobalt Blue

CSS-standard cobalt blue, a deep and intense classic blue tone

HEX#0047AB
RGBrgb(0, 71, 171)
HSLhsl(215, 100%, 34%)
HSVhsv(215, 100%, 67%)
CMYKcmyk(100%, 58%, 0%, 33%)
HEXA#0047ABFF
RGBArgba(0, 71, 171, 1)
HSLAhsla(215, 100%, 34%, 1)
OKLCHoklch(62.4%, 0.145, 241)
LCHlch(56.8%, 50.9, 257)

🎨 Color Palettes

Analogous2-3 adjacent hues (≤60°)
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#009FAD
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#0047AB
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#0E00AD
Triadic3 hues spaced 120° apart
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#0047AB
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#AD0048
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#48AD00
Split ComplementaryMain color + colors adjacent to its complement
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#0047AB
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#AD0E00
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#9FAD00
Complementary2 hues spaced 180° apart
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#0047AB
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#AD6500
Tetradic (Rectangle)4 hues forming a rectangle
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#0047AB
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#AD009F
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#AD6500
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#00AD0E
MonochromaticSingle hue with varying saturation and lightness
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#000000
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#001E47
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#0047AB
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#1476FF
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#7AB2FF

♿ WCAG Contrast Colors

Learn More →
Aa14px Body
High Contrast Text
#DBEAFFRatio 6.9:1AA
Suitable for body text, headings, and primary content, ensuring readability for all users
Aa14px Body
Standard Text
#B9B3FFRatio 4.4:1AA Large
Suitable for regular body content, meeting WCAG AA standards
Aa14px Body
Large Text / UI Components
#C675FFRatio 3:1AA Large
Suitable for large text (≥18px bold or ≥24px), icons, UI component boundaries
Aa14px Body
Decorative / Dividers
#F00064Ratio 2:1Fail
Suitable for decorative elements, dividers, non-essential text
Lightness VariationFixed hue and saturation, proportional lightness scaling 30%→100%
#001533Copy
#001E47Copy
#00265CCopy
#002F70Copy
#003785Copy
#004099Copy
#0048ADCopy
Saturation VariationFixed hue and lightness, proportional saturation scaling 40%→100%
#345179Copy
#2B4F82Copy
#234E8BCopy
#1A4D93Copy
#114B9CCopy
#094AA5Copy
#0048ADCopy
Lightness + Saturation Mixed VariationSimultaneous lightness and saturation proportional scaling
#121821Copy
#152133Copy
#162A46Copy
#14325DCopy
#0F3A75Copy
#094190Copy
#0048ADCopy
Hue Fine-TuningFixed saturation and lightness, stepwise hue fine-tuning ±15°
#0074ADCopy
#0065ADCopy
#0057ADCopy
#0048ADCopy
#003AADCopy
#002BADCopy
#001DADCopy

💡 Use Cases

🚗

Automotive Displays

Instrument panel lighting or body paint on sports vehicles, showcasing mechanical refinement and precise handling.

🖊️

Business Documents

Accent color for formal contracts or reports, more lively than black but more serious than light blue, embodying professionalism.

🥣

Blue-and-White Porcelain

Traditional patterns on high-end bone china tableware, reviving classical blue-and-white beauty with modern color depth.

📊

Data Charts

Primary chart color in financial or statistical software, clearly presenting data in dark mode and enhancing trust.

📜 Origin & History

The discovery of cobalt blue emerged from chemical experiments in the late 18th to early 19th centuries. French chemist Louis Jacques Thénard successfully prepared stable cobalt aluminate spinel in 1802. This pigment was much cheaper than ultramarine, with strong tinting strength and excellent coverage.

By the mid-19th century, cobalt blue rapidly swept through European art circles. Impressionist masters such as Renoir, Monet, and Van Gogh greatly favored cobalt blue for depicting outdoor light and shadow. Van Gogh's Starry Night uses cobalt blue paired with bright yellow to create powerful visual vortexes, marking him as a forerunner of Expressionism.

In ceramic arts, China had used cobalt-containing glazes to fire blue-and-white porcelain since the Tang Dynasty, though the cobalt ore at that time mainly came from Persia, with varying color results. Western synthetic cobalt blue glazes were introduced in the late Qing, bringing more stable color development.

In the industrial era, due to its excellent heat resistance and chemical stability, cobalt blue was widely used in engineering plastics and architectural glass coatings. In digital standards, it became a professional-grade blue synonymous with trust and depth.

🧠 Color Psychology

FocusedA potent calming effect that blocks external noise, helping achieve deep concentration and single-mindedness.
ProfessionalRich but not dull, conveying high professional competence and down-to-earth technical capability.
ReservedAll emotions are contained within its composed hue, displaying a mature, unassuming demeanor.
EfficientImplying clear goals and calm execution, eliminating procrastination and emotional decision-making.
PreciseVisual sharpness aligns with mechanical precision, evoking cool readings on an instrument panel.
RestrainedEmotional expression is measured, representing rationality above all, avoiding all exaggeration.