Color Details and Palettes for #312A97

Details about the color Gentian Blue

Closest web-safe match: #333399

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About Color Hex #312a97

The color Gentian Blue, with hexadecimal code #312a97, belongs to the blue color family, the world's most universally preferred hue. Blue projects trust, stability, and intellectual calm, which is why it dominates corporate, financial, and technology branding worldwide. Additionally, it evokes emotions such as Trust, Peace, Loyalty, Integrity and Tranquility. Blue signifies tranquility and stability. In Middle Eastern cultures, it can also represent protection against the evil eye, while in Western cultures, it symbolizes calmness and reliability. At 56% saturation, this color is clearly chromatic yet balanced—colorful enough to be distinctive without overwhelming adjacent content. Its low lightness of 38% produces a deep, rich appearance—conveying gravity and luxury, particularly effective in dark-mode designs and premium packaging. This color is ideal for designs that aim to express Trust, Peace, Loyalty, Integrity, or Tranquility. It can be effectively used in web design, branding, and marketing materials to attract attention and convey specific messages.

The RGB values for Gentian Blue are (49, 42, 151), providing a combination of red: 49, green: 42, and blue: 151. In HSL format, it has a hue of 244.00°, saturation of 56.00%, and lightness of 38.00%.

The HSV representation includes a hue of 244.00°, saturation of 72.00%, and value of 59.00%. Its CMYK composition is cyan: 68.00%, magenta: 72.00%, yellow: 0.00%, and black: 41.00%.

The calculated luminance of #312a97 is 0.045, offering a brightness level suitable for various design requirements.

This color is not part of the web-safe color palette. The closest web-safe color to this is the color HEX #333399. Its contrast ratio is 1.91:1 against black and 11.00:1 against white. It works well on light backgrounds but may be challenging on darker ones.

In terms of color temperature, #312a97 reads as cool. When it comes to accessibility, testing against standard guidelines suggests that using white text meets typical WCAG contrast standards. Additionally, the ideal foreground color for improved legibility on #312a97 is white.

Considering its saturation and lightness, #312a97 appears more vivid and energetic, making it stand out in designs that aim to capture attention.

History, Usage, Psychology & Design Ideas for #312A97

Gentian Blue (#312A97) belongs to the Blue color family.

With moderate saturation and balanced lightness, this muted tone feels sophisticated and understated. Muted hues like this excel in editorial design, professional portfolios, and interior spaces that seek calm refinement.

Historical Background

Blue's scarcity in nature made it a late addition to human color vocabulary—Homer's 'wine-dark sea' notably omits the word blue entirely. The breakthrough came with Egyptian Blue (~2200 BC) and later ultramarine from Afghan lapis lazuli, which Medieval artists hoarded for divine subjects. Synthetic ultramarine (1826) and cobalt blue democratized the color, enabling Impressionists like Monet and Renoir to paint blue-drenched landscapes affordably.

Design & Usage Tips

Blue is the most universally liked color and dominates corporate branding (Facebook, LinkedIn, IBM, Samsung). Use it to establish trust, competence, and professionalism. Lighter blues suit wellness and social apps, while darker blues convey authority and security. Avoid using blue for food branding—it suppresses appetite.

Sitting on the cool side of the spectrum (hue 244°), it promotes a feeling of calm distance and intellectual clarity, which is why cool hues dominate corporate identities, healthcare design, and productivity tools. With 56% saturation, it occupies a comfortable middle ground: colorful enough to be distinctive, yet restrained enough for extended reading or large surface areas.

Psychological Impact

Blue lowers blood pressure and heart rate, promoting calm and focused thought. It signals reliability and integrity, which is why it is the default choice for banks, insurance companies, and government institutions. In UX, blue links and buttons feel intuitive because users have been trained by decades of web convention.

With a mid-range lightness of 38%, this tone is highly versatile: dark enough to serve as body text on white, yet light enough to stand out on charcoal or navy backgrounds.

Creative Design Ideas

Pair classic blue (#0047AB) with warm amber for a nautical or heritage brand. Use gradient blues (light-to-dark, top-to-bottom) for app onboarding screens that feel expansive and inviting. In data dashboards, blue is the safest primary chart color—it's distinct, professional, and colorblind-friendly.

#312A97 Color Conversions

Every way to write Gentian Blue — copy Gentian Blue as RGB, HSL, HSV, HWB, CMYK, OKLCH, OKLab, CIELAB, LCH, XYZ or a decimal integer. One-tap copy on every format; tap on any card to learn what it is and when to use it.

12 formats
HEX Web
#312A97

Hexadecimal is the web’s universal color notation — two digits each for red, green and blue. Drop it straight into HTML, CSS or any design tool.

RGB Screen
rgb(49, 42, 151)

RGB is the additive Red-Green-Blue model every screen uses to emit light. The default choice for websites, apps and on-screen UI.

HSL Web
hsl(244, 56%, 38%)

HSL breaks a color into Hue, Saturation and Lightness — the most intuitive way to lighten, darken or mute a color in CSS.

HSV HSB Design
hsv(244, 72%, 59%)

HSV (also called HSB) maps Hue, Saturation and Value/Brightness. It is the model behind the color pickers in Photoshop, Figma and most design apps.

HWB CSS 4
hwb(244 16% 41%)

HWB blends a pure hue with Whiteness and Blackness — a painter-friendly model added in CSS Color 4 for quick tints and shades.

CMYK Print
cmyk(68%, 72%, 0%, 41%)

CMYK is the subtractive Cyan-Magenta-Yellow-Black ink model. Use these values when preparing artwork for a printer or commercial press.

OKLCH Modern
oklch(37.29% 0.170 277.09)

OKLCH is a modern, perceptually-uniform space (Lightness, Chroma, Hue). It powers smooth gradients and accessible palettes in today’s CSS.

OKLab Modern
oklab(37.29% 0.021 -0.169)

OKLab is the Cartesian form of OKLCH — ideal for blending and interpolating colors without the muddy midpoints older spaces produce.

CIELAB L*a*b* Perceptual
L: 25.39, a: 37.75, b: -58.41

CIELAB is a device-independent, perceptually-uniform space. It is the standard for measuring color difference (ΔE) and matching across devices.

LCH Perceptual
L: 25.39, C: 69.55, H: 302.87

LCH is CIELAB in cylindrical form — Lightness, Chroma and Hue — letting you adjust vividness and hue while staying perceptually even.

XYZ CIE Science
X: 7.68, Y: 4.54, Z: 29.75

CIE XYZ is the 1931 master space that underpins every other model here — the scientific bridge used to convert between color systems.

Decimal int Code
3222167

The 24-bit integer value of the color — handy for databases, APIs, game engines and low-level graphics code.

RGB Color Percentages for #312a97

RGB Color Percentages for Gentian Blue (HEX Code: #312a97) display the relative contribution of Red, Green, and Blue in forming the color. Understanding these percentages provides insight into the color's visual balance and primary components.

This color is primarily dominated by Blue, making up 62.4% of the total composition. The complete breakdown of RGB contributions is:

Red:
20.25%
Green:
17.36%
Blue:
62.4%

This analysis highlights the influence of each primary color, offering a deeper understanding of the visual characteristics of Gentian Blue.

CMYK Ink Levels & Print Guide for #312a97

CMYK Ink Levels for Gentian Blue (HEX Code: #312a97) provide a breakdown of the percentages of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black inks needed for accurate print reproduction. The composition of Gentian Blue prominently features Magenta, reflecting its dominant color characteristic. This information is invaluable for optimizing ink usage and achieving precise color results in printed materials.

The exact CMYK values are: Cyan: 67.55%, Magenta: 72.19%, Yellow: 0%, and Black: 40.78%.

Luminance & Contrast for #312A97

Relative luminance gauges how bright Gentian Blue is, while the WCAG contrast ratios show how legible black or white text is on it — and which accessibility levels (AA / AAA) it passes.

Relative luminance 0.045
0 · dark1 · light
Aa
Black text 1.91:1
AA AAA Large
Aa
White text 11.00:1
AA AAA Large

Quick CSS Snippets for #312A97

Copy-and-paste CSS for Gentian Blue — backgrounds, text, borders and a custom property. Each line is ready to drop into your stylesheet.

Background background-color: #312A97;
Text color: #312A97;
Border border: 2px solid #312A97;
RGB background-color: rgb(49, 42, 151);
HSL background-color: hsl(244, 56%, 38%);
Variable --color: #312A97;

#312a97 Monochrome Palette

The Monochrome Palette consists of shades created by adjusting the brightness. These include lighter, original, and darker shades of the color. This layout helps to visualize the color's range and its potential use in design.

#eaeaf5
#cccae5
#adaad5
#8e8ac6
#6f6ab6
#504aa7
#312a97 Original
#2a2480
#221d6a
#1b1753
#14113c
#0c0b26
#05040f

#312a97 Complementary Palette

The Complementary Palette is made up of two colors that sit opposite each other on the color wheel. These colors create high contrast and vibrant designs, making them perfect for attention-grabbing elements and dynamic visuals.

#312a97 Original
#90972b

#312a97 Analogic Palette

The Analogic Palette consists of colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. These colors typically create harmonious and subtle designs, often used to evoke calmness and unity in your visual projects.

#312a97 Original
#682b97
#2b5a97
#972b90
#2b9097
#972b5a
#2b9768

#312a97 Triadic Palette

The Triadic Palette is made up of three colors evenly spaced on the color wheel. This combination provides a vibrant and balanced color scheme, often used for dynamic and energetic designs while maintaining harmony.

#312a97 Original
#97322b
#2b9732

#312a97 Quad Palette

The Quad Palette, also known as tetradic, consists of four colors evenly spaced on the color wheel. This combination offers a diverse and bold color scheme, ideal for creating rich, complex designs with multiple accents while still maintaining balance.

#312a97 Original
#972b5a
#90972b
#2b9768

Color Blindness Simulation for #312a97

Colors are perceived differently by individuals with various forms of color blindness. Use the dropdown below to see how this color may look through the eyes of someone with color vision deficiency. Explore how Gentian Blue (#312a97) might appear to people with different visual experiences, and gain deeper insights into color accessibility for your designs!

Each color box displays a "Friendly" or "Not Friendly" tag in the bottom-right corner. A "Friendly" tag indicates that the color difference is distinguishable to individuals with the specific type of color blindness. Conversely, a "Not Friendly" tag means that the color difference might not be distinguishable, potentially causing accessibility issues in your design.

Normal Vision

Deuteranopia (Green Weakness)

Friendly

Protanopia (Red Weakness)

Friendly

Tritanopia (Blue-Yellow Weakness)

Not Friendly

Achromatopsia (Total Color Blindness)

Not Friendly

Color Harmonies for #312a97

Color harmonies refer to the visually pleasing combinations of colors that are derived from specific relationships on the color wheel. These harmonious schemes, such as complementary, triadic, and analogous colors, create a balanced and engaging visual experience in design.

Complementary

Analogous

Triadic

Tetradic (Quad)

#312A97 Nearby Colors

A handful of colors just a step away from #312A97 — each one nudges the brightness, richness, or shade a little while still feeling like the same color. Use the buttons on any swatch to copy its hex or open its full color page.

#4433aa Galactic Purple
#222288 Lost in Heaven
#5544bb Royal Nightcore
#001177 20000 Leagues Under the Sea
#2222aa Sapphire Splendour
#333388 Perfect Dark
#552288 Intergalactic Settlement
#003399 Smalt

Colors Similar to #312a97

These colors are close neighbours of #312A97 in the RGB color space. Each subtle variation can produce a noticeably different mood in your design while remaining harmonious with the original Blue tone.

#322a97 Gentian Blue
#312b97 Depths of Night
#312a98 Gentian Blue
#302a97 Gentian Blue
#312997 Gentian Blue
#312a96 Gentian Blue
#422a97 Galactic Purple
#313b97 Liquid Denim
#312aa8 Sapphire Splendour
#202a97 Deepsea Kraken
#311997 Gentian Blue
#312a86 Royal Night

Looking for more Blue shades? Browse Blue colors →

Explore Vibrant Images Featuring Gentian Blue (#312a97)

Discover a vibrant gallery of images that not only showcase the captivating hue of Gentian Blue, but also embody its unique mood and personality. Each carefully curated photo is selected to highlight the richness and diversity of this color, offering inspiration for design, art, and creative projects.