Steel blue

#3a7dcb

Hex, rgb, cmyk and Pantone values for steel blue, with shades, tints, matching colors and free print quality patterns.

This is Steel blue, a strong blue at 212 degrees. A mid blue this balanced is a workhorse for corporate identity. It pairs with warm neutrals for balance, or with a brighter accent for contrast.

Steel blue color values

Every conversion for #3a7dcb, ready to copy. Hex, rgb, hsl, hsv, cmyk, cie-lab, xyz, decimal, web safe and the nearest Pantone.

Hex#3a7dcb

RGB58, 125, 203

HSL212, 58%, 51%

HSV212, 71%, 80%

CMYK71%, 38%, 0%, 20%

Lab51.7, 4.88, -46.6

XYZ19.86, 19.88, 59.29

Decimal3833291

Web safe#3366cc

Pantone285 C

Shades of steel blue

#3272bc #2d67aa #285c98 #235186 #1e4673 #1a3b61 #15304f #10253d #0b1a2a #060f18

Tints of steel blue

#4c89d0 #5f95d5 #71a1d9 #83adde #95b9e3 #a8c5e8 #bad1ed #ccdef2 #dfeaf6 #f1f6fb

Colors that go with steel blue

Complementary#cb883a Analogous#3ac5cb Analogous#403acb Triadic#cb3a7d Triadic#7dcb3a Split complementary#cb403a Split complementary#c5cb3a

Steel blue in print

It converts to cmyk cleanly and holds its character from screen to paper. The cmyk build is 71, 38, 0, 20.

The same color needs a different cmyk build depending on the paper. Here is #3a7dcb on both.

Coated stockgloss or silk, C

71 38 0 20

Ink sits on the surface, so colors stay bright and close to screen.

Uncoated stocknatural or matte, U

69 39 4 26

The stock absorbs ink and gains dot, so it needs a heavier build and reads a touch softer.

This color converts to cmyk comfortably and should hold on press.

See how it converts in the rgb to cmyk converter, or readrgb vs cmyk for print andwhat the k in cmyk means.

Steel blue in css

Copy #3a7dcb straight into your stylesheet.

.background { background-color: #3a7dcb; }
.text { color: #3a7dcb; }
.border { border: 2px solid #3a7dcb; }

How steel blue looks on light and dark

Sample text on black

Sample text on white

Text on this color

Steel blue and accessibility

Contrast ratios for #3a7dcb against black and white text, measured to the WCAG standard.

Use black text on this color for readable body copy. To test #3a7dcb against any other color, not just black and white, run the pair through ourcontrast checker for a live WCAG reading.

Steel blue on a business card, sticker and pattern

A quick look at how #3a7dcb sits on real print products. Start any of these in the maker.

Business card

Sticker

Repeat pattern

Building a full palette around steel blue? Pull matching colors from any photo with thecolor palette generator, or check a design for print with thergb to cmyk converter.

Turn steel blue into a seamless pattern

Four patterns built from #3a7dcb and its shades, free at print quality. Click any one to keep editing in the pattern maker.

Arches Signature stripes Gem Shingles

Make posters, wallpaper and packaging art from steel blue, free and print ready.

Open in pattern maker

How we calculate these values

Every value on this page for #3a7dcb is computed, not guessed. Rgb, hsl, hsv, lab and xyz are derived through the usual sRGB conversion formulas. The coated and uncoated cmyk builds differ because uncoated stock absorbs more ink and gains dot, so the same color needs a heavier, slightly duller build on press. The Pantone value is the closest reference by perceptual color distance and should be treated as a starting point, not a guaranteed match.