Get inspired with dark blue design templates.
The color dark blue sits between blue and black to offer the symbolism of both in a deep yet rich hue.
Inspiration in the color dark blue.
Learn the history and meaning of the color dark blue, a shade that personifies authority and elegance.
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How to use the color dark blue.
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The color dark blue is timeless.
In design, fashion, and décor, the color dark blue is considered timeless. It’s never trended “in,” meaning it never risks trending “out.” Dark blue color can also be used as a principal color in a project or as a dramatic highlight or accent.
Tap into the psychology of dark blue color.
The color dark blue is tied to knowledge, authority, and elegance. Dark blue color is also evocative of high consciousness, which has made it a symbol of intellect and precision.
Combine dark blue with other colors.
The color dark blue is a cool and dark hue that pairs beautifully with orange and yellows. Other colors that contrast beautifully with dark blue include burnt orange and red orange. Combine dark blue color with peach color or warm neutrals for a clean, modern palette.
The color dark blue versus navy blue.
Dark blue color can be confused with navy blue. The color navy blue has gotten darker over time, and now can be mistaken for black. Dark blue color is a deep but richly saturated blue that stands as a dark version of the primary color.
Information about dark blue color.
The dark blue HEX code picker is #00008B. This is “true blue” mixed with black.
The color dark blue can be achieved in a RGB space with 0 red, 0 green, and 139 blue. Dark blue color can be achieved in a CMYK color space with 100% cyan, 100% magenta, 0% yellow, and 45% black.
What is the meaning of the color dark blue?
Mix the primary color blue with black and you get the color dark blue. The depth of this classic color gives dark blue an air of seriousness. Dark blue color takes some of the same meanings of standard blue and enhances them. There are other attributes of standard blue that dark blue color doesn’t take at all. Then, of course, it takes on some of the power of black.
The color dark blue sits in the depths of the blue spectrum to evoke authority and elegance.
The history of dark blue color.
The first dark blue color pigment came from saturating existing blue dyes.
Indigo-based blue dyes have been used for over 6,000 years. The oxidation process that turns indigo leaves from green to blue takes time, and the more time it’s left to do its magic, the darker the blue becomes. Dark blue color indigo dyes can sometimes look close to black.
Ultramarine was the most desired blue, and creating dark blue with it was cost prohibitive.
The color dark blue could also be made using a high concentration of ultramarine dye made with crushed lapis lazuli. The color was the most expensive pigment for millennia and even became cost-prohibitive for artists like Michelangelo and Rafael. Other blue dyes like azurite and cobalt blue were more available to be used instead, but applying them in high enough concentrations to create the color dark blue did not make for a lasting color.
The color dark blue color was later compared to new deep shades of blue.
Dark blue color is sometimes used as an umbrella term for other deep shades of blue. Navy blue from the mid-1800s is often considered a type of dark blue. The famed Prussian blue from the early 1700s has also been compared to the color dark blue. In the digital era, dark blue color now has its own hex code and is considered a unique shade.
The color dark blue across different cultures.
Dark blue color in psychology.
The meaning of the color dark blue shares some origins with the color blue. Both blue and dark blue color evoke seriousness and trust. The color dark blue, however, does not represent sensitivity or inspiration like its brighter counterparts. Dark blue color also shares some meanings with black because of its depth, namely influence and elegance.
Dark blue color in marketing and business.
The seriousness of dark blue color has inspired many brands. Some of the largest companies use the color dark blue to create a sense of trustworthiness. Dark blue color also strengthens a brand image by evoking seriousness and strength. For example, many financial firms (including banks, insurance companies, and more) have benefited from using the color dark blue in their branding.
The “dark” part of the color dark blue.
Dark blue color does amplify the sense of sadness that sometimes comes with the color blue. Its depth makes dark blue an almost fathomless sadness in some examples. In Korea, the color dark blue is a color of mourning. That same sadness, however, can bring wisdom. Dark blue color is also evocative of knowledge and insight that come with great focus.