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Symmetrical Blueprint

#1c4c8b
Notes

Symmetrical Blueprint (#1C4C8B) is a deep azure with a jewel character. It carries the deep, saturated richness of a gemstone. Authoritative and slightly formal, it works well for type and heavy UI elements. Its HSL profile (214°, 66%, 33%) places it in the balanced band at a dark lightness. It works well as a headline, icon, or deep background in an otherwise light layout, pairing cleanly with cream, bone, and warm neutrals. For a confident two-color system, pair it with its complementary orange. For something softer, pull in its analogous neighbors on either side of the wheel.

HEX
#1c4c8b
RGB
rgb(28, 76, 139)
HSL
hsl(214, 66%, 33%)
HWB
hwb(214 11% 45%)
OKLCH
oklch(42.0% 0.117 256.6)
P3
color(display-p3 0.1616 0.2939 0.5276)
HSV
hsv(214, 80%, 55%)
LAB
lab(32.43% 7.79 -39.64)
LCH
lch(32.43% 40.40 281.11)
CMYK
cmyk(80%, 45%, 0%, 45%)

Etymology

Symmetrical
adjective

Greek symmetría, due-proportion — adjectival suffix -al, derived from sym-metron (with-measure). As a color modifier, symmetrical implies a clear-and-balanced-and-mirrored quality where the hue carries the visual register of bilateral-or-radial proportional symmetry. Sits at the crisp-and-balanced end of the grid, parallel to balanced and aligned in usage.

Blueprint
noun

The cyanotype reproduction process — invented by John Herschel in 1842 — used for architectural and engineering drawings until digital reproduction replaced it in the late twentieth century. Blueprint color refers to a fresh cyanotype print: a saturated, slightly cool deep blue with the matte finish of iron-cyanide-on-paper.

Closest matches

The nearest named color in three reference sources, ranked by perceptual distance (ΔE76 in CIELAB). ΔE < 1 is imperceptible to most viewers; ΔE > 10 is clearly different. When two sources point to the same hex they’re merged into one tile; click any to open that color’s page.

Variations

Click any swatch to explore

Harmonies

Accessibility

Color-vision simulation

How this color appears to viewers with the four major color-vision-deficiency types. Computed via the Machado (2009) physiologically-based model. If a tile matches the original, the color reads the same to that viewer.

#1c4c8b
Original
#2c528d
Protanopia
#15488a
Deuteranopia
#005b64
Tritanopia
#464646
Achromatopsia
WCAG contrast

The color used as foreground text against pure white and pure black, with the contrast ratio and WCAG 2.1 grade. Aim for AA (4.5:1) for body text and AA Large (3:1) for 18 pt+ headlines; AAA (7:1) is the gold standard for long-form reading surfaces.

The quick brown foxSample body text at normal size. The wcag minimum for body contrast is 4.5:1 (AA) or 7:1 (AAA).
AAAon White
8.55:1
The quick brown foxSample body text at normal size. The wcag minimum for body contrast is 4.5:1 (AA) or 7:1 (AAA).
Failon Black
2.46:1

Wide gamut

Display P3 representation

The CSS Color 4 wide-gamut form of this color. Both swatches render the same color on every display — the P3 form only diverges from sRGB when a designer pushes channels outside sRGB's reach.

sRGB hex
sRGB hex
##1C4C8B
Display P3
Display P3
color(display-p3 0.1616 0.2939 0.5276)
P3 has subtle headroomOKLCH chroma 0.117

Moderately saturated colors gain a small bump in P3 — the difference is usually visible side-by-side on wide-gamut hardware but won't change the character of the color.

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