Steel blue

#4c79a3

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

This is Steel blue, a soft blue at 209 degrees. A mid blue this balanced is a workhorse for corporate identity. Warm oranges and ambers opposite it add energy and grey keeps it professional.

Steel blue color values

Every conversion for #4c79a3, ready to copy. Hex, rgb, hsl, hsv, cmyk, cie-lab, xyz, decimal, web safe and the nearest Pantone.

Hex#4c79a3

RGB76, 121, 163

HSL209, 36%, 47%

HSV209, 53%, 64%

CMYK53%, 26%, 0%, 36%

Lab49.32, -3.03, -27.23

XYZ16.43, 17.86, 37.23

Decimal5011875

Web safe#336699

Pantone285 C

Shades of steel blue

#456e95 #3f6487 #385978 #314f6a #2b445c #243a4e #1e2f40 #172531 #101a23 #0a0f15

Tints of steel blue

#5786b1 #6992b9 #7a9fc1 #8babc9 #9db8d1 #aec4d9 #bfd1e1 #d0dde9 #e2eaf1 #f3f6f9

Colors that go with steel blue

Complementary#a3764c Analogous#4ca3a2 Analogous#4c4ea3 Triadic#a34c79 Triadic#79a34c Split complementary#a34c4e Split complementary#a3a14c

Steel blue in print

It converts to cmyk cleanly and holds its character from screen to paper. The cmyk build is 53, 26, 0, 36.

The same color needs a different cmyk build depending on the paper. Here is #4c79a3 on both.

Coated stockgloss or silk, C

53 26 0 36

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

Uncoated stocknatural or matte, U

53 28 4 42

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 #4c79a3 straight into your stylesheet.

.background { background-color: #4c79a3; }
.text { color: #4c79a3; }
.border { border: 2px solid #4c79a3; }

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 #4c79a3 against black and white text, measured to the WCAG standard.

Use white text on this color for readable body copy. To test #4c79a3 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 #4c79a3 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 #4c79a3 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 #4c79a3 is computed, not guessed. We convert from sRGB to each space with the standard formulas, so the codes match what design tools show. 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.