Color #172F36 Color / Colour Code #172F36
This page shows the hex color code for color #172f36 (#172F36). The colour is a cyan tone with 40% saturation and 15% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #172F36 against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#172F36 paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 164, 194, and 224 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 194, 314, and 74 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #172F36
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 194 and saturation at 40%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 194 to 239 degrees create a warm, unified palette. This analogous scheme works for marketing materials, seasonal campaigns, and any design that needs visual warmth without clashing colors.
Combines the base color at hue 194 with its complement at 14 and two adjacent cool tones. This split-complementary approach provides strong visual contrast while remaining more balanced than a pure complementary scheme.
Five evenly spaced hues at 40% saturation and 80% lightness. Pastels are gentle on the eyes and work well for dashboards, onboarding screens, category tags, and any interface where multiple distinct colors are needed without visual aggression.
Shades & Tints of #172F36
Lightness variations at hue 194 and 40% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #172F36
Design Use Cases for #172F36
Balanced UI Color
At 40% saturation, #172F36 strikes a balance between vibrancy and restraint. This makes it versatile for primary UI elements like navigation bars, card headers, and form accents. It draws attention without overwhelming adjacent content.
Deep Accent & Text Color
#172F36 at 15% lightness is dark enough for readable body text on light backgrounds while retaining its cyan character. Use for headings, emphasized text, or deep accent borders. It provides contrast without the harshness of pure black.
Clarity & Technology
#172F36 is in the cyan spectrum (hue 194). Cyan evokes technology, clarity, and innovation. It works well for tech product interfaces, data visualization accents, loading indicators, and futuristic design themes. Cyan provides a modern alternative to traditional blues.
Gradient Pairing
Create a gradient from #172F36 (hue 194) to its complement at hue 14. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 224. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #172f36, #361e17);
CSS Code for #172F36
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #172F36 based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #172F36 across image editing and color design tools.
About Color #172F36 (#172F36)
#172F36 is a cyan color (colour) with RGB channel values of 23 red, 47 green, and 54 blue. The blue channel is dominant by a ratio of 2.3:1 over the weakest channel. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 194 degrees with 40% saturation and 15% lightness, placing it in the cool range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #172F36 is 41/255 using the ITU-R BT.601 luma formula (0.299R + 0.587G + 0.114B). This appears dark to the human eye, so pair it with light text for adequate readability. For print production, the CMYK equivalent is 57% cyan, 13% magenta, 0% yellow, and 79% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #172F36 against white is 14.03:1 and against black is 1.50:1. This exceeds the AAA requirement (7:1) for normal text on white, making it excellent for body text and small UI labels on light backgrounds.
The complementary colour #361E17 creates maximum visual tension when paired with #172F36. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #17362D and #171F36, which sit 30 degrees on either side of the hue wheel. To build a complete design system, start with the monochromatic scale above for consistent shade variations, then add one complementary or triadic accent for interactive elements.
How to Explore Color #172F36
- Enter your color value in HEX format.
- The tool converts it to RGB, HSL, CMYK format in real time.
- Copy the converted value to your clipboard.
What is HEX to RGB, HSL, CMYK color conversion
Converting from HEX to RGB, HSL, CMYK translates a color value between two different color models. Different color models are used in web design (HEX, RGB), print (CMYK), and color theory (HSL, HSV).
Related Tools & Colors
Frequently Asked Questions
- What color / colour is #172F36?
- #172F36 is Color #172F36, a cyan color (colour) with RGB(23, 47, 54), HSL(194, 40%, 15%), and CMYK(57%, 13%, 0%, 79%). Its perceived brightness is 41/255.
- Is #172F36 accessible for text?
- Against white, #172F36 has a contrast ratio of 14.03:1 (passes AA for normal text). Against black, it has 1.50:1 (fails AA). Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #172F36?
- The complementary colour is #361E17 (hue 14). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #17362D and #171F36. The triadic palette adds #36172E and #2E3617 for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #172F36 in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #172f36; or rgb(23, 47, 54); or hsl(194, 40%, 15%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 194 40% 15%; then use it as hsl(var(--color-primary)).
- Is this color / colour explorer free?
- Yes, completely free with no signup required. All colour calculations run in your browser. You can explore any valid hex color code, not just the pre-generated palette.