Color #38CAEB Color / Colour Code #38CAEB
This page shows the hex color code for color #38caeb (#38CAEB). The colour is a cyan tone with 82% saturation and 57% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #38CAEB against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#38CAEB paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 161, 191, and 221 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 191, 311, and 71 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #38CAEB
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 191 and saturation at 82%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 191 to 236 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 191 with its complement at 11 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 #38CAEB
Lightness variations at hue 191 and 82% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #38CAEB
Design Use Cases for #38CAEB
Vibrant Brand Color
#38CAEB has a strong 82% saturation that makes it ideal for brand identity elements. Use it for logos, primary call-to-action buttons, hero section accents, and marketing materials where visual impact matters. This saturation level is eye-catching without being harsh.
Soft Accent & Highlight
With 57% lightness, #38CAEB has a softer, more approachable quality. It works well for hover states, subtle highlights, progress indicators, and secondary UI elements. This lightness range is particularly effective for tag backgrounds and status indicators.
Clarity & Technology
#38CAEB is in the cyan spectrum (hue 191). 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 #38CAEB (hue 191) to its complement at hue 11. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 221. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #38caeb, #eb5837);
CSS Code for #38CAEB
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #38CAEB based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #38CAEB across image editing and color design tools.
About Color #38CAEB (#38CAEB)
#38CAEB is a cyan color (colour) with RGB channel values of 56 red, 202 green, and 235 blue. The blue channel is dominant by a ratio of 4.2:1 over the weakest channel. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 191 degrees with 82% saturation and 57% lightness, placing it in the cool range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #38CAEB is 162/255 using the ITU-R BT.601 luma formula (0.299R + 0.587G + 0.114B). This is a medium-brightness color that can work with either dark or light text depending on font weight and size. For print production, the CMYK equivalent is 76% cyan, 14% magenta, 0% yellow, and 8% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #38CAEB against white is 1.94:1 and against black is 10.82:1. This does not meet AA requirements on white. Use it on dark backgrounds where it achieves 10.82:1, or use it exclusively for decorative purposes.
The complementary colour #EB5837 creates maximum visual tension when paired with #38CAEB. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #37EBB2 and #3770EB, 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 #38CAEB
- 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 #38CAEB?
- #38CAEB is Color #38CAEB, a cyan color (colour) with RGB(56, 202, 235), HSL(191, 82%, 57%), and CMYK(76%, 14%, 0%, 8%). Its perceived brightness is 162/255.
- Is #38CAEB accessible for text?
- Against white, #38CAEB has a contrast ratio of 1.94:1 (fails AA for normal text). Against black, it has 10.82:1 (passes AA). Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #38CAEB?
- The complementary colour is #EB5837 (hue 11). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #37EBB2 and #3770EB. The triadic palette adds #EB37CA and #CAEB37 for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #38CAEB in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #38caeb; or rgb(56, 202, 235); or hsl(191, 82%, 57%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 191 82% 57%; 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.