Color #38CDCD Color / Colour Code #38CDCD
This page shows the hex color code for color #38cdcd (#38CDCD). The colour is a cyan tone with 60% saturation and 51% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #38CDCD against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#38CDCD paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 150, 180, and 210 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 180, 300, and 60 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #38CDCD
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 180 and saturation at 60%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 180 to 225 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 180 with its complement at 0 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 #38CDCD
Lightness variations at hue 180 and 60% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #38CDCD
Design Use Cases for #38CDCD
Vibrant Brand Color
#38CDCD has a strong 60% 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 51% lightness, #38CDCD 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
#38CDCD is in the cyan spectrum (hue 180). 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 #38CDCD (hue 180) to its complement at hue 0. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 210. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #38cdcd, #cd3737);
CSS Code for #38CDCD
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #38CDCD based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #38CDCD across image editing and color design tools.
About Color #38CDCD (#38CDCD)
#38CDCD is a cyan color (colour) with RGB channel values of 56 red, 205 green, and 205 blue. The green channel is dominant by a ratio of 3.7:1 over the weakest channel. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 180 degrees with 60% saturation and 51% lightness, placing it in the cool range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #38CDCD is 160/255 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 73% cyan, 0% magenta, 0% yellow, and 20% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #38CDCD against white is 1.95:1 and against black is 10.78:1. This does not meet AA requirements on white. Use it on dark backgrounds where it achieves 10.78:1, or use it exclusively for decorative purposes.
The complementary colour #CD3737 creates maximum visual tension when paired with #38CDCD. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #37CD82 and #3782CD, 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 #38CDCD
- 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 #38CDCD?
- #38CDCD is Color #38CDCD, a cyan color (colour) with RGB(56, 205, 205), HSL(180, 60%, 51%), and CMYK(73%, 0%, 0%, 20%). Its perceived brightness is 160/255.
- Is #38CDCD accessible for text?
- Against white, #38CDCD has a contrast ratio of 1.95:1 (fails AA for normal text). Against black, it has 10.78:1 (passes AA). Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #38CDCD?
- The complementary colour is #CD3737 (hue 0). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #37CD82 and #3782CD. The triadic palette adds #CD37CD and #CDCD37 for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #38CDCD in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #38cdcd; or rgb(56, 205, 205); or hsl(180, 60%, 51%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 180 60% 51%; 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.