Color #38DCCE Color / Colour Code #38DCCE
This page shows the hex color code for color #38dcce (#38DCCE). The colour is a cyan tone with 70% saturation and 54% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #38DCCE against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#38DCCE paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 145, 175, and 205 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 175, 295, and 55 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #38DCCE
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 175 and saturation at 70%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 175 to 220 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 175 with its complement at 355 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 #38DCCE
Lightness variations at hue 175 and 70% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #38DCCE
Design Use Cases for #38DCCE
Vibrant Brand Color
#38DCCE has a strong 70% 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 54% lightness, #38DCCE 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
#38DCCE is in the cyan spectrum (hue 175). 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 #38DCCE (hue 175) to its complement at hue 355. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 205. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #38dcce, #dc3845);
CSS Code for #38DCCE
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #38DCCE based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #38DCCE across image editing and color design tools.
About Color #38DCCE (#38DCCE)
#38DCCE is a cyan color (colour) with RGB channel values of 56 red, 220 green, and 206 blue. The green channel is dominant by a ratio of 3.9:1 over the weakest channel. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 175 degrees with 70% saturation and 54% lightness, placing it in the neutral-to-cool range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #38DCCE is 169/255 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 75% cyan, 0% magenta, 6% yellow, and 14% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #38DCCE against white is 1.71:1 and against black is 12.30:1. This does not meet AA requirements on white. Use it on dark backgrounds where it achieves 12.30:1, or use it exclusively for decorative purposes.
The complementary colour #DC3845 creates maximum visual tension when paired with #38DCCE. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #38DC7C and #3897DC, 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 #38DCCE
- 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 #38DCCE?
- #38DCCE is Color #38DCCE, a cyan color (colour) with RGB(56, 220, 206), HSL(175, 70%, 54%), and CMYK(75%, 0%, 6%, 14%). Its perceived brightness is 169/255.
- Is #38DCCE accessible for text?
- Against white, #38DCCE has a contrast ratio of 1.71:1 (fails AA for normal text). Against black, it has 12.30:1 (passes AA). Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #38DCCE?
- The complementary colour is #DC3845 (hue 355). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #38DC7C and #3897DC. The triadic palette adds #CE38DC and #DCCE38 for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #38DCCE in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #38dcce; or rgb(56, 220, 206); or hsl(175, 70%, 54%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 175 70% 54%; 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.