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Milky Waves

Milky Waves (#6BB3DB) is a light, moderately saturated blue with a cool feel. It has a hue angle of 201° and a lightness of 73%. Its moderate saturation keeps it lively without shouting.

#6BB3DBMilky Waves
Conversion

What Milky Waves looks like, feels like and where it works.

Description

Milky Waves (#6BB3DB) is a light, moderately saturated blue with a cool feel. It has a hue angle of 201° and a lightness of 73%. Its moderate saturation keeps it lively without shouting.

Psychology

Blue is the most widely liked color and the default for trust. It lowers the sense of urgency, so it suits products that ask for confidence: money, health and software. As a light shade, Milky Waves feels airy and gentle.

Meaning

Blue stands for calm, stability, loyalty and the sky and sea. It is also the color of sadness in English (feeling blue) and, in some cultures, of protection.

Why use this color

Milky Waves is an easy supporting color. Dark text is easy to read on it, so it works as a surface, highlight or card background. Pair it with its tints and shades for a complete scale.

Applications
  • Finance, banking and insurance
  • Technology and software
  • Healthcare and corporate identity
  • Links and primary actions in interfaces
History

Egyptian blue, from about 2500 BC, is often called the first synthetic pigment. Ultramarine from lapis lazuli cost as much as gold; Prussian blue (about 1706) made deep blue affordable.

Accessibility

White text on Milky Waves has a contrast ratio of 2.30:1 (fails); black text has 9.09:1 (AAA). WCAG AA needs 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text and interface parts. Do not rely on color alone to carry meaning: pair it with text, an icon or a pattern.

ShadesMixed with black: darker and richer.
TintsMixed with white: lighter and softer.
TonesMixed with gray: quieter and less saturated.
HuesThe same lightness and strength, turned around the wheel.
TemperaturesPushed cooler on the left, warmer on the right.
50#F0F8FD100#DDEEF9200#C1E0F3300#98C9E5400#6BB3DB500#478FB6600#32779A700#225F7D800#164860900#0D3548950#031D2B
Analogous
Complementary
Split complementary
Triadic
Tetradic
Square

Want to explore these on a wheel? Open the color wheel.

#6BB3DB
Typical visionAs most people see it
#A0B1DD
ProtanopiaReduced sensitivity to red
#90A5DA
DeuteranopiaReduced sensitivity to green
#2ABEC0
TritanopiaReduced sensitivity to blue
#ABABAB
AchromatopsiaNo color, only light and dark

These are approximations to help you check that meaning never depends on color alone. Real vision varies from person to person.

White textQuote n. 31: there is no such thing as a bad color.
2.30:1
AAAAA
Normal textFailFail
Large textFailFail
Black textQuote n. 31: there is no such thing as a bad color.
9.09:1
AAAAA
Normal textAAAAA
Large textAAAAA
Open the contrast checker