Everything you need to know about baby blue to inspire your next design.
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Read about Baby Blue
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What color is babyblue?
Baby blue is a gentle and soothing color that embodies tranquility. This cool-toned shade is on the lighter side of the blue spectrum, evoking the serenity of a clear, peaceful sky. It includes soft and comforting hues like powder blue andskyblue.
What does baby blue look like on digital screens?
Baby blue is defined by the following color codes and values to ensure consistency across various digital platforms anddevices.
- HEX code: #8FD9FB
- RGB value: 56.1% red, 85.1% green and98.4%blue
Accessibility considerations play a crucial role in UX and UI design color choices. Figma offers plugins in the Community to make sure your designs meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.
How should I effectively use baby blue in UIdesign?
Here are some actionable tips for effectively using baby blue inUIdesign:
- Evoke calmness and trust. Highlight important information or CTAs on e-commerce sites or financial apps to instill trust and encourage action. Or use it as a background color for relaxation or meditation apps.
- Communicate freshness and cleanliness. Showcase hygiene or cleaning products with a strategic use oflightblue.
- Create a sense of security. Consider light blue for verification badges or security elements inUIdesign.
- Accentuate specific elements. Use baby blue sparingly for buttons or icons to draw attention without overwhelming the user. (Also, using too much can become monotonous.)
- Practice balance. Pair baby blue with neutrals (white, gray) or cooler tones (light green) for a more balanced and visually appealing interface.
Keep in mind that color and its meaning can change from culture to culture—and at any given time. If you are designing for a global audience, research color considerations for your specific regions.
What are similar colors to babyblue?
For variations within the same soothing and serene spectrum as baby blue,consider:
- Sky blue (#87CEEB), slightly lighter, mirrors the clear sky's calmness, offering a tranquil backdrop that resonates withpeace.
- Powder blue (#B0E0E6), with a hint of green, captures a gentle, almost ethereal quality, echoing baby blue's softness but with a slightly mutedtone.
- Light cyan (#E0FFFF), almost ethereal in its lightness, offers a hint of green that complements baby blue's serene vibe, perfect for creating a refreshing andairyfeel.
- Turquoise (#40E0D0), vibrant yet serene, bridges the gap between blue and green, providing a lively but calming effect that pairs well with baby blue's gentleaura.
What colors go with babyblue?
To complement baby blue's tranquil tones, consider pairing itwith:
- Soft lavender (#E6E6FA) enhances the palette with a gentle contrast, adding a touch of whimsy and softness that elevates baby blue's soothing qualities.
- Cream (#FDFBD4) offers a warm, subtle contrast, grounding baby blue's airy feel with its comforting and inviting warmth.
- Mint green (#ADEBB3) introduces a refreshing, harmonious touch, aligning with baby blue's calming vibe for a naturally soothing palette.
- Rose quartz (#F7CAC9), with its gentle pink tone, complements baby blue's softness, adding a subtle, romantic flair that's both soothing and sophisticated.
- Silver (#C4C4C4) adds a sleek, modern edge, providing a luminous contrast that accentuates baby blue's serene quality without overpowering it.
Other colors worth considering include soft peach for a delicate, warm touch, light grey for a modern, minimalist contrast, and golden yellow for a sunny, uplifting complement to baby blue's calmserenity.
What colors conflict with babyblue?
While baby blue is generally versatile, it mayclashwith:
- Bright red (#FF0000), whose intensity can overwhelm baby blue's delicate tranquility, creates a stark, jarring contrast.
- Neon green (#39FF14), vibrant and energetic, might be too harsh against baby blue's softness, disrupting its peacefulvibe.
- Dark brown (#654321), although earthy, can appear too heavy and dominating, potentially dulling baby blue's light, airyquality.
- Vivid orange (#FFA500), while warm and lively, may compete too aggressively with baby blue, overshadowing its gentle serenity.
- Hot pink (#FF69B4), despite its playful energy, can clash with baby blue by introducing a level of vibrancy that conflicts with baby blue's soothing nature.
What does baby blue symbolize?
Baby blue symbolizes calmness, serenity, and innocence. It evokes a sense of peace and tranquility, often associated with the clarity of the sky on a clear day or the gentle flow of shallow water. This light shade also connotes purity and cleanliness.
In color psychology, baby blue is known for its calming effect. Studies have shown that shades of blue can promote feelings of relaxation and trust. This is likely why baby blue is often used in hospitals and spas to create a soothing atmosphere.
Baby blue's calming and trustworthy nature translates well into user interface (UI) design. It can be used to create a sense of security and trust during e-commerce transactions or highlight important information on a website. However, using baby blue strategically is important to avoid overwhelming users.
What’s the history of babyblue?
Egyptians associated lighter shades of blue with life and rebirth, seeing them as symbols of sky and water. Europeans later used blue pigments, like lapis lazuli, in art and decoration. The term "baby blue" first appeared in English around 1892, emerging with new synthetic pigments that allowed a broader range of colors, including this specific paleblue.
Art Deco movements embraced light colors, and baby blue became popular in commercial art and product design, often symbolizing cleanliness and modernity. Its popularity soared in the 1940s and 50s, particularly in baby clothes and nurseries, where it symbolized innocence, purity, and new beginnings. (Fun fact: Before the 1920s, babies of all genders commonly worewhite.)
Today, baby blue remains popular in fashion, interiors, and branding, conveying purity, freshness, andpeace.
Color variations
Shades
Tints
Tones
Hues
Color Harmonies
Complementary
Split
Monochromatic
Analogous
Triadic
Square
Custom Palettes
Nighttime
Daybreak
Neptune
Accessibility: Contrast Checker
1.56:1
WCAG 2.2 Simple Contrast
Normal Text
- Fail
- AA
- 4.5:1
- Fail
- AAA
- 7:1
Large Text
- Fail
- AA
- 3:1
- Fail
- AAA
- 4.5:1
13.49:1
WCAG 2.2 Simple Contrast
Normal Text
- Pass
- AA
- 4.5:1
- Pass
- AAA
- 7:1
Large Text
- Pass
- AA
- 3:1
- Pass
- AAA
- 4.5:1
Color simulations
Protanopia
Deuteranopia
Tritanopia
Achromatopsia
Color conversion
The hexadecimal color #8FD9FB, known as baby blue, has RGB values of R:143, G:217, B:251 and CMYK values of C:0.43, M:0.14, Y:0,K:0.02.
VALUE | CSS | |
---|---|---|
HEX | 8FD9FB | #8FD9FB |
RGB DECIMAL | 143, 217, 251 | rgb(143,217,251) |
RGB PERCENTAGE | 56.1, 85.1, 98.4 | rgb(56.1%,85.1%,98.4%) |
CMYK | 43, 14, 0, 2 | |
HSL | 198.9°, 93.1, 77.3 | hsl(198.9,93.1%,77.3%) |
HSV (OR HSB) | 198.9°, 43, 98.4 | |
WEB SAFE | 99CCFF | #99CCFF |
CIE-LAB | 83.14, -14.37, -23.791 | |
XYZ | 53.549, 62.428, 100.49 | |
xyY | 0.247, 0.288, 62.428 | |
CIE-LCH | 83.14, 27.794, 238.869 | |
CIE-LUV | 83.14, -34.566, -35.967 | |
HUNTER-LAB | 79.011, -17.293, -20.1 | |
BINARY | 10001111, 11011001, 11111011 | |
iOS - SwiftUI | Color(red: 143/255, green: 217/255, blue: 251/255) | |
iOS - UIKit | UIColor(red: 143/255.0, green: 217/255.0, blue: 251/255.0, alpha: 1.0) | |
Android - Compose | Color(0xFF8FD9FB) |