Royal Blue vs Medium Blue

What is the difference between Royal Blue and Medium Blue?

A side-by-side study of Royal Blue (#4169E1) and Medium Blue (#0000CD) presents distinct choices for graphic layouts. In terms of color intensity, Medium Blue features a more vivid and saturated tone. Under screen illumination, Royal Blue has a higher brightness and reflectivity. They have a close hue coordinate distance of 15°, representing a harmonized adjacent relationship.

Design recommendations for Royal Blue vs Medium Blue

When choosing between Royal Blue and Medium Blue for interface designs, consider their visual weight. Since Medium Blue is darker, it serves as a solid base for structural layouts or heavy typography, while the lighter Royal Blue is ideal for backgrounds or high-visibility accents. Testing their contrast ratio is essential to meet WCAG accessibility guidelines.

Readability & Contrast Testing

Visual test showing black and white text overlay readability on both colors.

Royal Blue Typography

Preview of dark and light text elements rendered over a solid Royal Blue background canvas.

White Text: 4.85:1 Black Text: 4.33:1

Medium Blue Typography

Preview of dark and light text elements rendered over a solid Medium Blue background canvas.

White Text: 11.16:1 Black Text: 1.88:1

Technical Specifications Comparison

Format / Value Royal Blue Medium Blue Delta / Difference
HEX Code #4169E1 #0000CD -
RGB Channels rgb(65, 105, 225) rgb(0, 0, 205) R:-65 | G:-105 | B:-20
HSL Values hsl(225°, 73%, 57%) hsl(240°, 100%, 40%) H:+15° | S:+27% | L:-17%
CMYK (Print) cmyk(71%, 53%, 0%, 12%) cmyk(100%, 100%, 0%, 20%) -

Individual Color References

Royal Blue Reference Sheet HEX, RGB, HSL and print codes
Medium Blue Reference Sheet HEX, RGB, HSL and print codes
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