Steel Blue vs Medium Blue

What is the difference between Steel Blue and Medium Blue?

A side-by-side study of Steel Blue (#4682B4) and Medium Blue (#0000CD) presents distinct choices for graphic layouts. Medium Blue stands out as the more vivid and colorful shade of the two. Steel Blue behaves as a lighter and more luminous tone. A subtle hue shift of 33° creates a blended and harmonious transition.

Design recommendations for Steel Blue vs Medium Blue

Integrating Steel Blue and Medium Blue requires balancing dark and light elements. Utilize the depth of Medium Blue to provide strong contrast and visual structure, and pair it with Steel Blue on card backgrounds or subtle link accents to keep the user interface fresh and readable.

Readability & Contrast Testing

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

Steel Blue Typography

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

White Text: 4.11:1 Black Text: 5.11:1

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 Steel Blue Medium Blue Delta / Difference
HEX Code #4682B4 #0000CD -
RGB Channels rgb(70, 130, 180) rgb(0, 0, 205) R:-70 | G:-130 | B:+25
HSL Values hsl(207°, 44%, 49%) hsl(240°, 100%, 40%) H:+33° | S:+56% | L:-9%
CMYK (Print) cmyk(61%, 28%, 0%, 29%) cmyk(100%, 100%, 0%, 20%) -

Individual Color References

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