Egyptian Blue Color Psychology & Meaning
Egyptian blue is the deep, glowing blue of the Nile at dusk, the first synthetic color ever invented. It feels sacred and ancient, giving brands an immediate sense of depth and history.
#1034A6
#3D5BD9
#8FA6F2
#060D2E
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text
Egyptian Blue Color Palette
#1034A6 · #3D5BD9 · #8FA6F2 · #060D2E
Fail
WCAG Grade
1.9:1
Contrast Ratio
1,170
Saves
3,120
AI Copies
Use #1034A6 as the background. Use #3D5BD9 as the primary accent. Use #8FA6F2 as secondary. Use #060D2E as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Egyptian Blue — ancient, rich, cool.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Egyptian Blue color scheme. Use these values for web design (HEX/RGB), print projects (CMYK), or specialized design software (HSL).
| Swatch | Design Role | HEX | RGB | CMYK | HSL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background Luminance: 5.3% | 16, 52, 166 | 90%, 69%, 0%, 35% | 226°, 82%, 36% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 13.5% | 61, 91, 217 | 72%, 58%, 0%, 15% | 228°, 67%, 55% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 39.5% | 143, 166, 242 | 41%, 31%, 0%, 5% | 226°, 79%, 75% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 0.5% | 6, 13, 46 | 87%, 72%, 0%, 82% | 230°, 77%, 10% |
Egyptian Blue Tints & Shades
Hover states, borders and elevation need lighter and darker steps of your base colors. Here are computed tints and shades for every color in the Egyptian Blue palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
#1034A6 saturated blue
#3D5BD9 saturated blue
#8FA6F2 saturated blue
#060D2E saturated blue
Egyptian Blue Palette Contrast Matrix (WCAG 2.1)
Every color tested as text on every other color as background. Body copy needs 4.5:1 (AA), large text and UI components 3:1. AAA requires 7:1.
| Text on Background | Preview | Ratio | Grade | Safe For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #060D2E on #8FA6F2 |
Aa Sample Text
| 8.06:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #8FA6F2 on #060D2E |
Aa Sample Text
| 8.06:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #8FA6F2 on #1034A6 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.31:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #1034A6 on #8FA6F2 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.31:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #060D2E on #3D5BD9 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.35:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #3D5BD9 on #060D2E |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.35:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #8FA6F2 on #3D5BD9 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.41:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #3D5BD9 on #8FA6F2 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.41:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #060D2E on #1034A6 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.87:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #1034A6 on #060D2E |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.87:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #3D5BD9 on #1034A6 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.79:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #1034A6 on #3D5BD9 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.79:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Egyptian Blue palette is built using a analogous relationship between its hues. This ensures that even with high-contrast accents, the overall scheme feels balanced and intentional.
Hue Wheel
A analogous palette is often preferred by professional designers because it creates a calm, serene atmosphere by using neighboring colors.
History & Design Context
Invented in Egypt around 2600 BC by heating sand, copper, and lime, Egyptian blue decorated tombs and statues for millennia. Its recipe survived into the Roman era, then vanished for over a thousand years.
Best Design Use Cases
Use Egyptian blue for heritage brand surfaces and museum-grade designs. The mid blue drives interactive elements, while the pale sky tone keeps sections light and the deep navy anchors text.
Industries This Palette Suits
Museums, heritage brands, archaeology, education, luxury travel.
Colors That Pair Well With Egyptian Blue
Need a fifth color? These three companions are computed from the palette's own hue positions on the color wheel, so they extend the scheme without breaking its harmony.
yellow
directly opposite #3D5BD9 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
violet
30° beside #3D5BD9 — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension
tinted neutral
a paper-white carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers
Using Egyptian Blue Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #3D5BD9 for small UI elements on #1034A6 — at 1.8:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Don't set body copy in #060D2E on #1034A6 — 1.9:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
- Don't use #8FA6F2 behind body text — this light tone works better for surfaces, badges and dividers than for reading areas.
How to Implement the Egyptian Blue Color Scheme
To use this Egyptian Blue color palette in your web project, you can copy the following CSS variables or Tailwind CSS configuration. These roles ensure your UI maintains accessibility and visual hierarchy.
Option 1: CSS Variables
:root {
/* {name} Palette - ihatecolors.com */{'
'} --color-bg: {colors[0]};{'
'} --color-primary: {colors[1]};{'
'} --color-secondary: {colors[2]};{'
'} --color-text: {colors[3]};{'
'} {'}'}Web Design Tip
Use #1034A6 for the main background and #3D5BD9 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #060D2E and #1034A6 is 1.87:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Egyptian Blue Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Egyptian Blue color palette?
The Egyptian Blue palette contains #1034A6, #3D5BD9, #8FA6F2, #060D2E. Click any swatch on this page to copy its value, or export all four at once as CSS variables, Tailwind config, SCSS or a Figma-ready list.
Is the Egyptian Blue color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #060D2E on #8FA6F2 reaches 8.1:1 (AAA). For body text always keep a 4.5:1 ratio and for large UI elements 3:1 — the full contrast matrix above shows the exact score for every color-on-color combination in this palette.
What colors go well with the Egyptian Blue palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #D9BA3F, #724BCE, #E9EBF1 extend it naturally: the complementary hue for high-energy accents, an analogous neighbor for calm transitions, and a tinted neutral for surfaces. All three are computed from this palette's hues on the color wheel.
What mood does the Egyptian Blue palette create?
Egyptian Blue reads as ancient, rich, cool. Saturated blue drives the personality, grounded by saturated blue — a combination that works best when the mid-tone base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Egyptian Blue color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Egyptian Blue palette is free for personal, client and commercial work — websites, branding, apps, print and social content, with no attribution required.
How do I add the Egyptian Blue palette to Tailwind or CSS?
Use the export panel on this page: CSS variables, a Tailwind config block, SCSS variables, or a Figma copy list are generated from Egyptian Blue's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.