Ocean Depth Color Psychology & Meaning
Ocean Depth moves from midnight naval to brilliant sky blue — the visual experience of ascending from the deep sea to surface light.
#003366
#006994
#40B4E5
#B8E8F0
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text
Ocean Depth Color Palette
#003366 · #006994 · #40B4E5 · #B8E8F0
AAA
WCAG Grade
9.5:1
Contrast Ratio
2,891
Saves
7,654
AI Copies
Use #003366 as the background. Use #006994 as the primary accent. Use #40B4E5 as secondary. Use #B8E8F0 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Ocean Depth — cool, calm, minimal.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Ocean Depth 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: 3.3% | 0, 51, 102 | 100%, 50%, 0%, 60% | 210°, 100%, 20% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 12.2% | 0, 105, 148 | 100%, 29%, 0%, 42% | 197°, 100%, 29% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 39.4% | 64, 180, 229 | 72%, 21%, 0%, 10% | 198°, 76%, 57% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 74.2% | 184, 232, 240 | 23%, 3%, 0%, 6% | 189°, 65%, 83% |
Ocean Depth 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 Ocean Depth palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
#003366 saturated cyan-blue
#006994 saturated cyan-blue
#40B4E5 saturated cyan-blue
#B8E8F0 saturated teal
Ocean Depth 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #B8E8F0 on #003366 |
Aa Sample Text
| 9.51:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #003366 on #B8E8F0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 9.51:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #40B4E5 on #003366 |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.33:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #003366 on #40B4E5 |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.33:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #B8E8F0 on #006994 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.59:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #006994 on #B8E8F0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.59:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #40B4E5 on #006994 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.57:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #006994 on #40B4E5 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.57:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #006994 on #003366 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.07:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #003366 on #006994 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.07:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #B8E8F0 on #40B4E5 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.78:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #40B4E5 on #B8E8F0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.78:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Ocean Depth 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
Marine biologists and underwater photographers have documented this progression of blues. Jacques Cousteau's films popularized the color palette of the deep ocean.
Best Design Use Cases
Deep navy for the primary surface. Mid-ocean blue for interactive elements. Light aqua for highlights. Near-white blue for text.
Industries This Palette Suits
Marine, travel, wellness, technology, water brands.
Colors That Pair Well With Ocean Depth
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.
orange
directly opposite #006994 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
blue
30° beside #006994 — 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 Ocean Depth Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #006994 for small UI elements on #003366 — at 2.1:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Set body text in #B8E8F0 — 9.5:1 against #003366 passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
- Don't use #40B4E5 behind body text — this light tone works better for surfaces, badges and dividers than for reading areas.
How to Implement the Ocean Depth Color Scheme
To use this Ocean Depth 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 #003366 for the main background and #006994 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #B8E8F0 and #003366 is 9.51:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Ocean Depth Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Ocean Depth color palette?
The Ocean Depth palette contains #003366, #006994, #40B4E5, #B8E8F0. 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 Ocean Depth color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #B8E8F0 on #003366 reaches 9.5:1 (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 Ocean Depth palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #B33300, #07248D, #E9EDF2 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 Ocean Depth palette create?
Ocean Depth reads as cool, calm, minimal. Saturated cyan-blue drives the personality, grounded by saturated cyan-blue — a combination that works best when the deep base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Ocean Depth color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Ocean Depth 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 Ocean Depth 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 Ocean Depth's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.