Denim Color Code: #3B638C, RGB, HSL & CMYK

Denim color values

HEX #3B638C

RGB rgb(59, 99, 140)

HSL hsl(210, 41%, 39%)

HSV 210, 58%, 55%

HWB hwb(210 23% 45%)

CMYK 58%, 29%, 0%, 45%

Decimal 3892108

39%HSL lightness (medium-dark)

41%HSL saturation (soft)

210°Hue angle (azure)

0.117Relative luminance

CMYK is a standard screen-to-print conversion. Printed results depend on inks, paper and color profiles.

What is Denim?

“Denim” is a crowd-sourced name from the XKCD Color Survey, in which participants typed names for colors they were shown. It is a popular everyday label rather than an official standard.

Its hue angle of 210° places it in the azure part of the color wheel, with 41% saturation (soft) and 39% lightness (medium-dark). It is a cool color.

Compared with the other blue colors in the Aqeeb Studio library, it is lighter than 28% of them and more saturated than 15% of them.

Its relative luminance is 0.117, which makes it a dark color. That is below the 0.179 crossover point at which black and white text have equal contrast, so white text has the advantage.

Denim counts as a dark color: its HSL lightness is 39% and its relative luminance is 0.117. White text reads comfortably on it (6.26:1 contrast).

Text contrast on Denim

WCAG contrast of white and black text on Denim
Text	Preview	Ratio	AA normal	AA large	AAA normal	AAA large
White text	Sample text	6.26:1 Good	Pass	Pass	Fail	Pass
Black text	Sample text	3.34:1 Limited	Fail	Pass	Fail	Fail

Ratios use the WCAG 2 formula and are truncated, never rounded up. Test any pair with the contrast checker.

Colors that go with Denim

Complementary color

Complementary colors sit directly opposite each other on the color wheel (180° apart). They give the strongest hue contrast, which suits calls to action and accents.

≈ Dirt Brown#8C643B

Analogous colors

Analogous colors are neighbors on the wheel, 30° either side of the base hue. They blend smoothly and are easy to combine in backgrounds, gradients and illustrations.

≈ Dark Cyan#3B8B8C ≈ Dark Slate Blue#3C3B8C

Triadic colors

A triadic scheme uses three hues spaced 120° apart. It is lively yet balanced, and works best when one color leads and the other two act as accents.

≈ Light Plum#8C3B63 ≈ Moss Green#638C3B

Split-complementary colors

Split-complementary keeps the base color and uses the two colors on either side of its complement (150° and 210°). The contrast is strong but gentler than a direct complement.

≈ Light Maroon#8C3C3B ≈ Drab#8C8C3B

Tetradic colors

A tetradic (rectangle) scheme combines two complementary pairs at 0°, 60°, 180° and 240°. It offers variety but needs one dominant color to stay balanced.

≈ Dark Slate Blue#643B8C ≈ Dirt Brown#8C643B ≈ Moss Green#638C3B

Monochromatic variants

Monochromatic variants keep the same hue and saturation and only change lightness, which makes them dependable for UI scales and subtle layered designs.

#111C28#111C28

#263F5A#263F5A

#3B638C#3B638C

#5687B8#5687B8

#89AACD#89AACD

A “≈” before a name means the exact harmony color has no named match, so the link goes to the closest named color.

Tints and shades of Denim

Lighter tints (mixed with white)

Darker shades (mixed with black)

Select any swatch to copy its HEX code. Build longer scales with the tints and shades tool.

Light Navy Blue#2E5A88 Muted Blue#3B719F Dull Blue#49759C Peacock Blue#016795 Deep Sea Blue#015482 Flat Blue#3C73A8 Dusky Blue#475F94 Denim Blue#3B5B92

Where to use Denim

Button, banner and badge backgrounds with white text (6.26:1 contrast)
Large headings, icons and graphics, where a 3:1 contrast ratio is enough
Corporate, finance and software branding
Headers and navigation bars
Charts and dashboards
Links, buttons and primary interface accents

Use Denim in CSS

:root {
  --color-denim: #3B638C;
}

.element {
  color: var(--color-denim);
  background-color: #3B638C;
  border: 2px solid #3B638C;
}

Questions about Denim

What is the HEX code for Denim?

Denim is #3B638C.

What is the RGB value of Denim?

The RGB value of Denim is 59, 99, 140: 59 red, 99 green and 140 blue on a 0–255 scale, written rgb(59, 99, 140) in CSS.

What is the HSL value of Denim?

The HSL value of Denim is 210°, 41%, 39% (hue, saturation, lightness), written hsl(210, 41%, 39%) in CSS.

What is the CMYK value of Denim?

A standard conversion gives about C 58%, M 29%, Y 0%, K 45%. Real print results depend on the inks, paper and color profile, so treat CMYK here as a reference value.

Is Denim a light or dark color?

Denim counts as a dark color: its HSL lightness is 39% and its relative luminance is 0.117. White text reads comfortably on it (6.26:1 contrast).

How does Denim look with white text?

White text on Denim has a contrast ratio of 6.26:1, rated Good. It meets WCAG AA for normal text.

How does Denim look with black text?

Black text on Denim has a contrast ratio of 3.34:1, rated Limited. It does not reach WCAG AA for normal text; use large text only.

What colors go well with Denim?

Dirt Brown is its complementary color, and Dark Cyan sits beside it as an analogous color. Lighter and darker variants of the same hue also work well for monochromatic palettes.

Where can Denim be used?

It suits button, banner and badge backgrounds with white text (6.26:1 contrast); large headings, icons and graphics, where a 3:1 contrast ratio is enough; corporate, finance and software branding.

How do I use Denim in CSS?

Use color: #3B638C; for text, background-color: #3B638C; for fills, or define a custom property such as --color-denim: #3B638C; and reuse it with var(--color-denim).

About this color page

Crowd-sourced name from the XKCD Color Survey (CC0). Values are calculated from the HEX code; color names are labels, not trademarks or standards unless stated. Screens render colors differently, so always check important colors on your own device. See the disclaimer.

Denim Color Code: #3B638C