Blue color · XKCD survey name
Dusty Blue Color Code: #5A86AD
Dusty Blue is a medium, soft azure color with the hexadecimal value #5A86AD. In RGB it is 90, 134, 173 and in HSL it is 208°, 34%, 52%. Black text reads best on it (5.44:1 contrast).
Dusty Blue color values
#5A86AD
rgb(90, 134, 173)
hsl(208, 34%, 52%)
208, 48%, 68%
hwb(208 35% 32%)
48%, 23%, 0%, 32%
5932717
CMYK is a standard screen-to-print conversion. Printed results depend on inks, paper and color profiles.
What is Dusty Blue?
“Dusty Blue” 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 208° places it in the azure part of the color wheel, with 34% saturation (soft) and 52% lightness (medium). It is a cool color.
Compared with the other blue colors in the Aqeeb Studio library, it is lighter than 63% of them and more saturated than 7% of them.
Its relative luminance is 0.222, which makes it a mid-tone color. That is above the 0.179 crossover point at which black and white text have equal contrast, so black text has the advantage.
Dusty Blue counts as a light color: its HSL lightness is 52% and its relative luminance is 0.222. Black text reads best on it (5.44:1 contrast).
Text contrast on Dusty Blue
| Text | Preview | Ratio | AA normal | AA large | AAA normal | AAA large |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White text | Sample text | 3.85:1 Limited | Fail | Pass | Fail | Fail |
| Black text | Sample text | 5.44:1 Good | Pass | Pass | Fail | Pass |
Ratios use the WCAG 2 formula and are truncated, never rounded up. Test any pair with the contrast checker.
Colors that go with Dusty Blue
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Dusty Blue
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.
Similar colors
Where to use Dusty Blue
- Card, highlight and section backgrounds with dark text (5.44:1 contrast with black)
- Large headings, icons and graphics, where a 3:1 contrast ratio is enough
- Links, buttons and primary interface accents
- Corporate, finance and software branding
- Headers and navigation bars
- Charts and dashboards
Use Dusty Blue in CSS
:root {
--color-dusty-blue: #5A86AD;
}
.element {
color: var(--color-dusty-blue);
background-color: #5A86AD;
border: 2px solid #5A86AD;
}Questions about Dusty Blue
What is the HEX code for Dusty Blue?
Dusty Blue is #5A86AD.
What is the RGB value of Dusty Blue?
The RGB value of Dusty Blue is 90, 134, 173: 90 red, 134 green and 173 blue on a 0–255 scale, written rgb(90, 134, 173) in CSS.
What is the HSL value of Dusty Blue?
The HSL value of Dusty Blue is 208°, 34%, 52% (hue, saturation, lightness), written hsl(208, 34%, 52%) in CSS.
What is the CMYK value of Dusty Blue?
A standard conversion gives about C 48%, M 23%, Y 0%, K 32%. Real print results depend on the inks, paper and color profile, so treat CMYK here as a reference value.
Is Dusty Blue a light or dark color?
Dusty Blue counts as a light color: its HSL lightness is 52% and its relative luminance is 0.222. Black text reads best on it (5.44:1 contrast).
How does Dusty Blue look with white text?
White text on Dusty Blue has a contrast ratio of 3.85:1, rated Limited. It does not reach WCAG AA for normal text; use large text only.
How does Dusty Blue look with black text?
Black text on Dusty Blue has a contrast ratio of 5.44:1, rated Good. It meets WCAG AA for normal text.
What colors go well with Dusty Blue?
Puce is its complementary color, and Cadet Blue sits beside it as an analogous color. Lighter and darker variants of the same hue also work well for monochromatic palettes.
Where can Dusty Blue be used?
It suits card, highlight and section backgrounds with dark text (5.44:1 contrast with black); large headings, icons and graphics, where a 3:1 contrast ratio is enough; links, buttons and primary interface accents.
How do I use Dusty Blue in CSS?
Use color: #5A86AD; for text, background-color: #5A86AD; for fills, or define a custom property such as --color-dusty-blue: #5A86AD; and reuse it with var(--color-dusty-blue).
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.