# #042b4e

A color — cool, vivid, dark, technical, modern, luxury, bold. Deterministic analysis from BrandSweets (no inference).

## Values

- Hex: `#042b4e`
- RGB: rgb(4, 43, 78)
- HSL: hsl(208, 90%, 16%)
- OKLCH: oklch(0.285 0.076 250.6)
- Relative luminance: 0.023
- Nearest named color: Midnight Ocean (#0f2d4d, Δ 1.185) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/midnight-ocean
- Moods: cool, vivid, dark, technical, modern, luxury, bold
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/colors/042b4e

## Tints & shades

- Tints (toward white): #064174, #08569b, #0a6fc7, #0c84ed, #2f98f4, #55abf6, #7cbef8, #a8d4fa, #cfe7fc, #f5fafe
- Shades (toward black): #042949, #042644, #03203a, #031e35, #031b30, #02182c, #021627, #02101d, #010e18, #010b13

## Harmonies

- Complementary: #4e2604
- Analogous: #044e4b, #04074e
- Triadic: #4e042b, #2b4e04
- Split-complementary: #4e0407, #4e4b04
- Tetradic: #4b044e, #4e2604, #074e04

## Colors that go with #042b4e

Named partners (harmony on the OKLCH wheel, co-occurrence in curated palettes and brand systems, and the neutrals that carry it), best first:

- **Charcoal** #36454f [role, pool] — Charcoal is the text near-black for #042b4e: softer than #000 and cool enough to feel like part of the same palette. Seen in: Plaid (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/plaid-com), CeraVe (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/cerave-com), Microsoft (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/microsoft-com), Volkswagen (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/vw-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/charcoal
- **Crimson** #dc143c [harmony, pool: triadic] — Crimson completes a triad with #042b4e — three hues spaced evenly round the wheel, the classic way to get energy into a palette without a clash. Seen in: Frost & Ember (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/bold#frost-and-ember), Nintendo (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/nintendo-com), Marvel (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/marvel-com), Casper Sleep (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/casper-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/crimson
- **Rust** #b7410e [harmony, pool: split] — Rust is a split-complement of #042b4e: nearly opposite, so it still pops against it, without the vibrating edge of a true complement. Seen in: IHG (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/ihg-com), Magazine Ochre (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/editorial#magazine-ochre), Gallery (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/editorial#gallery), Trailhead (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/warm#trailhead). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/rust
- **Sienna** #a0522d [harmony, pool: complementary] — Sienna sits directly opposite #042b4e on the wheel — the strongest contrast one hue can give another, so use it small: a button, a link colour, one highlight. Seen in: Olive Grove (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/muted#olive-grove), Woodsmoke (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/dark#woodsmoke), BrandSweets (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/brandsweets), Harvest (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/warm#harvest). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/sienna
- **Slate Blue** #6a5acd [harmony, pool: analogous] — Slate Blue is #042b4e's neighbour on the wheel, so the two read as one family — use it for hover states, gradients and secondary surfaces. Seen in: Marvel (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/marvel-com), Superhuman (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/superhuman-com), Indigo SaaS (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/modern#indigo-saas), GitLab (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/gitlab). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/slateblue
- **Teal** #008080 [harmony, pool: analogous] — Teal is #042b4e's neighbour on the wheel, so the two read as one family — use it for hover states, gradients and secondary surfaces. Seen in: Alpine (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#alpine), Lufthansa (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/lufthansa-com), N26 (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/n26-com), Clinic (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/clean#clinic). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/teal
- **Amber** #ffbf00 [pool] — Amber is paired with #042b4e in 8 real palettes, including Beach Hut and Southwest Airlines's brand system, as the supporting colour. Seen in: Beach Hut (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/light#beach-hut), Southwest Airlines (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/southwest-com), McDonald's (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/mcdonalds-com), Wikipedia (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/wikipedia-org). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/amber
- **Blue** #0000ff [pool] — 19 real palettes, including Monzo's brand system and Sketch's brand system put Blue beside #042b4e, as the accent. Seen in: Monzo (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/monzo-com), Sketch (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/sketch-com), Readymag (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/readymag-com), Headspace (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/headspace-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/blue

## Contrast (WCAG 2.x, as text)

- On white (#ffffff): 14.38:1 — AA pass, AA-large pass, AAA pass
- On black (#000000): 1.46:1 — AA fail, AA-large fail, AAA fail. Fix: AA: text → #0b77d5 (4.61:1); AA: background → #919191 (4.56:1); AAA: text → #349af4 (7.07:1); AAA: background → #b5b5b5 (7.01:1)

## Brands using this color

- **Plaid** — secondary #02294b (Δ 0.854) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/plaid-com
- **Skechers** — primary #062849 (Δ 1.22) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/skechers-com
- **KLM** — primary #002746 (Δ 1.956) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/klm-com

## Fonts for this mood

- technical: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/mood/technical
- modern: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/mood/modern
- luxury: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/mood/luxury
- bold: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/mood/bold

## Palette tool

Open this color locked as the lead with four explored companions: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/new/042b4e-9cadc4-df4e51-1f212d-e9f1f1?lock=0&style=vibrant
(Humans lock/regenerate in the tool; the URL is the state — read `lock=` back to see what they kept.)

## Connect an agent

Point any MCP client at the BrandSweets colors endpoint for the same engine:

- Endpoint: https://mcp.brandsweets.com/colors/mcp
- Tools: `analyze_color` (e.g. `analyze_color({ color: "#042b4e" })`), `check_contrast` (with fixes), `generate_palette` (explore around locks), `suggest_palette` (mood/industry → curated-first), `list_palettes`.