# #138db9

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

## Values

- Hex: `#138db9`
- RGB: rgb(19, 141, 185)
- HSL: hsl(196, 81%, 40%)
- OKLCH: oklch(0.603 0.116 230)
- Relative luminance: 0.2269
- Nearest named color: steelblue (#4682b4, Δ 3.722) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/steelblue
- Moods: cool, vivid, technical, modern
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/colors/138db9

## Tints & shades

- Tints (toward white): #16a2d4, #21b3e8, #39bbea, #54c4ed, #70cef0, #8cd7f3, #a7e1f6, #bee9f8, #daf2fb, #f6fcfe
- Shades (toward black): #117fa6, #107498, #0e6686, #0d5b78, #0b4d66, #093f53, #073545, #052733, #041c25, #020e12

## Harmonies

- Complementary: #b93f13
- Analogous: #13b992, #133ab9
- Triadic: #b9138d, #8db913
- Split-complementary: #b9133a, #b99213
- Tetradic: #9213b9, #b93f13, #3ab913

## Colors that go with #138db9

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 #138db9: softer than #000 and cool enough to feel like part of the same palette. Seen in: Beach Hut (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/light#beach-hut), Auth0 (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/auth0-com), Lido (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/vivid#lido), Dusty Blue (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#dusty-blue). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/charcoal
- **Crimson** #dc143c [harmony, pool: split] — Crimson is a split-complement of #138db9: nearly opposite, so it still pops against it, without the vibrating edge of a true complement. Seen in: Retro Pop (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/playful#retro-pop), NASCAR (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/nascar-com), Wendy's (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/wendys-com), Redfin (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/redfin-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/crimson
- **Royal Blue** #4169e1 [harmony, pool: analogous] — Royal Blue is #138db9's neighbour on the wheel, so the two read as one family — use it for hover states, gradients and secondary surfaces. Seen in: Confluent (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/confluent-io), Elastic (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/elastic-co), Slate Workspace (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/minimal#slate-workspace), HashiCorp (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/hashicorp-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/royalblue
- **Amber** #ffbf00 [pool] — Amber is paired with #138db9 in 8 real palettes, including Beach Hut and Wired's brand system, as the supporting colour. Seen in: Beach Hut (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/light#beach-hut), Wired (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/wired-com), Lemon Squeezy (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/lemonsqueezy-com), McDonald's (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/mcdonalds-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/amber
- **Blue** #0000ff [pool] — 4 real palettes, including Readymag's brand system and Qualcomm's brand system put Blue beside #138db9, as the supporting colour. Seen in: Readymag (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/readymag-com), Qualcomm (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/qualcomm-com), Unity (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/unity-com), Activision (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/activision-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/blue
- **Cobalt Blue** #0047ab [pool] — Designers have shipped Cobalt Blue with #138db9: 6 real palettes, including Hershey's's brand system and Glacier, as the supporting colour. Seen in: Hershey's (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/hersheys-com), Glacier (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#glacier), General Mills (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/generalmills-com), Intel (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/intel-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/cobalt
- **Copper** #b87333 [harmony, pool: split] — Copper is a split-complement of #138db9: nearly opposite, so it still pops against it, without the vibrating edge of a true complement. Seen in: Notion (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/notion), Dusk (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#dusk), Riverbed (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/muted#riverbed). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/copper
- **Deep Sky Blue** #00bfff [pool] — Designers have shipped Deep Sky Blue with #138db9: 8 real palettes, including Telegram's brand system and Deep Water, as the lead colour. Seen in: Telegram (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/telegram-org), Deep Water (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/dark#deep-water), Astro (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/astro-build), Patreon (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/patreon-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/deepskyblue

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

- On white (#ffffff): 3.79:1 — AA fail, AA-large pass, AAA fail. Fix: AA: text → #117fa6 (4.56:1); AA: background → #1a1a1a (4.59:1); AAA: text → #0d5f7d (7.12:1)
- On black (#000000): 5.54:1 — AA pass, AA-large pass, AAA fail. Fix: AAA: text → #16a2d4 (7.15:1)

## Curated palettes containing it

- **Launch Orange** (bold, warm, vivid, modern) — #ea580c, #1c1917, #0891b2, #ffffff — Orange is the rarest SaaS primary, which is exactly why it stands out on a pricing page; cyan keeps it from feeling like a hardware store. — tool: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/new/ea580c-1c1917-0891b2-ffffff — collection: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/bold

## Fonts for this mood

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

## Palette tool

Open this color locked as the lead with four explored companions: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/new/138db9-9cb5c4-df4e6e-1f232d-e9f1ef?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: "#138db9" })`), `check_contrast` (with fixes), `generate_palette` (explore around locks), `suggest_palette` (mood/industry → curated-first), `list_palettes`.