# #188bb9

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

## Values

- Hex: `#188bb9`
- RGB: rgb(24, 139, 185)
- HSL: hsl(197, 77%, 41%)
- OKLCH: oklch(0.599 0.116 231.9)
- Relative luminance: 0.2216
- Nearest named color: steelblue (#4682b4, Δ 3.282) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/steelblue
- Moods: cool, vivid, technical, modern
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/colors/188bb9

## Tints & shades

- Tints (toward white): #1ca0d4, #26ade3, #41b8e6, #5dc2ea, #78cced, #8ed5f0, #a9dff4, #c4e9f7, #dbf1fa, #f6fcfe
- Shades (toward black): #167ea7, #147499, #126687, #0f5875, #0d4e68, #0b4156, #093344, #062532, #051b24, #020e12

## Harmonies

- Complementary: #b94618
- Analogous: #18b996, #183bb9
- Triadic: #b9188b, #8bb918
- Split-complementary: #b9183b, #b99618
- Tetradic: #9618b9, #b94618, #3bb918

## Colors that go with #188bb9

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 #188bb9: 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), Plaid (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/plaid-com), 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 #188bb9: nearly opposite, so it still pops against it, without the vibrating edge of a true complement. Seen in: NASCAR (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/nascar-com), Retro Pop (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/playful#retro-pop), 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 #188bb9's neighbour on the wheel, so the two read as one family — use it for hover states, gradients and secondary surfaces. Seen in: Slate Workspace (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/minimal#slate-workspace), Confluent (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/confluent-io), Elastic (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/elastic-co), HashiCorp (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/hashicorp-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/royalblue
- **Copper** #b87333 [harmony, pool: complementary] — Copper sits directly opposite #188bb9 on the wheel — the strongest contrast one hue can give another, so use it small: a button, a link colour, one highlight. 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
- **Amber** #ffbf00 [pool] — Amber is paired with #188bb9 in 9 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 #188bb9, as the supporting colour. Seen in: Readymag (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/readymag-com), Qualcomm (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/qualcomm-com), Activision (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/activision-com), Unity (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/unity-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/blue
- **Cobalt Blue** #0047ab [pool] — Designers have shipped Cobalt Blue with #188bb9: 7 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
- **Deep Sky Blue** #00bfff [pool] — Designers have shipped Deep Sky Blue with #188bb9: 7 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): 3.87:1 — AA fail, AA-large pass, AAA fail. Fix: AA: text → #167ea7 (4.59:1); AA: background → #1a1a1a (4.5:1); AAA: text → #105f7e (7.09:1)
- On black (#000000): 5.43:1 — AA pass, AA-large pass, AAA fail. Fix: AAA: text → #1ca0d4 (7.03:1)

## 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/188bb9-9cb4c4-df4e6b-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: "#188bb9" })`), `check_contrast` (with fixes), `generate_palette` (explore around locks), `suggest_palette` (mood/industry → curated-first), `list_palettes`.