# #3c81aa

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

## Values

- Hex: `#3c81aa`
- RGB: rgb(60, 129, 170)
- HSL: hsl(202, 48%, 45%)
- OKLCH: oklch(0.577 0.094 237.6)
- Relative luminance: 0.1956
- Nearest named color: steelblue (#4682b4, Δ 1.872) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/steelblue
- Moods: cool, modern
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/colors/3c81aa

## Tints & shades

- Tints (toward white): #4290bd, #599dc5, #6ca8cb, #7fb3d2, #95c1da, #a8cce1, #bbd7e7, #cee2ee, #e5eff6, #f7fbfc
- Shades (toward black): #36769b, #316a8c, #2c5f7d, #26536d, #21485e, #1b3a4b, #152e3c, #10232d, #0b171e, #050c0f

## Harmonies

- Complementary: #aa643c
- Analogous: #3caa9b, #3c4aaa
- Triadic: #aa3c81, #81aa3c
- Split-complementary: #aa3c4a, #aa9b3c
- Tetradic: #9b3caa, #aa643c, #4aaa3c

## Colors that go with #3c81aa

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 #3c81aa: 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), Campus (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/friendly#campus). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/charcoal
- **Copper** #b87333 [harmony, pool: complementary] — Copper sits directly opposite #3c81aa 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), Riverbed (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/muted#riverbed), Dusk (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#dusk), Atelier (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/elegant#atelier). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/copper
- **Amber** #ffbf00 [pool] — Amber is paired with #3c81aa 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 Activision's brand system and Qualcomm's brand system put Blue beside #3c81aa, as the accent. Seen in: Activision (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/activision-com), Qualcomm (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/qualcomm-com), Readymag (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/readymag-com), Pixar (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/pixar-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/blue
- **Cobalt Blue** #0047ab [pool] — Designers have shipped Cobalt Blue with #3c81aa: 8 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), Fintech Trust (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#fintech-trust), General Mills (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/generalmills-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/cobalt
- **Crimson** #dc143c [pool] — Crimson is paired with #3c81aa in 15 real palettes, including Retro Pop and Wendy's's brand system, as the lead colour. Seen in: Retro Pop (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/playful#retro-pop), Wendy's (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/wendys-com), NASCAR (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/nascar-com), Redfin (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/redfin-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/crimson
- **Deep Sky Blue** #00bfff [pool] — Designers have shipped Deep Sky Blue with #3c81aa: 5 real palettes, including Deep Water and Telegram's brand system, as the lead colour. Seen in: Deep Water (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/dark#deep-water), Telegram (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/telegram-org), Astro (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/astro-build), Venmo (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/venmo-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/deepskyblue
- **Denim** #1560bd [pool] — Designers have shipped Denim with #3c81aa: 15 real palettes, including Discover's brand system and American Express's brand system, as the supporting colour. Seen in: Discover (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/discover-com), American Express (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/americanexpress-com), Capital One (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/capitalone-com), Linkedin (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/linkedin-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/denim

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

- On white (#ffffff): 4.27:1 — AA fail, AA-large pass, AAA fail. Fix: AA: text → #397ca2 (4.59:1); AA: background → #0d0d0d (4.55:1); AAA: text → #2a5c79 (7.23:1)
- On black (#000000): 4.91:1 — AA pass, AA-large pass, AAA fail. Fix: AAA: text → #599dc5 (7.05:1)

## Curated palettes containing it

- **Beach Hut** (summer, light, clean, cool) — #2e86ab, #f6bd60, #f28482, #fbfcfd, #1b2a38 — Sea blue with sun-bleached yellow and a coral — striped-canvas summer, softened so it works on a screen. — tool: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/new/2e86ab-f6bd60-f28482-fbfcfd-1b2a38 — collection: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/summer

## Fonts for this mood

- 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/3c81aa-9cb1c4-df4e5f-1f222d-e9f1f0?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: "#3c81aa" })`), `check_contrast` (with fixes), `generate_palette` (explore around locks), `suggest_palette` (mood/industry → curated-first), `list_palettes`.