Teal is a bluish-green color that sits between green and blue on the color wheel. While teal contains both blue and green pigments, there is some debate over whether it should be classified as a shade of green or considered its own distinct hue. This article will examine the origins of teal, how it relates to other colors, and whether it technically qualifies as a type of green.
The origins of the teal color name
The first recorded use of the word “teal” to describe a blue-green color was in the early 17th century. It was derived from the common teal, a species of duck found in Eurasia that has striking blue-green feathers on its head and wings. The word comes from the Middle English “tele” meaning hen teal. Over time, the name of this duck was transferred to the similar color of its plumage.
Early in its history, teal was sometimes referred to as “sea-green” and was considered a shade of green. However, as more synthetic pigments became available in the 18th and 19th centuries, teal emerged as a distinct intermediate hue between green and blue. By the 20th century, teal was considered a color in its own right and was included as one of the basic web colors.
Teal’s relationship to other colors
On the traditional RYB color wheel used by artists and designers, teal sits between green and blue. It contains qualities of both colors but also has enough uniqueness to stand apart.
| Color | RYB Composition |
| Green | Yellow + Blue |
| Teal | Green + Blue |
| Blue | Red + Blue |
As this table demonstrates, teal arises when green and blue pigments are combined. It sits adjacent to green but leans closer toward the blue side of the spectrum.
On modern digital color wheels, teal occupies a similar transitional position:
| Color | RGB Values |
| Green | 0, 128, 0 |
| Teal | 0, 128, 128 |
| Blue | 0, 0, 255 |
The RGB values show that teal balances contributions from the green and blue channels. This places it between green and blue in the additive color system as well.
Based on its position on both types of color wheels, teal can be considered an intermediate tertiary color related to but distinct from pure green and pure blue.
Qualities of the teal color
What are some of the specific characteristics that set teal apart from other colors? Here are a few key qualities:
– Cool in tone: Teal has blue undertones that give it a cool, calming effect. This contrasts with the warmth of yellow-based green.
– Desaturated: Teal is less saturated or intense than primary colors like green and blue. Its low saturation differentiates it from bold greens and blues.
– Aquatic: The blue tint evokes aquatic hues, relating teal to bodies of water, from the ocean to swimming pools.
– Retro: Teal rose to popularity in the 1950s and 60s, so it has a mid-century retro appeal.
– Androgynous: Sitting between masculine blue and feminine green, teal has an androgynous quality. It is popular in both men’s and women’s fashion.
– Venturesome: Teal has an unconventional spirit that suits creative trailblazers. Brands use it to convey innovation.
– Sophisticated: Despite its retro vibe, teal also reads as refined and elegant in modern contexts.
Teal takes desirable traits from green and blue but combines them in a subtle, sophisticated way that is wholly its own. This melding of characteristics gives teal a versatile appeal.
Classification of teal in color systems
Given its balance of green and blue qualities, how do various color classification systems categorize teal? Here is where it lands in some major color models:
– Natural Color System: Stands alone as one of the pure hues
– Munsell Color System: Splits the difference between green and blue
– Boutet Color System: Categorized as a variety of green (vert d’eau)
– Pantone: Considered a shade of green in earlier editions, but a separate hue called Teal Blue in more recent editions
– RAL Colors: RAL 5018 Turquoise Blue sits in the green group
– Crayola Crayons: Part of the green family (first appeared in 1990 as Teal Blue)
As these examples illustrate, teal falls somewhere between green and blue in most color models. Early systems leaned toward grouping teal with greens, but more modern classifications recognize it as visually distinct from pure green. Pantone’s shift in classifications reflects this evolving viewpoint.
Is teal more green or blue?
Given its position between green and blue, does teal share more characteristics with one or the other? Let’s compare it to pure green and blue hues:
| Color | Green traits | Blue traits |
|---|---|---|
| Green | Yellow-leaning, warm, grassy, high saturation | None |
| Teal | Hint of warmth, medium saturation | Cool, aquatic, low saturation |
| Blue | None | Cool, soothing, high saturation |
While teal exhibits some yellow-green traits like a touch of warmth and moderate saturation, it shares more qualities with blue, particularly in terms of its coolness, aqua notes, and low saturation.
Visually, most shades of teal lean closer to blue than green. The blue tint usually predominates over faint yellow undertones. This gives teal an overall feeling that aligns more closely with blue.
Examples of teal pigments and dyes
To understand teal’s technical qualities, let’s examine some specific pigments and dyes used to produce it:
– Viridian: A bluish artificially prepared hydrated chromium oxide popular with artists.
– Cobalt teal blue: An inorganic pigment made by combining cobalt and tin oxides. Known for its stability.
– Phthalo teal: An organic pigment with excellent tinting strength. Has a more green bias than viridian or cobalt teal blue.
– Teal blue cyan: A newer pigment discovered in 1994. Made from copper phthalocyanine with enhanced green tint.
– Teal dyes: Dyestuffs like quinoline blue, a variety of cyan, help produce teal shades. Found in cloth, plastics, and printing.
Studying these pigments that produce teal tones shows an emphasis on blue-leaning rather than pure green chemistry. While ingredients vary in exact hue, most err toward the blue side of teal’s spectrum.
Is teal more similar to green or blue for the human eye?
Beyond its technical specifications, does teal register more as green or blue to the human eye? Visual perception studies provide some insight.
According to opponent process theory, the eye’s photoreceptors code color into red-green and blue-yellow opponent channels. In the red-green channel, teal is closer to green. But in the blue-yellow channel, it strongly activates blue receptors.
This suggests teal occupies something of a middle ground. But its strong blue signal matches its position closer to blue wavelengths in the visible spectrum.
So while teal stimulates both green and blue photoreceptors to some degree, the overall perception is skewed toward blue due to a stronger response in the blue-yellow channel. This matches teal’s technical similarity to blue pigments.
Uses and associations of the color teal
To further illustrate teal’s green-blue balance, let’s examine some of its most common uses and associations:
| Use/Association | Green Connection | Blue Connection |
|---|---|---|
| Water | Algae, shallow | Ocean, depth |
| Nature | Sea foam, peacock feathers | Tropical fish, butterflies |
| Gemstones | Emerald | Aquamarine |
| Design | Balance with warm accents | Tranquil base color |
Here we see teal’s green traits lending a natural, earthy quality, while its blue traits provide cooling balance. Overall, the blue characteristics come through more strongly in teal’s typical applications.
Psychological effects of the color teal
What psychological impressions does teal give? Researchers have studied how this tertiary shade is perceived:
– Soothing: Teal’s blue tones evoke calming, stress-reducing reactions like those triggered by blue hues. Provides a centering effect.
– Spiritual: Linked to psychic energy, meditation, and intuition thanks to associations with water and sky.
– Feminine: Despite its use in men’s fashion, teal skews feminine due to connections with blue and avoidance of bold greens.
– Youthful: Teal’s prominence in the 60s and 90s gives it a young, modern vibe compared to traditional blues.
– Balance: Occupying the space between two primaries, teal promotes equilibrium between competing needs.
– Sophistication: More refined and upscale than primary greens and blues, evoking quality and prestige.
Once again, we see the balance of green and blue symbolism in teal’s psychological profile. But cool, feminine blue qualities prevail overall in the emotions and meanings people attach to teal.
Conclusion
When evaluating the technical specifications, visual perception, uses, and psychological associations of teal, it becomes clear it skews closer to blue than green in most respects. While teal has some yellow-green qualities giving it touches of warmth and earthiness, its primary pigments, visual response, applications, and emotional resonances align more strongly with blue.
Most color systems have recognized teal’s uniqueness and graduated toward classifying it as a distinct tertiary rather than a subcategory of green. Its position between green and blue is apparent, but teal ultimately stands apart as its own hue.
So in summary, while teal maintains links to its green heritage, it has evolved over the centuries into a separate color family radiating more bluish qualities. When searching for the ideal teal, options closer to aqua blue generally beat out yellow-tinged greens. Teal still contains hints of green, but at its essence, teal is more blue.
