Dark blue is a deep shade of the primary color blue. When dark blue contains more black pigment and less blue pigment, it can appear almost black in certain lighting conditions. Determining the specific point where dark blue becomes almost black depends on perspective, but generally dark blues with very low luminance and saturation values near black can be considered almost black.
Defining Dark Blue
Blue is one of the three primary colors. The color blue includes any hue between violet and green on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light with wavelengths between 450 and 495 nanometers.
Dark blue is a deep, rich shade of blue with low lightness and vividness. There are no precise specifications for what qualifies a shade of blue as dark blue, but in general dark blues have low luminosity, brightness, and reflectiveness. This makes them appear deeper and richer than lighter blues.
Dark Blue Hex Color Codes
On the web, specific shades of dark blue can be defined using hexadecimal color codes. Here are some examples of popular dark blue hex codes:
| Hex Code | Dark Blue Shade |
| #000080 | Navy blue |
| #00008B | Dark midnight blue |
| #0000CD | Medium blue |
| #0000FF | Blue |
| #1E90FF | Dodger blue |
| #2F4F4F | Dark slate gray |
These hex codes allow very specific shades of blue to be rendered accurately on screens. Lower luminosity codes like #000080 for navy blue are very dark blues closer to black.
Defining Black
Black is technically not a color but rather the absence of visible light. Black objects absorb almost all light that shines on them in the visible spectrum.
In color theory, black has 0 saturation and the lowest lightness level of 0%. On web colors, the hexadecimal code for the darkest black is #000000. This complete absence of light makes #000000 appear completely black on screens.
True black as the total absence of light only occurs in rare astronomical bodies like black holes. Most blacks actually contain some deep purples or blues. But for simplicity, the darkest neutral gray shades are generally also considered black for color purposes.
Dark Blue Close to Black
For a dark blue to be almost black, it generally needs to have very low luminance and saturation approaching black. However, there is no defined cutoff where a dark blue is officially almost black.
Here are some guidelines for dark blues near black:
– Luminosity value under 10-20%
– Saturation/chroma value under 10-20%
– Total reflectance under 5%
– Hex code under #141414 or #0C0C0C
These darkest dark blues may appear black or nearly black under certain lighting conditions. But with light directly shining on them, very faint blue tones may be perceptible.
Common Almost Black Blues
Here are some common shades of dark blue that can appear almost black:
| Color Name | Hex Code |
| Midnight blue | #191970 |
| Dark blue | #00008B |
| Navy blue | #000080 |
| Prussian blue | #003153 |
Midnight blue is an extremely dark blue that can be easy to confuse with black, especially in low lighting. Navy blue and dark blue are similarly dark shades. Prussian blue is a classic deep blue-black hue.
All these colors have hex codes indicating very low luminosity and saturation near pure black. But they maintain a subtle blue tone that distinguishes them from true neutral blacks.
Dark Blue vs. Black Comparisons
Here are some direct visual comparisons of dark blues against true black:
| Navy Blue #000080 |
Black #000000 |
| Midnight Blue #191970 |
Black #000000 |
While the dark blues are very low luminance, side-by-side with true black some subtle blue tone is visible. But in isolation, these dark blues can easily be mistaken for black in poor lighting.
Lighting Effects
The lighting conditions in an environment can significantly affect how dark a dark blue may appear. Here are some examples:
– In bright direct sunlight, a dark blue will appear lighter and its blue tones are more obvious.
– In a fully lit room, dark blues are still clearly distinguishable from black.
– In a dim room, a dark blue may be barely differentiable from a black.
– In a fully dark room, even midnight blue is indistinguishable from black.
So a dark blue that appears clearly blue in daylight can seem black in a dark room. Lighting is very important for observing the nuances between dark blues close to black.
Use Cases
Some uses of very dark blues close to black:
– Fashion and apparel – Deeper, richer dark blue clothing that can appear black in some lighting
– Graphic design – Using dark blue for high contrast against lighter colors
– Industrial design – As a substitute for black that adds subtle blue tones and depth
– Paints and coatings – Dark navy blues as an alternative to black
– Pigments and dyes – Midnight blues, navy blues, and similar shades as very deep colored pigments
Conclusion
Dark blue contains more blue pigment than black, which has no color. But very dark blues with minimal luminosity and saturation can appear black in some conditions. There is no definitive point where dark blue becomes “almost black” – but deep shades like midnight blue, navy blue, and dark midnight blue are good examples that can be indistinguishable from black in some contexts. Lighting conditions significantly affect how the blue tones in these very dark blues are perceived. So a dark blue may appear clearly blue under bright light but then look black in a dark room. When using the darkest shades of blue, be aware of lighting effects that can cause them to appear almost black.
