Royal blue is a rich, deep shade of blue that has long been associated with royalty, prestige, and luxury. In web design, print, and digital applications, knowing the precise RGB values of royal blue can be important for color matching and consistency across platforms. RGB stands for red, green, and blue – the three primary colors used on computers and digital displays to create all other colors. In this article, we will look at the common RGB values used for royal blue.
Definition of Royal Blue
Royal blue refers to a vivid, medium to deep blue shade similar to, or slightly darker than, ultramarine. It differs from bright cobalt blue by having a hint of purple, making it somewhat deeper and richer. The first recorded use of “royal blue” as a color name in English was in 1810.
Traditionally, royal blue has been associated with monarchies and royal families. It remains a popular uniform color for some police and military groups. Royal blue is also one of the official colors used in auto racing competitions.
In addition to its regal connotations, royal blue connotes wealth, success, and authority in business contexts. It is a popular color for luxury brands logos, airline liveries, and financial services companies.
The RGB Color Model
The RGB color model is based on the additive mixture of red, green, and blue light. On computers and other digital devices, each pixel contains a red, green and blue component. The color of the pixel depends on the intensity value of each component on a scale from 0 to 255.
By mixing red, green and blue in different proportions, millions of colors can be reproduced. For example:
| Red | Green | Blue |
| 255 | 0 | 0 |
Produces pure red. While:
| Red | Green | Blue |
| 0 | 255 | 0 |
Produces pure green.
When red, green and blue values are equal, the result is a shade of gray:
| Red | Green | Blue |
| 128 | 128 | 128 |
Produces a medium gray.
Royal Blue RGB Values
There are a few common RGB values used to represent royal blue on digital displays:
| Red | Green | Blue |
| 65 | 105 | 225 |
This is the value for Royal Blue according to the X11 web colors list. It produces a medium brightness royal blue.
| Red | Green | Blue |
| 0 | 35 | 102 |
This darker royal blue is listed as Royal Blue on the CSS3 color list.
| Red | Green | Blue |
| 0 | 0 | 128 |
This is a darker, desaturated royal blue.
| Red | Green | Blue |
| 51 | 49 | 168 |
A muted, slightly grayish royal blue.
So in summary, most RGB royal blue values have a medium to high blue component, with small amounts of red and green. A high blue value gives it that rich, vivid royal blue appearance. The red, green and blue balance affects the exact shade and intensity.
Using Royal Blue in Design
When using royal blue in digital design, keep in mind that color profiles and settings can alter appearance on different devices. Test your royal blue RGB values across different screens.
Royal blue has high contrast against black and white. Use pure black or white text against a royal blue background for readability. Lighten royal blue with white to make a royal blue tint if the contrast is too stark.
Other colors that go well with royal blue in designs include:
| Gold | Ivory | Cream |
| Purple | Magenta | Pink |
Avoid pairing royal blue with reds, oranges or greens that have similar intensities – this creates vibrating color contrasts that are jarring to the eye.
Use royal blue sparingly as an accent color against neutral backgrounds. Large blocks of strong royal blue pigment can be overpowering.
Royal blue darkened into a navy shade works for large backgrounds and corporate identities. Lighten it for childrens’ products, health, and feminine brands.
Matching Real-World Colors to RGB
Converting a real paint or fabric swatch into precise RGB values can be tricky. Here are some tips for digitally matching royal blue colors:
– Use a color picker tool or color matching software. Many provide recommended RGB values based on real paint colors or Pantone colors.
– Scan the real color sample with a high resolution scanner. Use the eyedropper tool in Photoshop or a similar program to sample the royal blue color values.
– Buy a RGB color meter to take color readings from real world samples.
– Manually tweak RGB values in a program like Photoshop until the on-screen color closely resembles the physical swatch.
– Convert websites like Pantone, RAL, or Sherwin Williams’ real color values to digital RGB approximations. There will be variances.
– Print out the RGB royal blue value. Tweak it by hand based on visual comparison to the physical sample.
Matching real colors to RGB values takes practice, patience, and needs confirmation across multiple screens! Allow for slight variances.
Conclusion
Royal blue is a versatile, attractive color that can add sophistication, visual contrast, and high impact when used well in designs. When working with royal blue digitally, keep in mind the most common RGB values span from around R0-65, G0-105, B102-225. Adjust these values to create lighter, darker, or muted variations. Use color pickers, meters and converters to get RGB values from physical samples. With its regal heritage and appealing shade, royal blue is a color sure to reign over many digital projects.
