Here are a few different ways Blue can work with other colors.
From darkest to lightest, the oranges shown with each blue swatch in the above image are:
Hex #FFA500 | RGB 255,165,0 (a golden orange; SVG color keyword & CSS color keyword orange)Hex #FF8000 | RGB 255,128,0 (medium orange)Hex #FF4500 | RGB 255,69,0 (orange red; SVG color keyword orangered)Hex #C83200 | RGB 200,50,0 (a dark orange)Numbers: Hex #FF7F27 | RGB 255,127,39 (a peachy orange)
The blues, from darker to lighter are:
Dark blues and medium shades of blue symbolize importance, confidence, power, intelligence, stability, unity, and conservatism. By adding some orange to your predominantly dark blue palette, you introduce some warmth and energy that can keep your palette from being too stilted or overpowering. Blue is a cool color moving to warm as you add the purplish tones, while yellow is a warm color on the other side of the color wheel. To avoid unpleasant vibrations, avoid using in equal amounts. Enliven your blue with a splash of yellow (or calm your yellow with a dash of blue).
From darkest to lightest, the yellow shown with each blue swatch in the above image are:
Cadium Yellow: Hex #FF9912 | RGB 255,153,18 (a warm, brownish yellow)Gold: Hex #FFD700 | RGB 255,215,0 (SVG color keyword gold)Numbers: Hex #FFFF00 | RGB 255,255,0 (SVG/CSS color keyword yellow)
The blues are:
Colors that push to the violet-purple side of blue can add a touch of mystery, hints of femininity. It adds warmth to the cool blue. In addition to its calming attributes, this darker shade of blue might carry the symbolism of green, such as balance, harmony, and stability. It gets a bit of warmth and energy when paired with brownish or reddish shades of orange. Brown is a natural, down-to-earth neutral color. Red and cyan are opposites on the color wheel with high contrast, but they aren’t necessarily a great combination. Moving from red to orange and darker blues provides a more pleasing palette.
From darkest to lightest, the red-orange shown with each blue swatch in the above image are:
Deep Orange Red: Hex #CD3700 | RGB 205,55,0Cadmium Orange: Hex #FF6103 | RGB 255,97,3Numbers: Red Hex #FF0000 | RGB 255,0,0 (SVG/CSS color keyword red)
The blues are:
Darker shades of blue denote importance, confidence, power, authority, intelligence, stability, unity, and conservatism. Red is another power color, but it grabs attention more than blue. Yellow adds some brightness and joy. Using equal amounts of each color would make it childlike (think primary colors), like example #1. However, if you only use small doses of the red and yellow (or nearby colors) with a primarily dark blue color scheme, it’s pretty suitable for adult projects that you don’t want to appear too serious.
