What color is #172B2A?

#172B2A is a very dark, desaturated cyan, closest to the named color Swamp Thing. It belongs to the black family of colors.

What is the RGB value of #172B2A?

The RGB value is 23, 43, 42: 23 red, 43 green and 42 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.

What is the complementary color of #172B2A?

The complementary color is #2B1718, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.

Is black or white text better on #172B2A?

White text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 1.42:1 and white text 14.84:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.

#172B2A color

#172B2A rgb(23, 43, 42)

Shades of black

The hex color #172B2A is a very dark, desaturated cyan.

In the RGB color model it is made of 9% red, 16.9% green and 16.5% blue (23, 43, 42).

Its hue angle is 177°, with 30% saturation and 13% lightness. For print, the CMYK equivalent is 47% cyan, 0% magenta, 2% yellow and 83% black.

The closest named color is Swamp Thing (#162825), a difference of 1.6 ΔE, which is barely visible.

White text is the more readable choice on this background (contrast 14.84:1).

#172B2A color codes

HEX	`#172B2A`
RGB	`rgb(23, 43, 42)`
RGB percent	`rgb(9%, 16.9%, 16.5%)`
HSL	`hsl(177, 30%, 13%)`
HSV / HSB	`hsv(177, 47%, 17%)`
CMYK	`cmyk(47%, 0%, 2%, 83%)`
CIE LAB	`lab(15.89, -8.37, -1.9)`
CIE LCH	`lch(15.89, 8.58, 192.82)`
CIE XYZ	`xyz(1.635, 2.077, 2.505)`
Decimal	`1518378`
Short hex	`None (no 3-digit form)`

Color harmonies

Colors that go with #172B2A, based on their position on the color wheel.

Complementary

The color opposite on the color wheel (180°). Strongest contrast.

Analogous

Neighbors 30° either side. Calm, natural combinations.

Split complementary

The two colors next to the complement (150° and 210°).

Triadic

Three colors evenly spaced, 120° apart.

Tetradic (square)

Four colors 90° apart.

Shades, tints and tones

Shades (darker, mixed with black)

Tints (lighter, mixed with white)

Tones (mixed with gray)

Contrast and accessibility

Text on #172B2A	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	1.42:1	Fail	Fail	Fail
Sample text	14.84:1	Pass	Pass	Pass

#172B2A as text on	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	14.84:1	Pass	Pass	Pass
Sample text	1.42:1	Fail	Fail	Fail

WCAG 2 asks for 4.5:1 for normal text (AA), 7:1 for AAA, and 3:1 for large text. Check other pairs.

Color blindness simulation

How #172B2A looks to people with the most common types of color vision deficiency.

CSS examples

.background { background-color: #172b2a; }
.text { color: #172b2a; }
.border { border: 2px solid #172b2a; }
.transparent { background-color: rgb(23 43 42 / 50%); }
.gradient { background: linear-gradient(to right, #172b2a, #17222b); }

Background

Text color

Border

Similar colors

Closest common color name: Gunmetal.

Questions

What color is #172B2A?: #172B2A is a very dark, desaturated cyan, closest to the named color Swamp Thing. It belongs to the black family of colors.
What is the RGB value of #172B2A?: The RGB value is 23, 43, 42: 23 red, 43 green and 42 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.
What is the complementary color of #172B2A?: The complementary color is #2B1718, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.
Is black or white text better on #172B2A?: White text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 1.42:1 and white text 14.84:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.