Color swatch image showing Non-Photo Blue (#A4DDED) with RGB(164,221,237) values

Non-Photo Blue (#A4DDED) Color Meaning and Information

Everything you need to know about Non-Photo Blue (#A4DDED) including values, color harmonies, shades, meanings, and applications in design, branding, and everyday visuals.

Non-Photo Blue (#A4DDED) Color Information

Non-Photo Blue (#A4DDED) RGB value is (164, 221, 237). The hex color red value is 164, green is 221, and blue is 237. Its HSL format shows a hue of 193°, saturation of 67 percent, and lightness of 79 percent. The CMYK process values are 31 percent, 7 percent, 0 percent, 7 percent.

Non-Photo Blue
#A4DDED
rgb(164, 221, 237)
ColorMean
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Non-Photo Blue (#A4DDED) Color Meaning

Non-Photo Blue (#A4DDED) floats with technical utility, archival transparency, and soft clarity. Non-Photo Blue (#A4DDED) earned its name from pre-digital drafting, where it was used for notes that wouldn’t reproduce in photocopies or blueprints. Today, it symbolizes behind-the-scenes intelligence—guides, grids, and gentle prompts that support without dominating. Psychologically, Non-Photo Blue (#A4DDED) reduces cognitive load through visual humility. Light blues in this range are shown to enhance reading comprehension when used for marginalia or UI hints. It’s not a focal point; it’s a scaffold. Designers use it for placeholder text, wireframes, and collaborative annotations because it recedes just enough to stay helpful. Historically, this cyan-leaning blue was a pragmatic innovation in engineering and publishing. Its specific wavelength fell outside the sensitivity range of early photocopiers—making it invisible in reproduction. That functional origin now translates into digital metaphors: the “invisible hand” of good design, the quiet infrastructure of collaboration. Symbolically, Non-Photo Blue (#A4DDED) stands for humble utility. It is the color of process, not product—of sketches before launch, of notes before final copy. In educational or software contexts, it signals scaffolding: temporary support that empowers independence. It doesn’t seek credit; it enables clarity.

Color Conversion

Convert Non-Photo Blue (#A4DDED) across different color models and formats. These conversions help designers work seamlessly between digital and print media, ensuring this color maintains its intended appearance across RGB screens, CMYK printers, and HSL color manipulations.

HEX
#A4DDED
RGB
rgb(164, 221, 237)
HSL
hsl(193°, 67%, 79%)
CMYK
cmyk(31%, 7%, 0%, 7%)
HSV
hsv(193°, 31%, 93%)
XYZ
56.4524 65.7198 89.8306
Yxy
65.7198 0.2663 0.3100
Hunter Lab
81.0677 -4.5314 -4.3663
CIE-Lab
84.8533 -14.4204 -13.6942

RGB Values & CMYK Values

RGB Values

Red164 / 255 (64%)
64%
Green221 / 255 (87%)
87%
Blue237 / 255 (93%)
93%

CMYK Values

Cyan31 / 100 (31%)
31%
Magenta7 / 100 (7%)
Yellow0 / 100 (0%)
Key (Black)7 / 100 (7%)

Color Variations

Non-Photo Blue (#A4DDED) harmonies come to life through carefully balanced shades, tints, and tones, giving this color depth and flexibility across light and dark variations. Shades add richness, tints bring an airy softness, and tones soften intensity, making it easy to pair in clean, modern palettes.

Color Harmonies

Non-Photo Blue (#A4DDED) harmonies create beautiful relationships with other colors based on their position on the color wheel. Each harmony type offers unique design possibilities, enabling cohesive and visually appealing color schemes.

Analogous

Colors adjacent on the color wheel (30° apart)

Complementary

Colors opposite on the color wheel (180° apart)

Split Complementary

Three colors using one base hue and the two hues beside its opposite

Triadic

Three colors evenly spaced (120° apart)

Tetradic

Four colors forming a rectangle on the wheel

Square

Four colors evenly spaced (90° apart)

Double Split

Four colors formed from two base hues and the colors next to their opposites

Monochromatic

Variations of a single hue

Contrast Checker

(WCAG 2.1) Test Non-Photo Blue (#A4DDED) for accessibility compliance against white and black backgrounds. Proper contrast ensures this color remains readable and usable for all audiences, meeting WCAG 2.1 standards for both normal and large text applications.

#FFFFFF
#A4DDED

Sample Text

This is how your text will look with these colors.

Large Text (18pt+)

1.48:1
WCAG AA
WCAG AAA

Normal Text

1.48:1
WCAG AA
WCAG AAA

UI Components

1.48:1
WCAG AA
WCAG AAA

Color Blindness Simulator

See how #A4DDED appears to people with different types of color vision deficiencies. These simulations help create more inclusive designs that consider how this color is perceived across various visual abilities.

Normal Vision

Non-Photo Blue (#A4DDED)

protanopia

#bdbde9

Note: These simulations are approximations. Actual color vision deficiency varies by individual.

CSS Examples

Background Color

background-color: #A4DDED;

Text Color

color: #A4DDED;

Sample Text

Border Color

border: 2px solid #A4DDED;

Box Shadow

box-shadow: 0 4px 6px #A4DDED40;

Text Shadow

text-shadow: 2px 2px 4px #A4DDED;

Sample Text

Gradient

background: linear-gradient(135deg, #A4DDED 0%, #26a0c1 100%);

Non-Photo Blue (#A4DDED) Color FAQs

Frequently asked questions about Non-Photo Blue (#A4DDED) color meaning, symbolism, and applications. Click on any question to expand detailed answers.