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Blue and Brown

Triadic color combination with 1.21:1 contrast ratio

#0000FF
#A52A2A

Color Values

Blue
HEX #0000FF
RGB 0, 0, 255
HSL 240, 100%, 50%
Brown
HEX #A52A2A
RGB 165, 42, 42
HSL 0, 59%, 41%

Harmony: Triadic

These colors are roughly 120 degrees apart on the wheel — a triadic relationship that stays lively without clashing. Triadic schemes work best when one color dominates and the other two act as accents.

The hue angle between Blue and Brown is 120 degrees. You can explore these relationships interactively in our Color Wheel Tool.

WCAG Contrast

1.21:1
Blue background with Brown text
Below AA — decorative use only

UI Preview

Blue surface

Sample text on a blue background demonstrates readability and visual hierarchy.

Brown surface

Sample text on a brown background demonstrates readability and visual hierarchy.

Design Tokens

CSS Variables

:root {
  --color-a: #0000FF;
  --color-b: #A52A2A;
  --color-a-rgb: 0, 0, 255;
  --color-b-rgb: 165, 42, 42;
}

JSON

{
  "name": "Blue and Brown",
  "colors": [
    {
      "name": "Blue",
      "hex": "#0000FF",
      "rgb": [
        0,
        0,
        255
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Brown",
      "hex": "#A52A2A",
      "rgb": [
        165,
        42,
        42
      ]
    }
  ],
  "harmony": "Triadic",
  "contrastRatio": 1.21
}

Explore These Colors

Frequently Asked Questions

Do blue and brown go together?

Yes. Blue and Brown form a triadic color combination. These colors are roughly 120 degrees apart on the wheel — a triadic relationship that stays lively without clashing. Triadic schemes work best when one color dominates and the other two act as accents. The pairing has a WCAG contrast ratio of 1.21:1, which is below the AA threshold for text — use it for decorative purposes rather than text readability.

What is the contrast ratio between blue and brown?

The WCAG 2.1 contrast ratio between Blue (#0000FF) and Brown (#A52A2A) is 1.21:1. This ratio is below AA. Use the pairing for backgrounds, borders, and decorative elements rather than text-on-background combinations.

How do I use blue and brown in design?

A safe starting point is the 60/30/10 rule: give one color about 60 percent of the surface area, the other about 30 percent, and reserve the remaining 10 percent for an accent or neutral. If one color is significantly darker, use it for text or structural elements and the lighter one for backgrounds. Test the result with our Contrast Checker if text is involved.

What are the hex and RGB values for blue and brown?

Blue has the hex code #0000FF and RGB values rgb(0, 0, 255). Brown has the hex code #A52A2A and RGB values rgb(165, 42, 42). You can copy these directly into CSS or use the design tokens provided on this page.