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Cerulean

#21AFDE

Cerulean is a cool medium color with the hex code #21AFDE. This vibrant hue can be represented as RGB 33, 175, 222 in digital design or CMYK 85%, 21%, 0%, 13% for print applications. Find matching Pantone color.

Cerulean color values

HEX
#21AFDE
RGB
33, 175, 222
HSL
195°, 74%, 50%
CMYK
85, 21, 0, 13

Shades & tints

Darker Lighter

About this color

Cerulean sits at 195° on the color wheel with 74% saturation and 50% lightness, placing it in the blue segment of the spectrum. At 74% saturation, the hue is fully legible and confident — richly chromatic without tipping into high-contrast territory. Its mid-range lightness positions it as a mid-tone: neither a background color nor a deep accent, but something in between.

In digital environments, Cerulean is rendered as rgb(33, 175, 222), where the blue channel is highest at 222, anchoring the color in the cool register. The mid-range lightness and strong saturation make this versatile for both foreground and background roles, depending on what it is paired against.

For print, Cerulean translates to a CMYK breakdown of 85C 21M 0Y 13K. The low-to-moderate black value (13%) means the color's character in print comes primarily from its cyan ink content (85%), with black serving as a supporting shadow tone. No brands in the brandkit.pro library currently specify this exact hex as a named brand color.

Color harmonies

Complementary

Split-Complementary

How to use Cerulean

CSS Variable 

:root {
  --brand-primary: #21AFDE;
  --brand-primary-rgb: 33, 175, 222;
}

Define as a CSS custom property for consistent theming across your site.

Tailwind Config 

colors: {
  brand: '#21AFDE',
}

Add to your Tailwind config to use classes like bg-brand.

Print Design (CMYK) 

C: 85%
M: 21%
Y: 0%
K: 13%

Use these CMYK values in Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, or print specifications.

RGB for Screens 

rgb(33, 175, 222)
rgba(33, 175, 222, 0.8)

Use RGB notation for compatibility or add alpha channel for transparency.

Brands using similar hue

24 brand s with colors near 195° on the color wheel

Vimeo logo
Vimeo
Intel logo
Intel
Slack logo
Slack
Snowflake logo
Snowflake

Frequently asked questions

What color is #21AFDE?
#21AFDE is Cerulean, a cool medium color with RGB values of 33, 175, 222. It has a hue of 195°, 74% saturation, and 50% lightness in the HSL color space.
What is the RGB value of #21AFDE?
The RGB color code for #21AFDE is rgb(33, 175, 222). This means it contains 33 red, 175 green, and 222 blue in the RGB color model.
Is Cerulean a warm or cool color?
Cerulean (#21AFDE) is a cool color with a hue between 120-300° on the color wheel.
How do I use #21AFDE in CSS?
You can use #21AFDE in CSS with: background-color: #21AFDE; or color: #21AFDE; or as an RGB value: rgb(33, 175, 222). For print design, use CMYK: 85%, 21%, 0%, 13%.

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