Carrying the blue symbolism associated with the darker shades of blue, navy conveys importance, confidence, power, and authority, as well as intelligence, stability, unity, and conservatism. Like black, it carries a sense of elegance and sophistication. It’s associated with the police and military.
Using Navy Blue Color in Design Files
Navy is a sophisticated stand-in for black in print and web designs. It is a timeless color that fits in nicely with nautical or preppy themes. For a formal design, use navy with cream for a rich, classic look or pair navy with coral or orange for a modern pop of color. Navy is a gender-neutral color that fits in everywhere. It doesn’t call attention to itself.
Specifying Navy for Print and Web Use
When you plan a design project that is going to a commercial printer, use CMYK formulations for navy in your page layout software or select a Pantone spot color. For display on a computer monitor, use RGB values. Use Hex codes when working with HTML, CSS, and SVG. Navy shades are best achieved with the following information:
HTML Navy: Hex #000080 | RGB 0,0,128 | CMYK 100,100,0,50 Dark Navy: Hex #00005a | RGB 0,0,90 | CMYK 100,100,0,65 Medium Navy: Hex #14148a | RGB 20,20,138 | CMYK 86,86,0,46 Dark Blue: Hex #00008b | RGB 0,0,139 | CMYK 100,100,0,45
Choosing Pantone Colors Closest to Navy
When you work with printed pieces, sometimes a solid-color navy, rather than a CMYK mix, is a more economical choice. The Pantone Matching System is the most widely recognized spot color system. The Pantone colors suggested as best matches to navy blue colors include:
HTML Navy: Pantone Solid Coated 2735 CDark Navy: Pantone Solid Coated 2745 CMedium Navy: Pantone Solid Coated 2371 CDark Blue: Pantone Solid Coated 2735 C
