International Klein Blue
Also known as: IKB
An intense ultramarine blue developed and popularised by the artist Yves Klein in 1960.
At a glance
- Hue family
- blue
- Warmth
- cool
- Tone depth
- deep
- Saturation
- Vivid
Similar to
Quick intelligence summary
- Feels like
- cool, deep, vivid
- Works well with
- See the pairings section below for calculated harmony options.
- Common uses
- See uses & contexts below for interiors, fashion and practical guidance.
- Accessibility snapshot
- Pairs better with white text (10.7:1) than black (2.0:1).
See this colour in the real world
Colours in photographs vary with lighting, material, camera processing and screen calibration — the named colours below are visual approximations, not exact measurements.
Holi is defined by a mix of many colours rather than any single one — historically made from natural plant-based dyes, now often synthetic.
This photograph was taken in low, warm indoor light, which shifts the true powder colours; an automated whole-frame scan is dominated by dark shadow rather than the vivid streaks that are the actual subject, so the palette above was hand-picked from the coloured powder itself."Holi powders" by Andrea, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsLicence details
- Source:
- Wikimedia Commons
- Creator:
- Andrea
- Licence:
- CC BY 2.0 — free to share and adapt commercially, provided the work is attributed.
- Reviewed:
- 2026-07-25
Colour stories
Why the same colour can mean different things at different festivals
A vivid blue-violet can appear in a Holi powder mix as one of many celebratory colours, while a similar tone might carry an entirely unrelated meaning in a different tradition's religious vestments or mourning custom — the colour itself doesn't carry the meaning; the specific tradition and context does.
In practice: This is a genuinely useful habit when learning about any colour's cultural associations: always ask which specific tradition, region and occasion a claim is about, rather than assuming one meaning travels with the colour everywhere.
Pairings
Subtle, bold, analogous, complementary and neutral options — established design convention, not a guarantee of visual success in every context.
Complementary
Opposite hues (180° apart) for maximum hue contrast.
Analogous
Neighbouring hues on the colour wheel for a low-contrast, harmonious feel.
Analogous
Neighbouring hues on the colour wheel for a low-contrast, harmonious feel.
Triadic
Three hues evenly spaced around the colour wheel for balanced contrast.
Triadic
Three hues evenly spaced around the colour wheel for balanced contrast.
No curated profile yet
Split-complementary
The two hues bracketing the complement, for contrast with less tension.
Split-complementary
The two hues bracketing the complement, for contrast with less tension.
No curated profile yet
Tetradic
Four hues at 90° steps around the colour wheel for a rich, varied palette.
Tetradic
Four hues at 90° steps around the colour wheel for a rich, varied palette.
Tetradic
Four hues at 90° steps around the colour wheel for a rich, varied palette.
No curated profile yet
Monochromatic
Same hue at different lightness levels, for a cohesive tonal palette.
Monochromatic
Same hue at different lightness levels, for a cohesive tonal palette.
Monochromatic
Same hue at different lightness levels, for a cohesive tonal palette.
Monochromatic
Same hue at different lightness levels, for a cohesive tonal palette.
No curated profile yet
For an accessible, low-contrast-risk pairing, monochromatic (same-hue) combinations are usually the safest starting point — see the harmonies above.
Uses & contexts
Meaning & story
History
- Developed by artist Yves Klein in 1960 and used across a body of monochrome artworks.
True of the blue family generally
Inherited from the blue hue family, not specifically documented about this exact shade — see methodology.
- Blue is often considered calming and is widely used in corporate branding, particularly in finance and technology, to convey trust and stability.
- Blue, and ultramarine in particular, is traditionally associated with the Virgin Mary in Christian art, historically used for her robes in Renaissance and medieval European painting.
Pigment & family history
Terminology
Lighter, darker & directional variants
Calculated directional adjustments. Some directions converge on the same result from this starting colour — shown as one merged card with an explanation, not repeated duplicates. Generated shades link to a curated profile only when one is close enough.
Lighter
Lightness increased
Darker
Lightness decreased
Warmer & Redder
Hue rotated toward warm (red/orange) From this starting colour, moving warmer and redder converges on the same calculated result.
Cooler
Hue rotated toward cool (blue)
Greener & Yellower
Hue rotated toward green From this starting colour, moving greener and yellower converges on the same calculated result.
Bluer
Hue rotated toward blue
More muted
Saturation softened
More saturated
Saturation increased This is close to the source colour itself — there is limited room left to move more saturated from here.
Technical details
Technical values
CMYK is an approximate device conversion, not a calibrated print value — see methodology.
Convert this colour to another format →
Widely cited reference value associated with Yves Klein's formulation.
Characteristics
- Hue family
- blue
- Undertone
- cool
- Tone depth
- deep
- Pastel
- No
- Earth tone
- No
- Jewel tone
- Yes
- Vivid
- Yes
- Greyness
- 0%
- Visual weight
- 80/100
Accessibility
vs. white text
10.69:1 — AAA
vs. black text
1.96:1 — fails
Confidence: medium · Qualification: identity_only, technically_qualified, curated_profile_eligible, search_index_eligible, comparison_eligible
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