Light blue is acolor or range of colors, typically a lightened shade with a hue betweencyan andblue.
The first use of "light blue" as acolor term inEnglish is in the year 1915.[2]
In Russian and some other languages, there is no single word for blue, but rather different words for light blue (голубой,goluboy) and dark blue (синий,siniy). The Ancient Greek word for a light blue,glaukos, also could mean light green, gray, or yellow.[3]
InModern Hebrew, light blue,tchelet (תכלת) is differentiated from blue,kachol (כחול).[4] InModern Greek, light blue,galazio (γαλάζιο) is also differentiated from blue,ble (μπλε).[5]
This shade is a literal light blue, or in other words, a simple combination of blue and white. It has the same hue as blue (240°) with less saturation in HSV or more lightness in HSL. The specific hex color #8080FF is also commonly used in3D computer graphics as the base color forNormal mapping, in which it typically represents the smooth areas of the surface.
Displayed at the right is the color that is called "light blue" inCrayola crayons. It was only available in 1958. Contrary to its title, it is technically a shade ofcyan due to its hue of 180°.
In historicalatlases published in Germany, light blue is traditionally used as a color to represent Germany, as opposed to pink for England, purple for France, and light green for Russia.[8]
InHinduism,Shiva, the Destroyer, is depicted in light blue tones and is calledneela kantha, or blue-throated, for having swallowed poison in an attempt to turn the tide of a battle between the gods and demons in the gods' favor.
Azzurro, a light blue, is the national color of Italy (from thelivery color of the former reigning family, theHouse of Savoy).
KingLouis IX of France, better known asSaint Louis (1214–1270), became the first king of France to regularly dress in blue. This was copied by other nobles. Paintings of the mythicalKing Arthur began to show him dressed in blue. The coat of arms of the kings of France became an azure or light blue shield, sprinkled with goldenfleur-de-lis or lilies. Blue had come from obscurity to become the royal color.[10]
Colour coordinates