Blue (NCS)
A blue from the Natural Color System, close to azure and bordering on cyan
Blue (NCS) is a colour defined by the Natural Color System, appearing similar to azure and close to cyan. Used mainly in Scandinavia, it is based on the psychological primary blue and is shaped by the opponent process theory of vision.
Share on WhatsAppOpen in the lab
- Defined by the Natural Color System (NCS)
- Similar to azure, bordering on cyan
- Chosen as a psychological primary blue
- Widely used in Scandinavia
- Can only be shown approximately on screens
What colour is Blue (NCS)?
Blue (NCS) is a colour defined by the Natural Color System, which is a way of organising colours based on how people perceive them. This blue is described as being similar to azure, a bright blue, and sits close to cyan on the colour spectrum. It stands out from other blues because it is chosen as one of the four psychological primary colours in the NCS, meaning it is seen as a basic, pure blue in this system.
Where does Blue (NCS) come from?
The name comes from the Natural Color System, a method developed to describe colours as people see them, rather than how they are made with paint or light. The NCS uses four unique hues—red, yellow, green, and blue—based on how the human eye and brain work together to process colour. Blue (NCS) is the blue chosen for this system, reflecting the theory that people see certain colours as basic and not made by mixing others.
How Blue (NCS) is defined
Blue (NCS) is not a pigment or dye, but a standard colour defined by the Natural Color System. It is described using the NCS model, which is based on human perception rather than physical mixing. On computer screens, this colour can only be shown approximately, as the exact shade does not fit perfectly within the usual digital colour range (sRGB).
Where Blue (NCS) is used
The Natural Color System, and its blue, is widely used in Scandinavia for design and standardisation. It helps designers, architects, and manufacturers communicate about colours in a way that matches how people see them, rather than relying on technical recipes or formulas.
Blue around the world
What the blue family means from country to country.
Lapis lazuli has been mined in the mountains of Badakhshan for more than six thousand years. Ground to powder it gave ultramarine, the costliest blue in European painting.
Royalty and powerSacred and holyAweSource: Lapis lazuliThe chadari is a full-length covering for women with a mesh panel over the eyes. In Kabul and the north it is most often a light blue.
Protection and healingSource: BurqaThe blue band of the flag stands for the wish of the Armenian people to live under peaceful skies. The red above it is for the highlands and the struggle to survive.
Politics and protestHopeSource: Flag of ArmeniaThe flag is sky blue, white and sky blue, created by Manuel Belgrano in 1812. National teams are called the Albiceleste, the white and sky blue.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of ArgentinaBoca Juniors play in blue and gold. The club's story is that in 1907 it took the colours of the flag of the next ship into port, which was Swedish.
Festival and celebrationPrideSource: Boca JuniorsTo be true blue is to be honestly and loyally Australian. The phrase is older than the country, but Australians have made it their own.
Politics and protestTrustSource: True Blue (John Williamson song)Shades and relatives of Blue (NCS)
Blue (NCS) is very close to azure, a bright blue, and sits on the border with cyan. In the 21st century, this hue is often grouped as a variation of azure. It may be confused with other bright blues or blue-greens, but is defined specifically by its place in the NCS.
Colours that go with Blue (NCS)
Harmonies are worked out from the value #0087BD. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Blue (NCS)
What colour is Blue (NCS)?
Blue (NCS) is a bright blue similar to azure and sits close to cyan. It is chosen as the pure blue in the Natural Color System.
Where does the name Blue (NCS) come from?
The name comes from the Natural Color System, which defines colours based on how people see them, not how they are mixed.
Where is Blue (NCS) mainly used?
Blue (NCS) and the Natural Color System are widely used in Scandinavia for design and standardisation.
Is Blue (NCS) a pigment or a dye?
No, Blue (NCS) is not a pigment or dye. It is a standard colour defined by a system based on human perception.
Can Blue (NCS) be shown exactly on screens?
No, Blue (NCS) can only be displayed approximately on computer screens, as its exact shade does not fit perfectly in the sRGB colour range.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Shades of blue" (the section "Blue (NCS) (psychological primary blue)"), written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
More of the blue family
All of blue
#0000FF
Blue
A primary colour seen in the sky and sea, used since ancient times in art and dyeBasic colour
#000080
Navy blue
A deep blue shade named for the uniforms of the Royal NavyNamed shade · 🇺🇸 United States +2
#002366
Royal blue
A strong, deep blue linked with royalty and national flagsNamed shade · 🇫🇷 France +4
#191970
Midnight blue
A deep blue that recalls the sky late at night under moonlightNamed shade
#B0E0E6
Powder blue
A pale blue once made from powdered cobalt glass, now a standard paint and web colourNamed shade
#6699CC
Blue-gray
A cool-toned mix of blue and grey seen in nature, art, and uniformsNamed shade
#3E8EDE
Tufts Blue
A clear blue used as the official colour of Tufts UniversityNational or team colour · 🇺🇸 United States
#6495ED
Cornflower blue
A clear, medium-light blue named for the cornflower and prized in sapphiresNamed shade