About Pāua
Pāua is a softly saturated, deep blue-purple at #2a2551, sitting closest to indigo on the color wheel. In color psychology it reads as mysterious, deep, and introspective — a deep presence and a cool cast, and it has a polish suited to premium positioning.
For text on Pāua, white performs best at 14.17:1 — passing WCAG AAA. In a palette it suits primary or secondary roles.
Contrast Accessibility
With white
14.17:1
With black
1.48:1
Color Conversions
#2a2551
rgb(42, 37, 81)
hsl(247°, 37%, 23%)
oklch(0.295 0.078 285.8)
cmyk(4800%, 5400%, 0%, 6800%)
Tint & Shade Scale
A 10-step scale from light to dark, anchored to the base color at step 500. Click any swatch to copy its hex.
Tone Scale
Color mixed with gray — reduces saturation without changing lightness. Click any swatch to copy its hex.
Temperature
Hue shifted cooler and warmer in equal steps. Click any swatch to copy its hex.
Color Psychology
Adds: weight, authority, gravitas, depth · Reduces: playfulness, lightness, approachability
Palette Narrative
A thoughtfully curated palette evoking anchoring, contemplative, deep. Well-suited for artistic and empathetic brand contexts. A focused selection that communicates intent clearly.
Inspired Palettes
Shades
Lightness variations keeping hue and chroma intact
Monochromatic
Single hue with varied lightness and chroma
Complementary
Opposite hues on the color wheel for maximum contrast
Triadic
Three evenly spaced hues for vibrant balance
Analogous
Neighboring hues for natural, serene combinations
Split Complementary
Complement split into two flanking hues
Generic Gradient
Smooth lightness ramp from dark to light
Matching Gradient
Lightness ramp with a gentle hue drift
Skip Gradient
Alternating light and dark steps for rhythm
9 of 28 palettes from #2a2551
Similar Colors
Authentic Navy
#2B2450deltaE 0.0Ceremonial Purple
#2A2756deltaE 0.0RAL 300 20 30 - Ceremonial purple
#302656deltaE 0.0Cardinal Mauve
#2C284CdeltaE 0.0RAL 290 20 30 - Ultramarine violet
#272858deltaE 0.0Space Indigo
#2E294EdeltaE 0.0