Bright indigo is a lighter and brighter shade of blue-violet which often looks almost purple in hue.
What color is indigo? And how to use this dark blue-purple at home
A deep, intense shade that comes from a natural dye, indigo sits between blue and violet in the colors of the rainbow. There is much debate over what color indigo represents most and if it is closer to a blue or purple shade; in this article we will explore the frequent questions asked when researching, what color is indigo?
What color is indigo?
Labeled a secondary color on the color wheel, indigo is formed from mixing primary colors blue and red, creating a beautiful, rich shade. As indigo is mixed, there are many different shades available, sometimes causing confusion over what the ‘true’ color is meant to be.
Pantone have selected their color of 2022 as ‘17-3938 Very Peri’ which is described by Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, very similarly to what makes an indigo shade, ‘encompassing the qualities of the blues’ with a ‘violet red undertone’. Eiseman goes on to say the color, ‘displays a spritely, joyous attitude and dynamic presence that encourages courageous creativity and imaginative expressions’. 7-3938 Very Peri marks how we will be seeing this color palette used across the design world this year to create uplifting, inviting spaces.
When choosing room color ideas, indigo is a timeless and versatile shade to use in an interior space. Patrick O’Donnell, Farrow & Ball Brand Ambassador, states, ‘indigo can create a very regal backdrop for an elegant sitting room when teamed with a clean white trim – or it can play to the ‘Pop Art’ characteristics when teamed with a bright and clean yellow’. We now explore some of the common questions asked when researching, what color is indigo?
Is indigo considered purple or blue?
Whether you are decorating with blue or decorating with purple, you may be wondering which category indigo falls into.
With there being many different shades of indigo available, there can sometimes be confusion over whether indigo is considered purple or blue. Indigo sits between blue and purple (violet) in the color wheel, so it can be considered as a mix of both. Patrick O’Donnell from Farrow & Ball states, ‘indigo is perceived mainly as blue with an underlying violet note. It can sometimes be a hard color to truly classify, as some ‘indigo’ colors can read closer to purple’.
Color Feel: Indigo
Indigo is a rich color between blue and violet on the visible spectrum, it’s a dark purplish blue. Dark denim is indigo as is Indigo dye. It’s a cool, deep color and also a natural one. True Indigo dye is extracted from tropical plants as a fermented leaf solution and mixed with lye, pressed into cakes and powdered.
Natural indigo has been around since Greek and Roman times and popularized in India, China and Japan. So Indigo goes back in time, it has history, a revolt in Bengal in the 1600s was named after it. Indigo is mysterious, serious, elegant and globally appealing.
In this photograph by Max Solve, we see the mysterious Indigo and how it can be used to create a kind of resonant mood in an image, especially when it is paired with intense and saturated shades like fuchsia.
Indigo’s history as a dye also makes it appear classical but with a rustic feel, like in these products by Kel Cerutti where indigo is paired with traditional surface pattern design.
Kel Cerutti’s Products
Indigo works well with a classic tomato red, this combination is historically accurate as it was a favored combination from the past, this book cover design by Roman Dz conjures this vintage look.
Roman Dz Book Design
Roman Dz Book Design
For the Brett Saison craft brewery packaging design, the choice of indigo over a black or dark brown gives this design a stately, classic and high end feel. Indigo and gold work well together.
For Philosophy Jeans, we see indigo used in one of its most familiar applications. The jeans are made with raw Japanese selvedge and dyed with true rich Indigo dye. The jeans are retro in all ways including how they are made with old vintage shuttle looms from WWII. The packaging is more contemporary, clean, reductive and perfectly down to earth—the indigo and craft paper brown conspire to give the design a decidedly natural and casual look that is also high quality.
So, Indigo is electric when paired with fuchsia, historic with a classic red, expensive with gold and natural with craft paper.
Margaret Penney is the Managing Editor of Notes on Design. Margaret is a teacher, designer, writer and new media artist and founder of Hello Creative Co.
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The Color Indigo in Interior Design
In terms of interior design, indigo shades have become increasingly popular as they create a calm and sophisticated vibe.
Businesses such as hotels, restaurants and spas often use this color scheme to evoke a feeling of relaxation among their customers.
Offices are also beginning to experiment with indigo accents like artwork and furniture pieces to create more visually stimulating workspaces.
The Color Indigo For Productivity
Indigo is not only used for aesthetic reasons but has also been found to be helpful in boosting productivity due to its calming nature.
Studies show that using shades of blue-violet can help people focus on their tasks more easily as it reduces stress levels without completely blocking out other colors or distracting elements from view.
Finally, symbols of trustworthiness such as indigo can be used by businesses to help build stronger relationships with their customers or clients.
Indigo conveys stability and dependability which can go a long way in terms of customer loyalty and satisfaction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What color is closest to indigo?
The color closest to indigo is violet.
Indigo and violet are both considered shades of purple, but indigo has a slightly darker hue.
While indigo is one of the seven colors of visible light in the spectrum according to Isaac Newton’s theory, it is not found in rainbows because its wavelength lies outside the range of colors humans can see.
Violet, on the other hand, has a shorter wavelength making it more visible to humans than indigo.
When comparing colors on a traditional color wheel, violet appears directly below indigo and can be identified by its blue-purple hue.
Is indigo blue or purple?
Indigo is generally considered to be a shade of purple, although it can sometimes appear to have a blue hue depending on the light.
On a traditional color wheel, indigo sits directly between blue and violet and can be identified by its slightly darker hue.
Its exact position depends on the individual’s perception of color, but typically falls somewhere in the range of deep blues and purples.
Isaac Newton used the term indigo when describing the visible spectrum of light, which is why it is often associated with being a primary color.
However, its wavelength does not fall within the range of colors humans can see in rainbows, making it less visible than other hues such as violet.
What color is indigo in the rainbow?
Indigo is not a color seen in rainbows because its wavelength lies outside the range of colors humans can see.
While indigo is one of the seven colors of visible light according to Isaac Newton’s theory, violet has a shorter wavelength and appears directly below it on a traditional color wheel.
As such, violet is the closest color to indigo that can be seen in a rainbow, and can be identified by its blue-purple hue.
As indigo sits between blue and violet on the color wheel, it also contains elements of both colors, although it tends towards a darker hue which makes it difficult to distinguish from other shades in a rainbow.
What is the HEX code for indigo?
The HEX code for indigo is #4B0082. Indigo is a color that sits on the spectrum between blue and violet and has a slightly darker hue than both.
In terms of HEX codes, it has a green value of 75, a red value of 0, and a blue value of 130, which combine to form the #4B0082 code.
Indigo can also be identified by its RGB values, which are (75, 0, 130), or in CMYK format as (50%, 100%, 0%, 49%).
In either case the overall tone should appear similar to the traditional shade of indigo with its slightly darker hue.
How is indigo naturally made?
Indigo is naturally made from a variety of plants in the Indigofera family, including Indigofera tinctoria, true indigo and wild indigo.
The dye can be extracted from the leaves, bark or wood of these plants by crushing them and steeping them in warm water.
This process creates a yellow-green liquid that oxidizes to form insoluble blue particles when exposed to air.
These particles are filtered off and combined with an alkali such as lye or ammonia to create a dark blue liquid known as “indigo paste”.
This paste can then be dried into flakes or powder for use in dyeing fabrics.
In some cases, natural indigo may need further processing before it is ready for use.
For example, extracting it from certain species requires heating the material at high temperatures before adding an alkali to achieve the desired color results.
