Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Cyan

Cyan is a bright, vivid color situated between green and blue on the visible spectrum, characterized by a greenish-blue hue that evokes a sense of freshness and clarity. It is produced by light with dominant wavelengths ranging from approximately 490 to 520 nanometers, making it a secondary color in the additive light model where equal intensities of green and blue are combined without red.^[1]^[2] In digital and screen-based applications, cyan is defined in the RGB color space as (0, 255, 255), corresponding to the hexadecimal code #00FFFF, which renders a pure, saturated form ideal for web design and displays.^[3] In contrast, for print media, cyan functions as one of the four primary inks in the CMYK subtractive color model—alongside magenta, yellow, and key (black)—where pure cyan is represented as 100% cyan with 0% of the other components, effectively absorbing red wavelengths to reflect the desired blue-green tone.^[4]^[5] The term "cyan" derives from the Ancient Greek word kyanos, meaning "dark blue" or referring to blue enamel and lapis lazuli, and entered English in the late 19th century (first recorded in 1879 as "cyan blue") to describe a greenish-blue pigment, possibly influenced by dyes from the cornflower (Centaurea cyanus).^[6]^[7] This nomenclature aligned with emerging color printing technologies, where cyan became essential for reproducing a broad gamut of hues. Cyan holds cultural and psychological significance, often symbolizing calmness, vitality, youth, and creativity due to its associations with clear water, tropical seas, and open skies.^[2] In design and branding, it is favored for its high visibility and soothing effect, commonly appearing in logos, interfaces, and packaging to convey trust and innovation—such as in tech companies or environmental themes.^[8] Naturally, cyan tints occur in phenomena like peacock feathers and certain gemstones, while in art and science, it aids in color calibration and spectral analysis.^[2]

Color Properties

Definition and Spectrum

Cyan is a greenish-blue color positioned between blue and green on the color wheel and visible spectrum.^[9] It is evoked by light with a predominant wavelength between 490 and 520 nm.^[9] In additive color mixing, as used in the RGB model for digital displays, cyan functions as a secondary color produced by equal parts of green and blue light, with red serving as its complementary color.^[10] In subtractive color mixing, employed in the CMYK model for printing, cyan acts as one of the primary colors.^[11] Pure cyan is represented digitally by the hexadecimal code #00FFFF and RGB values (0, 255, 255).^[12] Perceptually, it features high saturation (100%) and medium lightness (50%) in the HSL color space.^[13] In the CMYK model, it corresponds to 100% cyan, 0% magenta, 0% yellow, and 0% black.^[3]

Shades and Variations

Cyan exhibits a wide range of variations influenced by adjustments in hue, saturation, and lightness, allowing it to shift from more blue-leaning tones to green-leaning ones while maintaining its core blue-green character.^[14] Blue-leaning variants, such as cerulean, emphasize cooler undertones, whereas green-leaning ones, like aquamarine, incorporate warmer greenish hues. Saturation levels range from vivid and intense, as in electric cyan, to muted and subdued, evident in darker forms like dark cyan. Lightness further diversifies the palette, from pale iterations like light cyan to deeper shades approaching near-black tones. Specific named shades highlight these perceptual differences, often standardized in digital color systems for consistency across applications. For instance, electric cyan is a highly saturated, bright variant identical to pure cyan in appearance, while aquamarine offers a softer, lighter alternative with a greenish tint, and cerulean provides a deeper, bluer profile. The following table summarizes key examples with their hexadecimal codes and perceptual notes:

Shade	Hex Code	Perceptual Differences
Electric Cyan	#00FFFF	Vivid and pure, maximum brightness and saturation in the cyan hue.^[14]
Aquamarine	#7FFFD4	Lighter and greener, evoking a pastel, watery feel with reduced intensity.
Cerulean	#007BA7	Bluer and medium-toned, appearing more subdued and sky-like compared to pure cyan.^[15]

Subjective nomenclature surrounding cyan often leads to debates, particularly regarding boundaries between related terms like teal and turquoise, where classifications depend on individual perception and context. Teal typically denotes a darker, more balanced blue-green with lower saturation, whereas turquoise is perceived as brighter and more cyan-dominant, creating overlap in the blue-green spectrum that varies by observer.^[16] These ambiguities arise from the continuous nature of color perception, with no universal consensus on exact demarcations.^[17] Cultural and regional variations further influence shade perception, as seen in Italian color terminology where celeste specifically categorizes light blue hues that can encompass cyan-like light blue-green tones, distinct from azzurro (medium blue) and blu (dark blue). This tripartite system among Tuscan speakers refines categorization along lightness dimensions, reflecting linguistic influences on how such shades are named and distinguished.^[18] Cyan's position in the spectrum as a baseline for variations underscores these perceptual and cultural nuances without altering its fundamental identity.^[14]

History and Etymology

Historical Development

The use of cyan-like hues, derived from turquoise stones, dates back to ancient civilizations. In Mesoamerica, the Aztecs incorporated turquoise into elaborate mosaics and ceremonial artifacts, associating the vibrant blue-green material with deities such as Quetzalcoatl and using it in ritual objects like masks and shields from the 14th to 16th centuries CE.^[19] Similarly, in ancient China, artisans from the Erlitou culture crafted a 3,700-year-old dragon-shaped totem using over 2,000 pieces of turquoise, representing one of the earliest known depictions of the dragon motif in Chinese symbolism and dating to approximately 1700 BCE.^[20] In the 19th century, cyan began to emerge more distinctly in artistic and technological contexts, often through innovative blue pigments and early photographic processes. Impressionist painter Claude Monet employed cyan-like blues in his Water Lilies series (1896–1926), blending cobalt and ultramarine to capture the shifting reflections of water and sky, which contributed to the perception of cyan as a luminous, ethereal tone in modern art.^[21] Concurrently, the invention of the cyanotype process in 1842 by Sir John Herschel revolutionized printing by producing durable blue prints for architectural blueprints and textiles, marking an early industrial application of cyan shades derived from iron-based chemistry.^[22] The 20th century saw the standardization of cyan in printing technology, particularly through the CMYK color model. Although roots trace to 19th-century synthetic dye advancements like Prussian blue variants, the Eagle Printing Ink Company formalized the four-color wet process in 1906, incorporating blue alongside red, yellow, and black inks (later standardized as cyan, magenta, yellow, and key/black) for efficient commercial reproduction, with widespread adoption by the mid-century.^[23] Post-1980s, cyan's role expanded in digital art and design with the rise of computer graphics. The IBM Color Graphics Adapter (CGA) in 1981 introduced affordable color displays including cyan in its palette, enabling its integration into early video games and graphic software, while the RGB model's standardization in the 1980s–1990s solidified cyan (#00FFFF) as a core color in digital interfaces and web design.

Terminology Origins

The term "cyan" derives from the Ancient Greek word kyanos (κύανος), which referred to a dark blue enamel or the semi-precious stone lapis lazuli, valued in antiquity for its intense blue hue.^[6] This root entered modern scientific nomenclature through Latinized forms like cyaneus, influencing color terminology in the 19th century. The word first appeared in English as "cyan blue" in 1879, adopted in scientific and artistic contexts to describe a bright greenish-blue shade distinct from deeper blues.^[24] By 1889, "cyan" had shortened to denote the color itself, reflecting its growing use in chemistry and optics.^[6] The color's name also connects to chemical terminology via Prussian blue, a synthetic pigment discovered in 1706 and composed of ferric ferrocyanide, which produces a vivid blue reminiscent of kyanos.^[25] The prefix "cyano-" in compounds like cyanogen (isolated from the pigment in 1815) stems from this blue association, leading to "cyanide" as a term for salts of hydrocyanic acid by 1826.^[26] This chemical linkage reinforced "cyan" as a descriptor for blue-green tones in early 19th-century dye and pigment studies, bridging ancient linguistic roots with industrial applications.^[27] Prior to widespread adoption of "cyan," similar hues were known through natural dyes, such as those extracted from the cornflower (Centaurea cyanus), whose botanical name directly echoes the Greek kyanos.^[28] Internationally, "cyan" remains consistent in English and French (as cyan or bleu cyan), but varies elsewhere, such as azul turquesa (turquoise blue) in Spanish or ciano in Italian, often blending with turquoise connotations. Standardization emerged in color science by the late 19th century, facilitating its global use in printing and spectroscopy.^[6]

Applications in Art and Design

In Painting and Pigments

In the realm of traditional painting, cyan hues have been achieved through a variety of blue pigments, with historical alternatives including ultramarine, derived from the semi-precious stone lapis lazuli and prized for its vivid intensity in medieval and Renaissance works, and smalt, a finely ground cobalt glass pigment that provided a cooler, more cyan-like tone but often suffered from instability over time.^[29]^[30] Ultramarine, though expensive and typically more violet-leaning, was frequently mixed or layered to approximate cyan effects in glazing techniques, while smalt was employed in oil paintings for its transparency and subtle greenish undertones. These early pigments laid the foundation for cyan's artistic use, with their development tracing a timeline from ancient synthetic blues to 19th-century innovations.^[31] A pivotal advancement came in the 20th century with the introduction of phthalocyanine blue, a synthetic organic pigment first commercialized in 1935 under the trade name Monastral Blue, renowned for its exceptional stability, high tinting strength, and pure cyan tone that revolutionized modern painting palettes.^[32] Unlike its predecessors, phthalocyanine blue offers superior resistance to fading and chemical reactions, making it ideal for both oil and acrylic applications in fine arts.^[33] Artistic techniques involving cyan pigments often emphasize layering and mixing to capture light and depth, as seen in Impressionist practices where artists like Claude Monet blended cyan-based blues, such as cobalt blue, with whites to create luminous tints for depicting water surfaces and atmospheric effects in scenes like his Water Lilies series.^[34] This broken color approach, applying distinct strokes of tinted cyan alongside complementary hues, allowed for the optical mixing of vibrant, shifting tones on the canvas rather than premixing on the palette.^[35] Challenges in using cyan pigments have historically centered on lightfastness, with early organic and mineral-based blues like smalt and Prussian blue prone to discoloration or fading when exposed to light or mixed with whites, leading to unintended shifts in hue over centuries.^[36] In contrast, modern synthetic options like phthalocyanine blue exhibit inorganic-level stability, maintaining color integrity in museum conditions without the degradation seen in older works.^[30] Cyan pigments hold profound cultural significance in art history, notably in ancient Egyptian faience, where the first synthetic pigment—Egyptian blue, a calcium copper silicate—produced turquoise-cyan glazes for amulets and vessels, symbolizing rebirth and the Nile's life-giving waters.^[37] During the Renaissance, glazing with cyan-tinted ultramarine or azurite created illusory depth in drapery and skies, as in works by artists like Vermeer, enhancing the ethereal quality of religious and secular scenes.^[38]

In Printing and Dyeing

In the CMYK subtractive color model employed in industrial printing, cyan serves as one of the primary inks, functioning to absorb red wavelengths of light from the incident white light spectrum, thereby enabling the creation of a broad gamut of colors through combination with magenta, yellow, and black inks.^[39] This absorption property is crucial for achieving full-color reproduction in processes like offset lithography, where cyan's selective filtering complements the other inks to simulate the visible spectrum on substrates such as paper.^[40] Historically, cyan hues in textile dyeing relied on indigo-based extracts from plants like Indigofera tinctoria, which provided durable blue shades through vat dyeing techniques prevalent before the 19th century.^[41] The advent of synthetic dyes revolutionized this field, with aniline-derived compounds emerging in the mid-1800s; notably, aniline blue was synthesized in 1860, offering brighter, more stable cyan-like tones for cotton and wool fabrics that resisted fading compared to natural alternatives.^[42] The term "cyan" derives from the Greek kyanos, meaning dark blue; Prussian blue, an early synthetic pigment from which cyanide compounds were isolated, influenced the naming of "cyanide".^[6] In modern applications, reactive dyes such as Procion MX series provide cyan formulations that form covalent bonds with cellulose fibers in fabrics like cotton and rayon, ensuring high color fastness during washing and light exposure for apparel and upholstery.^[43] For offset printing, process cyan ink is standardized at the hexadecimal formulation #00B7EB, a bright turquoise-blue optimized for halftone reproduction and consistent color matching across presses.^[44] Addressing environmental concerns, the printing industry has shifted toward water-based inks in the 21st century, particularly since the early 2000s, to minimize volatile organic compound emissions, enhance biodegradability, and lower energy use in curing compared to solvent-based predecessors.^[45]

Digital Representations

In RGB and Web Colors

In the RGB color model used for digital displays, cyan is represented by the values (0, 255, 255), where the absence of red light combined with maximum intensity of green and blue light produces the characteristic bright turquoise hue through additive color mixing.^[46] This encoding allows screens to render cyan precisely in sRGB space, the standard for web and most consumer displays.^[47] In web standards, the CSS named color "cyan" is defined as the hexadecimal value #00FFFF, equivalent to rgb(0, 255, 255), and serves as a synonym for "aqua," which shares the same code but originated as the primary HTML named color in early specifications.^[48] Historically, "cyan" was considered non-standard in initial CSS1 tests and mapped to "aqua" for compatibility, reflecting influences from X11 color names versus HTML's original 16-color set.^[49] Today, both terms are fully supported in CSS Level 3 and later, enabling consistent rendering across browsers.^[46] Cyan finds frequent application in HTML and CSS for user interface elements like links, buttons, and accents, where its high luminance aids visibility but requires careful pairing with backgrounds to meet accessibility standards.^[50] Under Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, designs using cyan must achieve at least a 4.5:1 contrast ratio for normal text against adjacent colors to ensure readability for users with low vision.^[51] For instance, cyan text on a white background fails this threshold (ratio of 1.25:1), necessitating darker complements like navy for compliance.^[52] The representation of cyan in web contexts evolved from the 1990s limitations of 8-bit color depth, which supported only 256 colors via indexed palettes to ensure cross-platform consistency on early browsers like Mosaic and Netscape.^[53] By the early 2000s, widespread adoption of 24-bit true color (16.7 million colors) in browsers such as Internet Explorer 5 and Firefox enabled direct RGB specification like #00FFFF without dithering artifacts, aligning with the sRGB standard finalized in 1996.^[47]

In CMYK Process

In the CMYK color model employed for subtractive color printing, pure process cyan is formulated as 100% cyan, 0% magenta, 0% yellow, and 0% black (C=100%, M=0%, Y=0%, K=0%), serving as the primary ink for reproducing blue-green hues.^[54] This composition theoretically absorbs all red light while transmitting blue and green wavelengths, but practical ink limitations—such as spectral impurities and paper interaction—often lead to adjustments, with the effective printed color approximating RGB #00B7EB through minor additions of magenta (around 20-28%) and black (up to 12%) in simulation guides to mitigate muddiness or bronzing on press.^[55]^[56] Cyan ink operates by selectively absorbing red wavelengths (approximately 620-750 nm) from white light incident on the printed surface, allowing blue (450-495 nm) and green (495-570 nm) portions to reflect and combine for the perceived cyan tone.^[57] To create gradients and continuous tones in images, printers use halftone screening, where cyan ink is applied in varying dot sizes or frequencies—typically at a screen angle of 105 degrees for offset lithography—to modulate light reflection; for instance, a 50% tint might employ dots covering half the area, blending with white paper to simulate mid-tones without excessive ink buildup.^[58]^[59] Industry standards ensure reproducible cyan across diverse presses and substrates. Pantone's Process Cyan C, a benchmark for four-color process simulation, aligns closely with the pure CMYK values of C=100%, M=0%, Y=0%, K=0%, providing a reference for consistent matching in commercial printing.^[60] Similarly, ISO 12647-2 outlines parameters for offset lithography on coated paper, specifying solid cyan ink density between 1.40 and 1.60, with CIELAB color targets of approximately L*=55-60, a*=-35 to -40, b*=-45 to -50 to achieve neutral overprints and minimize variations due to ink drying or substrate differences.^[61] Advancements in digital-to-print workflows, emerging prominently since the early 1990s, rely on Raster Image Processor (RIP) software to translate vector or raster CMYK data into precise halftone separations for platesetters and digital presses.^[62] These tools optimize for gamut limitations—such as the CMYK model's narrower blue-green range compared to RGB—by applying color profiles, trapping adjustments, and ink limit controls (typically 240-300% total area coverage) to prevent bleeding while enhancing fidelity in high-volume production.^[63]

Occurrences in Nature and Science

In Chemistry and Water

The cyan hue observed in bodies of water arises from the selective absorption of longer-wavelength red and orange light by water molecules, while shorter-wavelength blue and green light in the 490–520 nm range is scattered and transmitted more effectively.^[64] This optical property becomes more pronounced in deeper or larger volumes of water, where the cumulative absorption of red light enhances the visibility of the transmitted cyan wavelengths.^[65] In purified water, this intrinsic cyan tint is subtle and requires significant depth to appear, whereas natural waters may exhibit variations due to dissolved impurities. Chemically, the term cyan is linked to Prussian blue, the original synthetic pigment responsible for the color's nomenclature in modern contexts, which is ferric ferrocyanide with the formula Fe₄[Fe(CN)₆]₃.^[66] This deep blue compound forms through the coordination of iron ions with the hexacyanoferrate(II) complex, where the cyanide ligands (CN⁻) contribute to the intense coloration via charge-transfer electronic transitions.^[67] The cyanide ion (CN⁻) itself is colorless in solution, but derivatives such as ferrocyanide ([Fe(CN)₆]⁴⁻) yield yellow solutions, and complexes like ferric ferrocyanide produce the characteristic blue hues used in pigments.^[68] Despite their utility, cyanide compounds are highly toxic, inhibiting cellular respiration by binding to cytochrome c oxidase and disrupting oxygen utilization in organisms.^[68] Industrially, cyanides are employed in gold mining through cyanidation processes, where dilute sodium cyanide solutions leach gold from ores by forming soluble gold-cyanide complexes.^[69] The appearance of cyan in water can be influenced by pH and temperature, particularly in natural versus purified states. In natural waters, higher pH levels increase the color intensity from dissolved organic matter like humic acids, shifting the perceived hue toward deeper cyan or brownish tones, while purified water maintains a clearer, less affected cyan tint.^[70] Temperature variations alter water's absorption spectrum in the visible range, with warmer conditions slightly enhancing absorption of longer wavelengths and intensifying the cyan appearance in pure water, though effects are minimal compared to impurities in natural settings. The terminology "cyan" derives briefly from the Greek "kyanos" for blue, transmitted through "cyanide" in chemical naming.^[67]

In Biology and Medicine

Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, are photosynthetic prokaryotes that derive their name from the bluish pigment phycocyanin, which absorbs red light and reflects blue-green wavelengths, giving them a cyan appearance.^[71] These organisms play a crucial role in global oxygen production through oxygenic photosynthesis, converting carbon dioxide and water into biomass and releasing oxygen as a byproduct, particularly in oceanic environments where they contribute significantly to atmospheric oxygen levels.^[72] Phycocyanin functions as an accessory pigment in their phycobilisomes, enhancing light harvesting efficiency for photosynthesis by capturing wavelengths that chlorophyll a absorbs less effectively.^[73] In medicine, cyanocobalamin serves as a synthetic form of vitamin B12, essential for DNA synthesis, red blood cell formation, and neurological function, though its color is red-violet due to the cobalt center rather than cyan.^[74] It is produced commercially for treating B12 deficiencies and is included in cell culture media as a cofactor.^[75] Additionally, the cyanotype process, involving light-sensitive iron salts, was historically used in early medical imaging to produce blueprints resembling X-ray shadows, aiding in anatomical visualizations such as sagittal sections of human tissues.^[76]^[77] Cyanosis refers to the bluish discoloration of skin and mucous membranes caused by elevated levels of deoxygenated hemoglobin in the blood, typically when concentrations exceed 5 g/dL, creating a perceptual similarity to the color cyan despite the underlying physiological cause being oxygen deprivation.^[78] This condition signals inadequate oxygenation and is distinct from pigmentation, often linked to cardiopulmonary disorders.^[79] Cyanide toxicity, relevant to biological contexts through cyanogenic compounds in certain organisms, manifests in symptoms such as headache, confusion, seizures, and rapid death due to inhibition of cellular respiration by binding to cytochrome c oxidase.^[80] Hydroxocobalamin acts as an effective antidote by forming cyanocobalamin, which is then excreted, and is FDA-approved for acute cyanide poisoning, particularly in smoke inhalation cases.^[81] In ecosystems, toxic cyanobacteria blooms produce hepatotoxins and neurotoxins like microcystins, leading to hypoxic zones that suffocate aquatic life, disrupt food webs, and contaminate water supplies, with intensified occurrences over recent decades due to nutrient pollution and warming temperatures.^[82]^[83]

In Astronomy and Physics

In astronomy, the planet Uranus exhibits a distinctive cyan hue primarily due to the absorption of red light by methane in its atmosphere, which scatters shorter blue-green wavelengths.^[84] This atmospheric composition results in the planet's apparent turquoise-cyan coloration when observed from Earth, as confirmed by Hubble Space Telescope imaging spanning two decades.^[85] In stellar and nebular spectra, cyan emissions arise from specific forbidden lines of doubly ionized oxygen ([O III]) at approximately 495.9 nm and 500.7 nm, which contribute to the blue-green glow observed in planetary nebulae and emission nebulae around hot stars.^[86] These lines are prominent in regions ionized by ultraviolet radiation from O- and B-type stars, providing key diagnostics for gas density and temperature in astrophysical environments.^[87] In physics, cyan wavelengths around 488 nm are harnessed in dye lasers, where organic dyes like coumarins are tuned to produce coherent cyan light for applications in precision spectroscopy and holography.^[88] Cyan light-emitting diodes (LEDs), based on InGaN materials, enable high-brightness displays by emitting in the 480-500 nm range, offering improved color rendering over traditional blue LEDs.^[89] Quantum dot technology further enhances cyan color purity through size-tunable narrow-band emissions, achieving quantum yields exceeding 90% and enabling wider color gamuts in next-generation screens.^[90] Cyan wavelengths (450-500 nm) play a role in photovoltaic efficiency, particularly in blue-green absorbers like perovskites, where they contribute to higher quantum efficiencies due to optimal bandgap matching for solar spectrum absorption.^[91] For instance, cyan-tuned perovskite cells have demonstrated power conversion efficiencies above 15% in the blue-green range, bridging gaps in standard silicon-based panels.^[92] Historically, cyanobacteria, which derive their name from the phycocyanin pigment imparting a cyan coloration, initiated Earth's oxygenation around 2.4 billion years ago through photosynthetic oxygen production, influencing early atmospheric physics.^[93] As of 2025, advancements in augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) displays incorporate cyan emitters in CMY schemes to achieve video-rate color tuning with resolutions matching human vision, enhancing immersion in holographic waveguides.^[94] In spectroscopy for material analysis, high-power 488 nm cyan lasers, now reaching 300 mW output, facilitate Raman and fluorescence techniques to probe semiconductor compositions and defect states with sub-micron resolution.^[95] These developments, including quantum-enhanced detection, improve sensitivity for analyzing advanced materials like perovskites and quantum dots.^[96]

References

[1]
What Is Cyan Color? Complete Guide to HEX #00FFFF & Symbolism
Color Codes. HEX: #00FFFF RGB: (0, 255, 255) HSL: (180°, 100%, 50%) CMYK: (100%, 0%, 0%, 0%) · Scientific Properties. Wavelength: 490-520 nm Frequency: ~600- ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[2]
Meaning of the Color Cyan - The Hue of Clarity and Creativity
May 15, 2024 · It is a greenish-blue hue that is considered a secondary color in the additive (RGB) color palette, created when green and blue light are ...
[3]
Cyan Color: Hex Code, Palettes & Meaning - Figma
The hexadecimal color #00FFFF, known as cyan, has RGB values of R:0 G:255, B:255 and CMYK values of C:100, M:0, Y:0, K:0. VALUE, CSS. HEX, 00FFFF, #00FFFF. RGB ...What Color Is Cyan? · Accessibility · Contrast CheckerMissing: properties | Show results with:properties
[4]
Cyan, magenta, yellow, key (CMYK) - Printful
CMYK is an abbreviation of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (black) colors. CMYK represents the four primary ink colors used in the printing process.
[5]
Cyan CMYK color hex code is #00AEEF
What is Cyan CMYK Color? Cyan CMYK values are (100, 0, 0, 0); meaning it is composed of 100 of cyan and 0 of the rest (magenta, yellow and black).Missing: properties | Show results with:properties
[6]
Cyan - Etymology, Origin & Meaning
Originating from Greek kyanos meaning "dark blue," cyan (1889) is a greenish-blue color, short for cyan blue (1879), possibly linked to Hittite *kuwanna(n)- ...
[7]
CYAN - The Colour Index
Cyan came from the Greek name 'kyanos' meaning "dark blue, dark blue enamel, lapis lazuli," in the late 19th century.
[8]
What's the Meaning of Cyan Color and How to Use It in Design
Apr 6, 2022 · Cyan is a vibrant, lively green blue that is associated with vitality, youth, and energy. It works well in design and is frequently used interchangeably with ...Missing: properties | Show results with:properties
[9]
Cyan - EPFL Graph Search
Cyan is the color between green and blue on the visible spectrum of light. It is evoked by light with a predominant wavelength between 490 and 520 nm, ...
[10]
Everything about the color Cyan - Canva
Cyan combines well with its complement, red. You can also pair it with ... In a RGB color space (made from three colored lights for red, green, and ...
[11]
The CMYK palette – how and why?
May 25, 2018 · The CMYK palette. Cyan, magenta, yellow and black. The “primaries” here are cyan, magenta and yellow. The black is added, presumably, to extend the value range.The Origins Of Cmy · Painting Opaquely With Cmyk · Which Tube Paints?
[12]
Cyan - HTML Color Codes
Cyan is a greenish-blue color with the hex code #00FFFF, halfway between blue and green in the RGB color model. Often used to tile swimming pools.
[13]
Color : cyan - HSL / RGB / CMYK / Hexa Converter
Magenta Yellow Key RGB: Red Green Blue Hex: #. Cyan. Hexadecimal : #00FFFF. R: 0, G: 255, B: 255. CMYK(100, 0, 0, 0). H: 180°, S: 100%, L: 50%
[14]
https://drafts.csswg.org/css-color/#named-colors
[15]
https://www.figma.com/colors/cerulean/
[16]
[PDF] Color Naming Models for Color Selection, Image Editing and Palette ...
This area exhibits high naming confusion, including the terms “teal”, “turquoise”, “green” and “blue.” Note also the narrow “valley” between orange and red at L ...Missing: nomenclature | Show results with:nomenclature
[17]
Delving Deeper Into Color Space - PMC - PubMed Central
Aug 23, 2018 · Teal seems to pick up both colors that are not obviously blue and colors ... (2014) Gender differences in colour naming. In: Anderson W ...<|separator|>
[18]
https://doi.org/10.1177/20416695221124964
[19]
Turquoise in Mesoamerica - World History Encyclopedia
Aug 17, 2022 · Why did the Aztecs use turquoise? The Aztecs used turquoise because it was a rare imported material and they associated it with certain gods ...
[20]
Archaeologists Find Oldest Chinese Dragon Totem - China.org
Nov 1, 2005 · A 3,700-year-old antique in the shape of a dragon, made up of over 2,000 pieces of turquoise, is believed by many Chinese scholars as the ...Missing: ago | Show results with:ago
[21]
Color, Chemistry, and Creativity in Monet's Water Lilies
Feb 9, 2021 · By combining French ultramarine and cobalt blue with other colors in his palette, Monet achieved a wide range of blue-toned shades. His ...
[22]
Cyanotypes: The origins of photography - Kew Gardens
Feb 28, 2023 · These were one of the earliest forms of photography and involved laying an object on chemically-treated paper before exposing it to a light ...
[23]
Thomas A. Lenci and the Eagle Printing Ink Company - CMYK History
Jul 5, 2020 · In 1906, the Eagle Printing Ink Company incorporated the four-colour wet process inks for the first time. These four colours were cyan, magenta, ...<|separator|>
[24]
Color Graphics Adapter - Wikipedia
The Color Graphics Adapter (CGA), originally also called the Color/Graphics Adapter or IBM Color/Graphics Monitor Adapter, [1] introduced in 1981,
[25]
CYAN Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
Oct 6, 2025 · Etymology. Noun. Greek kyanos. Combining form. German, from Greek kyan-, kyano-, from kyanos dark blue enamel ; First Known Use. Noun. circa 1889 ...
[26]
Cyan- - Etymology, Origin & Meaning
Originating from Latinized Greek kyanos "dark blue," this word-forming element denotes the carbon-nitrogen compound radical in scientific terms.
[27]
Cyanide - Etymology, Origin & Meaning
Originating in 1826 from cyan- plus -ide, cyanide means a salt of hydrocyanic acid, notably potassium cyanide, a toxic compound used in chemistry and ...
[28]
https://artincontext.org/cornflower-color/
[29]
Learn What Blues Make the Cornflower Color - Art in Context
Jun 12, 2023 · The color name originally comes from the flower with the same name, which is also known as Cyanus, meaning blue. The flower itself is a symbol ...
[30]
A history of the colour blue in art - London - National Gallery
The 19th century: Blue for the Impressionists. The 19th century saw rapid advancements in pigment technology, which revolutionised the way artists used blue.Missing: cyan | Show results with:cyan
[31]
The changing properties of smalt over time - Tate
1 Its origins probably lie in the blue pigment used by the ancient Egyptians, known as us as 'Egyptian blue'; both pigments are made from glass that has been ...What Is Smalt? · The Scientific Properties Of... · Research Into Why Smalt...
[32]
https://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/Phthalocyanine_blue
[33]
Timeline for blue pigments - ColourLex
Phthalo Blue. Phthalo blue is a bright blue pigment with outstanding properties which was used by many modern painters such as Piet Mondrian. Learn more.
[34]
Phthalocyanine blue - MFA Cameo
Aug 4, 2022 · In 1935, copper phthalocyanine was marketed as a paint pigment called Monastral blue [ICI]. The organic colorant is usually adsorbed on an ...
[35]
The Unique Qualities of Phthalo Pigments - Jackson's Art Blog
Feb 9, 2021 · It was first sold as a pigment in 1935 under the trade name Monastral Blue (some paint manufacturers still use this name). When it was ...
[36]
Monet's Waterscapes | National Gallery of Art
A pale turquoise footbridge arching over a pond lined with tall grasses and filled with petal-pink and butter-yellow waterlilies spans this horizontal ...Monet's Waterscapes · Film: Monet's Water Lily... · Glossary
[37]
Impressionism as optical realism: Monet - Smarthistory
Apr 15, 2019 · Impressionist artists constructed their paintings in color patches in the way Monet described, as though painting the optical world as they ...Impressionism As Optical... · Shifting Patterns Of Color · Painting Light
[38]
Fading and Colour Change of Prussian Blue: Occurrences and Early ...
Prussian blue fades when mixed with much white, and early versions made from dried blood had poor lightfastness. Water solubility and potassium content also ...
[39]
How an Ancient Egyptian Blue Has Survived for Thousands of Years
Sep 7, 2023 · Over time, faience, which is the material we see here, became the most popular material for the blue glaze. Faience—sometimes specified as “ ...Missing: cyan | Show results with:cyan
[40]
Vermeer's Painting Technique: Glazing
For example, purple was approximated by glazing blue over a reddish underpainting, or vice versa. Two, glazing creates, as we have said, an extraordinary ...
[41]
CMYK - Glossary - Federal Agencies Digital Guidelines Initiative
Cyan absorbs the red component of white light, magenta absorbs green, and yellow absorbs blue. In theory, the mix of the three colors will produce black ...
[42]
Color terms - media arts@sbcc
Cyan is the complement of red, meaning that the cyan serves as a filter that absorbs red. The amount of cyan applied to a white sheet of paper controls how ...<|separator|>
[43]
The colourful chemistry of artificial dyes - Science Museum
Apr 9, 2019 · The synthetic dye boom started with mauveine, the purple dye discovered in 1856 by 18-year-old chemist William Henry Perkin.Missing: cyan | Show results with:cyan
[44]
aniline dyes | Fashion History Timeline
Aug 9, 2019 · These new aniline dyes became very fashionable. The first was 'Perkin's mauve', followed by a variety of shades of purples and magentas, yellows, blues, and ...Missing: indigo | Show results with:indigo
[45]
Prussian blue - Wikipedia
Prussian blue lent its name to prussic acid (hydrogen cyanide) derived from it. In German, hydrogen cyanide is called Blausäure ('blue acid').
[46]
Dharma Fiber Reactive Procion Dyes
Rating 4.8 (3,603) This is the #1 best dye we recommend for tie-dye, ice dyeing and batik on cotton, rayon, bamboo, Tencel®, hemp, linen and other natural fibers.About Black Dyes · Learn how to Ice Dye · Procion Dye Yields Estimator · HERE
[47]
Cyan Hex Codes: 23 Sensational Shades to Soothe or Electrify!
Aug 24, 2023 · ... printing ink on the web, try #00B7EB, which is RGB 0,183,235. On the web, this color is known as Cyan (Process). Cyan (Process) Color Swatch ...<|separator|>
[48]
How Are Water-Based Inks Environmentally Friendly? - Real Thread
Water-based inks excel in biodegradability, ensuring that printed garments leave a minimal mark on landfill waste. Compared to plastisol prints that persist for ...
[49]
CSS Color Module Level 3
### Definition of Cyan in SVG Colors or CSS
[50]
A Standard Default Color Space for the Internet - sRGB - W3C
Since currently most Windows PC support 16 or 24 bit color modes, 2.2 CRT gamma is now the average. The second systematic deviation happens when the ...
[51]
<named-color> - CSS - MDN Web Docs - Mozilla
Oct 10, 2025 · The <named-color> CSS data type is the name of a color, such as red, blue, black, or lightseagreen. Syntactically, a <named-color> is an <ident>.
[52]
Version History - W3C
In all cases, changed the non-standard color cyan to aqua . Changed the non-standard color brown to maroon ; added a test for images which are also anchors, ...
[53]
CSS Color Module Level 3 - W3C
Jan 18, 2022 · CSS Color Module Level 3 describes color values and properties for foreground color and opacity, including new properties and values.
[54]
Understanding WCAG 2 Contrast and Color Requirements - WebAIM
Jan 9, 2021 · This article pulls together the terms and principles needed to understand WCAG 2 requirements for contrast and color.
[55]
Understanding Success Criterion 1.4.11: Non-text Contrast - W3C
WCAG conformance should be evaluated for color pairs specified in the content that an author would expect to appear adjacent in typical presentation.
[56]
How to Calibrate Color for the Web - Web Designer Depot
Apr 26, 2010 · In the 1990s, getting accurate color on the web meant using a palette of 216 “web-safe” colors. These hues and shades were (mostly) guaranteed ...
[57]
The Color Cyan | Adobe Express
Cyan sits between blue and green on the visible spectrum of light. It's an almost electric shade that appears in shocks of color throughout nature.
[58]
#00b7eb hex color - ColorHexa
In a RGB color space, hex #00b7eb is composed of 0% red, 71.8% green and 92.2% blue. Whereas in a CMYK color space, it is composed of 100% cyan, 22.1% magenta, ...
[59]
PANTONE Process Cyan C to CMYK
If you want to represent PANTONE Process Cyan C using CMYK color standard, you should be using these CMYK values for best results - Cyan: 100%, Magenta: 28%, ...
[60]
https://upmold.com/wp-content/uploads/Data-center/Pantone-color-chart.pdf
[61]
Halftone dots pattern in Photoshop - Adobe
Early color presses used only cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK) inks. Printers developed the halftone as a way to print a wider spectrum of colors.
[62]
PANTONE CMYK COLOR GUIDES / GP4001_ColorController.com
Where applicable, conforms to ISO-12647-2:2-2004/Amd 1:2007. PRINT ROTATION. Print Rotation, Screen Angles. 1. Black (K), 45o. 2. Cyan (C), 105o. 3. Magenta (M) ...Missing: specifications | Show results with:specifications
[63]
[PDF] Pantone Color Chart.pdf - Upmold
PANTONE® color bridge™ CMYK PC. Page: 1 of 14. PANTONE Pro. Yel. PC. C:0 M:0 Y:100 K:0. PANTONE Pro. Mag. PC. C:0 M:100 Y:0 K:0. PANTONE Pro. Cyan PC. C:100 M:0 ...
[64]
[PDF] ISO 12647-2
CMYK values for use in grey balance patches unit: %. Colour. Tone value. Cyan.
[65]
When CMYK workflow hampers more than helps - Printweek
Feb 24, 2025 · Ever since digital workflows started to hit the industry in the early 1990s, the default has been to work in CMYK colours for linework at ...
[66]
What is a RIP? | Raster Image Processor Software for Printing
Mar 27, 2020 · A RIP, or raster imaging processor, is a program that allows your digital printer to communicate with your computer.Missing: 1990s | Show results with:1990s
[67]
[PDF] Water absorption spectrum
Feb 1, 2009 · This absorption spectrum of water (red light absorbs 100 times more than blue light), together with the five-times greater scattering of blue ...
[68]
Absorption by Oceanic Constituents - Ocean Optics Web Book
Mar 13, 2021 · Water. The absorption by pure water in the visible region of the spectrum is low in the blue and increases into the UV, red and infrared with ...
[69]
Ferric Ferrocyanide | C18Fe7N18 | CID 2724251 - PubChem - NIH
Prussian blue is described as a deep blue pigment that is produced when the oxidation of ferrous ferrocyanide salts occurs. It contains ferric ...
[70]
Prussian blue - American Chemical Society
Jan 23, 2017 · The pigment Prussian blue consists of iron cations, cyanide anions, and water. The empirical formula—minus the water of crystallization—is Fe7( ...Missing: ferrocyanide | Show results with:ferrocyanide
[71]
Cyanide Facts
Both HCN gas and liquid are colorless and have the odor of bitter almonds, although not all individuals can detect the odor. In solution, the cyanide ion reacts ...
[72]
Cyanide Use in Gold Mining - Earthworks
Cyanide, a deadly chemical, is used in gold mining to leach gold from ore via heap or vat leaching, enabling mining of lower grade ore.
[73]
[PDF] Colour | Canada.ca
One major factor that affects the colour of natural surface water is pH. The increase in colour with increasing pH of the test sample is commonly referred to ...
[74]
Cyanobacteria (Blue-Green Algae) in Waterways (Rutgers NJAES)
"Cyan" means blue, and cyanobacteria get their name from the blueish pigment phycocyanin. ... When not photosynthesizing to produce oxygen cyanobacteria still ...
[75]
[PDF] Towards nature-based production and valorization of cyanobacteria ...
Cyanobacteria, also named blue-green algae, are one of the main oxygen producers in the oceans. This is developed through photosynthesis, a process in which ...
[76]
Recent Developments in Production and Biotechnological ... - NIH
C-phycocyanin is the major phycobiliprotein in many blue-green algae. The intense blue color in blue-green algae is due to the presence of phycocyanin and emits ...
[77]
Cyanocobalamin - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf - NIH
Cyanocobalamin is a synthetic compound of vitamin B12 used to treat vitamin deficiencies. Chemically, cyanocobalamin is classified as a "corrinoid," ...
[78]
Red colored IgG4 caused by vitamin B12 from cell culture media ...
Feb 19, 2014 · Cyanocobalamin is the vitamin B12 form typically included in cell culture media as a cofactor required for DNA synthesis. Under cell culture ...
[79]
X-ray cyanotype print - Salisbury Healthcare History
Cyanotype is a printing process that uses light sensitive ink to create a shadow image onto paper. These images resemble those of x-rays.
[80]
[PDF] Revelations in Harold Mahoney's X-rayed Anatomical Sections
collection holds two cyanotypes of sagittal sections of the human anatomy: nearly life size, limbless, and unidentifiable masses of phantom.
[81]
Central and Peripheral Cyanosis - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf
Cyan means blue, and the abnormal bluish skin and mucous membrane discoloration is called “cyanosis.” It is a pathologic sign and not a disease by itself.
[82]
Cyanosis - Lung and Airway Disorders - Merck Manuals
Cyanosis is a bluish or grayish discoloration of the skin resulting from an inadequate amount of oxygen in the blood. Cyanosis occurs when oxygen-depleted ( ...
[83]
Cyanide | Chemical Emergencies - CDC
Sep 6, 2024 · Signs and symptoms. Breathing in cyanide gas causes symptoms to show up the fastest, but swallowing solid or liquid cyanide can be dangerous too ...
[84]
Hydroxocobalamin - Medical Countermeasures Database - CHEMM
Hydroxocobalamin, a precursor of vitamin B12, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an antidote to cyanide poisoning in the United States.
[85]
Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms in Aquatic Ecosystems - NIH
Jul 9, 2021 · An intensification of toxic cyanobacteria blooms has occurred over the last three decades, severely affecting coastal and lake water quality ...
[86]
Ecosystems - Harmful Algal Blooms
Hypoxic events that suffocate and kill fish and bottom-dwelling organisms are perhaps the most common adverse impact of high biomass cyanoHAB blooms.
[87]
20-Year Hubble Study of Uranus Yields New Atmospheric Insights
Mar 31, 2025 · The methane gives Uranus its cyan color by absorbing the red wavelengths of sunlight. The Hubble team observed Uranus four times in the 20-year ...
[88]
Huge Spring Storms Rouse Uranus from Winter Hibernation
Mar 20, 2025 · Absorption of red light by methane in the atmosphere gives the planet its cyan color. Uranus was discovered March 13, 1781, by William Herschel.
[89]
Spectroscopy of Planetary Nebulae: Understanding what PNs are
The really bright green line at 5007 Angstroms and the fainter companion line at 4959 Angstroms cause these PNs look green to the eye. When displayed like this ...
[90]
Cyano radical emission at small spatial scales towards massive ...
We therefore present a high-angular resolution CN study towards a sample of massive protostars, with the aim of unveiling the spatial distribution.
[91]
Dye Lasers - RP Photonics
Dye lasers use liquid or solid dyes as gain media, often widely tunable and capable of femtosecond pulse generation.What are Dye Lasers? · Pumping Options for Dye Lasers · Dye Laser ResonatorsMissing: cyan | Show results with:cyan
[92]
Carrier dynamics in blue, cyan, and green InGaN/GaN LEDs ...
May 24, 2023 · In this work, we use small-signal electroluminescence (SSEL) to study the carrier dynamics in c-plane LEDs with various emission wavelengths ...
[93]
https://asm.org/articles/2022/february/the-great-oxidation-event-how-cyanobacteria-change
[94]
Highly Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells with Tunable Structural Color
Feb 4, 2015 · Aesthetically attractive perovskite solar cells in blue, blue-green, and green hues are now achievable and offer a new avenue for efficient and ...
[95]
Colored ultrathin hybrid photovoltaics with high quantum efficiency
Oct 24, 2014 · In particular, the cyan color has the strongest resonance because of the lower absorption by a-Si at longer wavelengths; it is evident that a ...
[96]
The Great Oxidation Event: How Cyanobacteria Changed Life
Feb 18, 2022 · Since life was totally anaerobic 2.7 billion years ago when cyanobacteria evolved, it is believed that oxygen acted as a poison and wiped out much of anaerobic ...
[97]
Video‐rate tunable colour electronic paper with human resolution
Oct 22, 2025 · Finally, to demonstrate the potential of retina E-paper for virtual reality applications, we use cyan, magenta and yellow (CMY) colour ...
[98]
ams OSRAM boosts cyan laser diode power five-fold
May 7, 2025 · The new PLT5 488HB_EP cyan laser diode achieves 300mW of output power, representing a fivefold increase in optical performance and an improvement in efficiency.
[99]
488 nm - Arktis Laser
Our broad range of 488 nm lasers are for Fluorescence Excitation, Optogenetics, PIV, Raman Spectroscopy, Laser Display and a Broad Range of Other Applications.