Neon Blue Color – The Distinctive Shade of Neon Blue

The neon blue color, which comes from the element neon used in the discharge of electric lamps, is more of a modern color when compared to all other shades of blue. Neon blue is a bright and vivid color that is full of energy and is a perfect color to use to create excitement in your chosen color palette. It is very difficult to distinguish blue from the color black at night, but neon blue is very easy to see in the dark, as it is fluorescent.  Let us look further into the meaning of neon colors, and what other colors go with it. 

What Is Neon Blue Color?  

The color neon blue is a very bright and vibrant variant of primary and secondary colors like red, blue, green, yellow, and purple. Neon blue is very similar to azure blue but has a more blue-green tint to it. The neon blue color originated from neon lights and stands apart from many other types of colors, as it is fluorescent and emits light, making it luminescent.

When this fluorescent light falls into the visible light spectrum, you can see it with the naked eye, where the luminescence is depicted in color.

The neon blue color code belongs to the cyan family because of its high saturation and brightness. The neon blue hex code is #4d9ff.  In the table below, you will find neon blue, and a few different shades, tints, and tones of neon blue.

Neon Blue Color: A Brief History 

Neon blue is a bright, strong color that is used a great deal in web pages and advertising because it stands out, is eye-catching, versatile, and goes well with other colors. It is a color that appears in several national flags like Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Bosnia. During the 1920s, neon blue originated from neon lights, which are based on neon gas and metallic mercury.

These neon lights were quite popular in Europe as well as the United States until the Second World War. However, neon lights were still popular in other countries, such as Korea and Japan until the 1980s.

The first time the color neon blue was recorded in the English language was in 1926. Neon colors have been seen in clothes, nail polish, and signs since the 80s, and have gone through several trends in history. Today, neon lights remain popular, even becoming an interior lighting trend.

Meaning of the Neon Blue Color    

Like any other color, all neon colors have some type of meaning to them, but most variants of neon color share the same meaning as that of the less vibrant colors they are associated with. Neon blue, which is a shade of blue, often means tranquility, calmness, trust, honesty, loyalty, and wisdom.

In some instances, neon blue is associated with technology and electricity and is often a color that describes things that are very intense and bright.

In the world of fashion, neon blue has become a very popular color for accessories and clothing. The dark neon blue color is a perfect color for winter but can also be found on walls in businesses and homes. However, not everyone associates the same meaning with neon colors.

The neon colors can also be seen as fun, frivolous, and excessive. These meanings are only true when the neon colors appear beside other darker colors, such as navy blue or black.  Sometimes, neon colors represent danger or warning as they can easily be seen on clothing that is visible at night. 

What Colors Go With Neon Blue? 

Neon colors are bright versions of any pure primary and secondary colors and can only truly be chemically created. The neon blue color code is not included in the traditional color spectrum, making it very difficult to find its place on the color wheel. Neon blue and other neon colors have only been featured on the latest 20th-century color wheel.

For your color palette to function properly, you need to understand the color wheel, and available color combinations, which include some of the following.

• Complementary colors: This combination involves colors that are found opposite one another when looking at the color wheel, forming contrasts.
• Analogous colors: These are colors that appear close to each other and are found only on one side of the color wheel.
• Monochromatic colors: A color combination that creates variations of a single color from darker to lighter shades.
• Triadic colors: This forms a three-color combination that creates contrast and appears in the form of a triangle on the color wheel.

The complementary color for neon blue is olive yellow, however, neon colors are prone to be very overpowering and need to be balanced with more muted or natural colors. To tone your neon color down, you can combine it with natural shades like gray, brown, or beige.

Some other colors that go well with neon blue are royal blue, purple, cranberry, peach, canary, and white.

In your color palette, you can include two, three, or even four monochromatic colors with only one neon color, which will still produce a bright design, but it will not be overpowering. In the chart below, are a few colors that go well with neon blue. Included is the neon blue hex code, along with all the other color codes that can be used for printing and graphic design.

How to Use Neon Blue

If you are looking to mix a neon blue color paint, you will need to add something extra to get the neon look. All you will need is some blue acrylic paint, and to this, you will need to also include a blue neon pigment powder. To get just the right color you are looking for, you will need to experiment with the different proportions.

How to Create Neon Blue Interior Designs?  

Neon blue is an amazing color to use for design as it is very versatile and can go with almost any other color, but especially black and white. However, neon blue is a statement color, and you need to ensure you do not use too much of it in one place, instead use it as an accent color so that it does not cover the entire space or area. It is also a great contrast color that can make other colors more vibrant, and it can be used to create more of a modern feel.   

Pastel and light shades always seem to be in fashion, but at times they may become slightly dull, especially when they are used on their own. So, to brighten up your rooms it is a good idea to include a neon blue color scheme to your pastel color scheme for a lively and energized atmosphere.

Before you start to decorate your home, you first need to identify each room in your home to see which one will be able to use a neon blue color scheme. Remember, neon colors are not only good for kids’ rooms, but they can also look great in your kitchen, dining room, living room, and your bedroom.  For example, in your living room, neon colors can accent many other elements in the room, like scatter cushions on the sofa that can be a dark neon blue color.

In your bedroom, you can have neon-colored pillows, throws, bed sheets, cushions, or wall hangings, and in your dining room you may want to paint one wall with a neon color, and then complement that with some bright and bold napkins and table mats. When it comes to the kitchen, you may want to paint some cabinets with a neon shade or accent the outline of the cabinets with bold and bright colors. Make sure to keep all the other elements in a neutral color, so that you are not overwhelmed with the bright colors all around you.   

Neon blue, and all neon colors, are striking, bold, and memorable. They can add excitement and energy to any of your projects, from contemporary art, fashion design, and interior design to digital and web designs.  However, you need to take care that you do not use neon blue too much, as this can result in a look that is overwhelming and overbearing. So, use neon blue sparingly, and enjoy the amazing results!

Frequently Asked Questions   

What Does Neon Blue Look Like?  

The neon blue color is an electric and bright blue color that is almost the same as azure blue but has more of a blue-green tint. When looking at the neon blue hex code, it can be described as a vivid cyan. However, you may find other variations of neon blue online, such as the neon blue color with the hex code #1f51ff, which is more of a vivid blue than a cyan color.

What Colors Complement Neon Blue?   

Because neon blue is a bright color, it can be used as an accent color that is paired with white or other more neutral colors to tone it down. However, the complementary color to neon blue would be other vivid hues, like bright orange-red.

Does Neon Blue Glow in the Dark?  

Neon blue will glow in the dark if placed under a black light, but some neon colors will glow better than others. For example, when using ultraviolet light, neon blue will glow, but the lighter the blue color, the more prominently it will glow.

Charlene Lewis( Content Creator and Creativity Writer )

In 2005, Charlene completed her Wellness Diplomas in Therapeutic Aromatherapy and Reflexology from the International School of Reflexology and Meridian Therapy. She worked for a company offering corporate wellness programs for a couple of years, before opening up her own therapy practice. It was in 2015 that a friend, who was a digital marketer, asked her to join her company as a content creator, and this is where she found her excitement for writing.

Since joining the content writing world, she has gained a lot of experience over the years writing on a diverse selection of topics, from beauty, health, wellness, travel, and more. Due to various circumstances, she had to close her therapy practice and is now a full-time freelance writer. Being a creative person, she could not pass up the opportunity to contribute to the Art in Context team, where is was in her element, writing about a variety of art and craft topics. Contributing articles for over three years now, her knowledge in this area has grown, and she has gotten to explore her creativity and improve her research and writing skills.

Charlene Lewis has been working for artincontext.org since the relaunch in 2020. She is an experienced writer and mainly focuses on the topics of color theory, painting and drawing.

Learn more about Charlene Lewis and the Art in Context Team.