Cyan

This article is about color. For other uses, seeCyan (disambiguation).

Cyan(/ˈsaɪ.ən,-æn/)is the color betweenblueandgreenon thevisible spectrumoflight.It is evoked by light with a predominant wavelength between 500 and 520nm,between the wavelengths of green and blue.

Cyan
Spectral coordinates
Wavelength	490–520nm
Frequency	610–575THz
Common connotations
water
Color coordinates
Hex triplet	#00FFFF
sRGBB(r,g,b)	(0, 255, 255)
HSV(h,s,v)	(180°, 100%, 100%)
CIELChuv(L,C,h)	(91, 72, 192°)
Source	CSS Color Module Level 4000
B:Normalized to [0–255] (byte) H:Normalized to [0–100] (hundred)

In thesubtractive colorsystem, orCMYK color model,which can be overlaid to produce all colors in paint and color printing, cyan is one of theprimary colors,along withmagentaandyellow.In theadditive colorsystem, orRGB color model,used to create all the colors on a computer or television display, cyan is made by mixing equal amounts ofgreenandbluelight.Cyan is thecomplementofred;it can be made by the removal of red from white. Mixing red light and cyan light at the right intensity will makewhitelight.

Shades and variations

Differentshades of cyancan vary in terms of hue, chroma (also known as saturation, intensity, or colorfulness), or lightness (or value, tone, or brightness), or any combination of these characteristics. Differences in value can also be referred to as tints and shades, with a tint being a cyan mixed with white, and a shade being mixed with black.

Color nomenclature is subjective. Many shades of cyan with a bluish hue are called blue. Similarly, those with a greenish hue are referred to as green. A cyan with a dark shade is commonly known asteal.Ateal blueshade leans toward the blue end of the spectrum. Variations of teal with a greener tint are commonly referred to asteal green.

Turquoise,reminiscent of the stone with the same name, is a shade in the green spectrum of cyan hues.Celesteis a lightly tinted cyan that represents the color a clear sky. Other colors in the cyan color range areelectric blue,aquamarine,and others described asblue-green.

History

Cyan boasts a rich and diverse history, holding cultural significance for millennia. In ancient civilizations,turquoise,valued for its aesthetic appeal, served as a highly regarded precious gem. Turquoise comes in a variety of shades from green to blue, but cyan hues are particularly prevalent. Approximately 3,700 years ago, an intricately crafted dragon-shaped treasure made from over 2,000 pieces of turquoise and jade was created. This artifact is widely recognized as the oldest Chinese dragon totem by many Chinese scholars.

Turquoise jewelry also held significant importance among theAztecs,who often featured this precious gemstone in vibrant frescoes for both symbolic and decorative purposes. The Aztecs revered turquoise, associating its color with the heavens and sacredness.Additionally, ancientEgyptiansinterpreted cyan hues as representing faith and truth, whileTibetansviewed them as a symbol of infinity.

After earlier uses in various contexts, cyan hues found increased use in diverse cultures due to their appealing aesthetic qualities in religious structures and art pieces. For example, the prominent dome of theGoharshad MosqueinIran,built in 1418, showcases this trend. Additionally,Jacopo da Pontormo'suse of a teal shade forMary'srobe in the 1528 paintingCarmignano Visitationdemonstrates the allure for these hues.During the 16th century, speakers of the English language began using the termturquoiseto describe the cyan color of objects that resembled the color of the stone.

In the 1870s, the French sculptorFrédéric Bartholdibegan the construction of what would later become theStatue of Liberty.Over time, exposure to the elements caused the copper structure to develop its distinctivepatina,now recognized as iconic cyan.Following this, there was a significant advancement in the use of cyan during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Impressionist artists, such asClaude Monetin his renownedWater Lilies,effectively incorporated cyan hues into their works. Deviating from traditional interpretations of local color under neutral lighting conditions, the focus of artists was on accurately depicting perceived color and the influence of light on altering object hues. Specifically, daylight plays a significant role in shifting the perceived color of objects toward cyan hues.In 1917, the color termtealwas introduced to describe deeper shades of cyan.

In the late 19th century, whiletraditionalnomenclature ofred,yellow,andbluepersisted, the printing industry initiated a shift towards utilizingmagentaandcyaninks forredandbluehues, respectively. This transition aimed to establish a more versatile colorgamutachievable with only three primary colors. In 1949, a document in the printing industry stated: “Thefour-colorset comprisesYellow,Red (magenta),Blue (cyan),Black”.This practice of labelingmagenta,yellow,andcyanasred,yellow,andbluepersisted until 1961. As the hues evolved, the printing industry maintained the use of thetraditionaltermsred,yellow,andblue.Consequently, pinpointing the exact date of origin forCMYK,in whichcyanserves as a primary color, proveschallenging.

In August 1991, the HP Deskwriter 500C became the first Deskwriter to offer color printing as an option. It used interchangeable black and color (cyan, magenta, and yellow) inkjet print cartridges.With the inclusion of cyan ink in printers, the term "cyan" has become widely recognized in both home and office settings. According to TUP/Technology User Profile 2020, approximately 70% of online American adults regularly use a home printer.

Etymology and terminology

Its name is derived from theAncient Greekwordkyanos(κύανος), meaning "dark blue enamel,Lapis lazuli".It was formerly known as "cyan blue"or cyan-blue,and its first recorded use as a color name inEnglishwas in 1879.Further originsof the color name can be traced back to adyeproduced from thecornflower(Centaurea cyanus).

In most languages, 'cyan' is not a basiccolor termand itphenomenologicallyappears as a greenish vibranthueof blue to most English speakers. Other English terms for this "borderline" hue region includeblue green,aqua,turquoise,teal,andgrue.

On the web and in printing

Web colors cyan and aqua

Cyan (additive secondary)
Color coordinates
Hex triplet	#00FFFF
sRGBB(r,g,b)	(0, 255, 255)
HSV(h,s,v)	(180°, 100%, 100%)
CIELChuv(L,C,h)	(91, 72, 192°)
Source	X11
ISCC–NBS descriptor	Brilliant bluish green
B:Normalized to [0–255] (byte)

Theweb colorcyan shown at right is asecondary colorin theRGB color model,which uses combinations of red, green and blue light to create all the colors on computer and television displays. InX11 colors,this color is called both cyan andaqua.In the HTML color list, this same color is called aqua.

The web colors are more vivid than the cyan used in theCMYKcolor system, and the web colors cannot be accurately reproduced on a printed page. To reproduce the web color cyan in inks, it is necessary to add some white ink to the printer's cyan below, so when it is reproduced in printing, it is not a primary subtractive color. It is calledaqua(a name in use since 1598) because it is a color commonly associated withwater,such as the appearance of the water at a tropical beach.

Process cyan

Cyan (subtractive primary)
Color coordinates
Hex triplet	#00B7EB
sRGBB(r,g,b)	(0, 183, 235)
HSV(h,s,v)	(193°, 100%, 92%)
CIELChuv(L,C,h)	(69, 74, 229°)
Source	CMYK
ISCC–NBS descriptor	Brilliant greenish blue
B:Normalized to [0–255] (byte)

Cyan is also one of the common inks used infour-color printing,along withmagenta,yellow,andblack;this set of colors is referred to as CMYK. In printing, the cyan ink is sometimes known as printer's cyan, process cyan, or process blue.

While both the additive secondary and the subtractive primary are calledcyan,they can be substantially different from one another. Cyan printing ink is typically more saturated than the RGB secondary cyan, depending on whatRGB color spaceand ink are considered. That is, process cyan is usually outside the RGBgamut,and there is no fixed conversion from CMYK primaries to RGB. Different formulations are used for printer's ink, so there can be variations in the printed color that is pure cyan ink. This is because real-world subtractive (unlike additive) color mixing does not consistently produce the same result when mixing apparently identical colors, since the specific frequencies filtered out to produce that color affect how it interacts with other colors.Phthalocyanine blueis one such commonly used pigment. A typical formulation ofprocess cyanis shown in the color box on the right.

In science and nature

Color of water

• Pure water is nearly colorless. However, it doesabsorbslightly more red light than blue, giving significant volumes of water a bluish tint; increased scattering of blue light due to fine particles in the water shifts the blue color toward green, for a typically cyan net color.

Cyan and cyanide

• Cyanidederives its name fromPrussian blue,a blue pigment containing the cyanide ion.

Bacteria

• Cyanobacteria(sometimes called blue-green algae) are an important link in thefood chain.

Astronomy

• TheplanetUranusis colored cyan because of the abundance ofmethanein itsatmosphere.Methane absorbs red light and reflects the blue-green light which allows observers to see it as cyan.

Energy

• Natural gas(methane), used by many forhome cookingongas stoves,has a cyan coloredflamewhen burned with a mixture of air.

Photography and film

• Cyanotype,orblueprint,amonochromephotographic printing processthat predates the use of the wordcyanas a color, yields a deepcyan-bluecolored print based on the Prussian blue pigment.
• Cinecolor,a bi-pack color process, the photographer would load a standard camera with two films, one orthochromatic, dyed red, and a panchromatic strip behind it. Color light would expose the cyan record on the ortho stock, which also acted as a filter, exposing only red light to the panchromatic film stock.

Medicine

• Cyanosisis an abnormal blueness of the skin, usually a sign of poor oxygen intake; patients are typically described as being "cyanotic".
• Cyanopsiais acolor vision defectwhere vision is tinted blue. This can be adrug-induced side effector experienced aftercataractremoval.

Gallery

• 
  In theRGB color model,used to make colors on computer and TV displays, cyan is created by the combination of green and blue light.
• 
  In theRGBandCMY(K)color wheel, cyan is midway between blue and green.
• 
  In theCMYK color model,used in color printing, cyan,magentaandyellowcombined make black. In practice, since the inks are not perfect, some black ink is added.
• 
  Color printers today use, magenta, cyan and yellow ink to produce a wide range of colors.
• 
  Cyan and red are complementary colors in most color spaces (mixing them in equal amounts produces an achromatic color). They have a strong contrast.
• 
  Cyan is the color of shallow water over a sandy beach. The water absorbs the color red from the sunlight, leaving a greenish-blue color.
• 
  The dome of theTilla Kari MosqueinSamarkand,Uzbekistan(1660) is cyan. The color is widely used in architecture in Turkey and Central Asia.
• 
  The planetUranus,seen from theVoyager 2spacecraft. The cyan color comes from a combination ofmethane gasand atmospheric haze in the planet's atmosphere.
• 
  A surgical team in Germany. It has been suggested that surgeons and nurses adopted a cyan-colored gown and operating rooms because it contrasts the color of red blood, thus reducing glare,though the evidence for this claim is limited.
• 
  The pigments in color photographs may degrade at different rates, potentially resulting in a cyan tint.

See also

• Blue–green distinction in language
• Shades of cyan
• Lists of colors