Electric blue is a color whose definition varies but is often considered close to cyan, and which is a representation of the color of lightning, an electric spark, and the color of ionized argon gas; it was originally named after the ionized air glow produced during electrical discharges, though its meaning has broadened to include shades of blue that are metaphorically "electric" by virtue of being "intense" or particularly "vibrant". Electric arcs can cause a variety of color emissions depending on the gases involved, but blue and purple are typical colors produced in the troposphere where oxygen and nitrogen dominate.
The first recorded use of electric blue as a color name in English was in 1845.[1][2] The color electric blue (the version shown below as medium electric blue) was in vogue in the 1890s.[3]
The deep tone of electric blue displayed at right is the color called bleu électrique in the Pourpre.com color list, a color list widely popular in France.[citation needed]
The color displayed at right, titled medium electric blue, is the electric blue which "had an immense vogue in the latter 19th century".[5] Its source is a textile sample from the 1890s.[6][7]
Today, this tone remains typical of "electric blue" fabrics in the mass market.
In a 1998 retelling of the original 1963 story of Superman Red/Superman Blue, Superman is temporarily deprived of the solar energy which his body needs. To compensate, he harnesses electricity.[11] This eventually forces him to adopt a blue and white suit to prevent the energy from dispersing. He retained most of his abilities but lost his heat-vision and used electric attacks instead. Some fans refer to this version of Superman as "Electric Blue Superman".[12]
Music
David Bowie's song "Sound and Vision" references the color in the third verse,
Blue, blue, electric blue
That's the color of my room
Where I will live
Blue, blue
^Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill, p.194; Color Sample of Electric Blue [fabric 1890s]: Page 97 Plate 37 Color Sample I7
^Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill Discussion of color Electric Blue, p. 156
^The color displayed in the color box above matches the color called electric blue in the 1930 book by Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill; the color electric blue is displayed on page 97, Plate 37, Color Sample I7.
^Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill, p.156 Discussion of the color Electric Blue
^Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill, Color Sample of Electric Blue [fabric 1890s]: Page 97 Plate 37 Color Sample I7
^Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill, p.194 Name of the color "electric blue" in the index is marked with a "T", which means it is from a textile sample
Color coordinates