Phthalo green: Color codes, color palettes, and uses

Deep, lush, and just a little moody, phthalo green has been turning heads since it burst onto the fine art scene in the 1930s. Born in a lab (thanks to some clever chlorinating of copper phthalocyanine), phthalo quickly became a favorite for painters and designers alike.

In design terms, you’ll find this stunner rocking hex code #123524 — dark, dramatic, and ready to anchor your next color palette.

In this complete guide to phthalo green, we’ll be digging deep into these topics (feel free to skip ahead if you want):

Phthalo green is rich and grounding, ready to bring quiet sophistication and timelessness to every project. It can also evoke tranquility and renewal, making it a great choice for creating a calming atmosphere.

Here are five phthalo green color palettes to inspire you to use it in your projects.

Monochromatic palettes use variations in tints, tones, or shades of one hue to create a cohesive palette. To make this monochromatic phthalo green color palette, we added a bit of white to first phthalo green and then each subsequent color swatch to lighten it incrementally.

The hex, CMYK, and RGB codes for this palette are:

If the dark phthalo green aesthetic appeals to you, this analogous palette is an excellent choice for your next project. Sitting next to each other on the color wheel, these low-key greens color work well together to communicate a sense of depth and sophistication.

Want to know more about color theory? Then this video is a great place to begin.

To create this color scheme, we simply chose dark red, which is opposite phthalo green, on the color wheel. We then added two tints of this dark red to balance the palette with lighter hues.

You can create a triadic color scheme by picking three colors equally spaced on the color wheel, starting with phthalo green. As this makes quite a low-key palette, we’ve added a tint of phthalo to lighten the color scheme.

This tetradic color schemes are made from two pairs of complementary colors. This offers quite a low-key palette, so you will need to add some tints from any or all the colors to balance out the tonal range in your project.

The rich, deep tones of phthalo green are reminiscent of lush forests and deep lakes, so, unsurprisingly, it symbolizes nature, growth, and renewal. Using phthalo in projects can create a calming aura and evoke peace and revitalization.

In fashion and design, phthalo is synonymous with refined luxury, elegance, and timeless taste. Meanwhile, its blue undertone gives it a cerebral edge, making it feel organic and intellectual, perfect for brands that want to blend heart and mind.

Phthalo green doesn’t scream for attention; it draws you in. This green is often perceived as mature, grounded, and thoughtful—ideal for conveying subtle strength or refined confidence. Because it’s darker and cooler, phthalo green can feel mysterious or even a bit brooding — think “cool confidence,” not “sunshine and smiles.”

To learn more about the psychology of green and its impact on design, check out these articles and video:

Phthalo green is a copper-based pigment developed in 1938. Before it was created, artists used pigments like Scheele’s green and emerald green, which were highly unstable and toxic. Once phthalo green became available, its intense color, high versatility, and safety made the pigment a popular choice in art, design, textiles, and printing. It’s also a popular choice for luxury cars.

One of the qualities that makes phthalo green popular is its versatility. We can use it to create various tints and shades, from soft ephemeral greens to strong dark greens. Let’s look at some of the famous uses of phthalo green.

Alchemy is one of Jackson Pollack’s most famous paintings. Although it’s not immediately obvious, he used phthalo green, along with other pigments, to create his dynamic signature drip style.

Francis Bacon also used the hue extensively in his paintings. Pope (1958) is just one of them. Bacon was very adept at staining his canvas to create a deep, dark phthalo green background while using tints of the hue for his subject matter.

Paint manufacturer Liquitex gave phthalo green the ultimate honor by declaring it its color of 2025.

In fashion and design, phthalo green is synonymous with refinement, luxury, and timeless elegance.

Brands like Sacai use it for everything from boots to jackets in their 2025 Spring/Summer collection to deliver edgy yet sophisticated looks.

This bag from Wolf & Badger’s ‘Time Resistance’ line embodies the simplicity and elegance phthalo green lends to every product.

Of course, tons of brands opt for deep green in their branding. Brands like Landrover use it to communicate both luxury and adventure in the wild outdoors.

Meanwhile, Tropicana uses it to reinforce both the natural and fresh quality of its products.

Tic Tac does a similar thing with its brand, but this time green is associated with the freshness of peppermint.

A: Phthalo green is a deep, lush green with a subtle blue undertone, reminiscent of dense forest foliage or the serene depths of a tropical sea. Its unique vibrancy and intensity make it stand out in nature, often seen in the rich hues of evergreen trees and the shimmering surface of emerald waters.

A: Phthalo is pronounced ‘THAL-oh’.

A: For designers and other digital artists, simply use the phthalo green hex code, #123524, to include the color in your designs.

A: Phthalo green is a cool color.

Phthalo green blue shade is a cool color.

A: No. They’re both vibrant green colors, but viridian green — PG18 for painters — uses the hex code #40826D, while phthalo green — PG7 for painters — uses the hex code #123524. The color swatches below show phthalo green vs. viridian.

A: For digital artists, here are two colors close to phthalo green:

A: Phthalo green is a deep, lush green with a faint blue undertone.

Phthalo green is a deep, calm, elegant color that’s ideal for many different creative projects. If you’re looking for other greens to include in your designs, sage green and seafoam green are great options. For more inspiration, check out this collection of phthalo green creative assets available at Envato.