 Skin absorbs blue light: Subcutaneous fat only allows blue light to

penetrate skin all the way to veins, so this is the color that is reflected back.
Less energetic, warmer colors are absorbed by skin before they can travel
that far. Blood also absorbs light, so blood vessels appear dark. Arteries
have muscular walls, rather than thin walls like veins, but they likely would
appear the same color if they were visible through the skin.

 Deoxygenated blood is dark red: Most veins carry deoxygenated

blood, which is a darker color than oxygenated blood. The deep color of
blood makes veins appear dark, too.

 Different sizes of vessels appear different colors: If you look closely

at your veins, for example, along with the inside of your wrist, you'll see
your veins are not all the same color. The diameter and thickness of the
walls of the veins play a part in the way light is absorbed and how much
blood is seen through the vessel.

 Vein color depends on your perception: In part, you see veins as

more blue than they really are because your brain compares the color of the
blood vessel against the brighter and warmer tone of your skin.