Color Palette Generator

Create beautiful harmonious color schemes based on color theory principles

Enter HEX color code

Complementary: Colors opposite on the color wheel - creates high contrast and vibrant look

Understanding Color Harmony

Color harmony is the theory of combining colors in a way that is pleasing to the eye. Our color palette generator uses established color theory principles to create harmonious color schemes that work well together in design projects. Whether you're designing a website, creating a brand identity, or working on any visual project, understanding these color relationships is essential for professional results.

Color Harmony Schemes Explained

Complementary Colors

Colors that sit opposite each other on the color wheel (180° apart). This creates maximum contrast and visual impact. Perfect for designs that need to grab attention or emphasize specific elements. Examples: blue and orange, red and green, purple and yellow.

Best for: Call-to-action buttons, high-impact designs, sports branding

Triadic Colors

Three colors evenly spaced around the color wheel (120° apart). Creates a balanced, vibrant palette with good contrast while remaining harmonious. Works well when one color dominates and the others accent.

Best for: Playful brands, children's content, vibrant web designs

Analogous Colors

Colors that sit next to each other on the color wheel (typically within 30° of each other). Creates serene, comfortable designs that are easy on the eyes. Often found in nature and perceived as naturally harmonious.

Best for: Calming designs, nature themes, elegant websites

Split-Complementary Colors

A base color with the two colors adjacent to its complement (150° and 210° from base). Provides strong visual contrast like complementary schemes but with less tension. More versatile and easier to use than pure complementary.

Best for: Beginners, versatile designs, when you want contrast without harshness

Tetradic (Rectangle) Colors

Four colors arranged into two complementary pairs. Offers the richest and most diverse palette but requires careful balance. One color should dominate while others accent.

Best for: Complex designs, illustrations, when you need many colors

Square Colors

Four colors evenly spaced around the wheel (90° apart). Similar to tetradic but creates more balanced energy. Works best when one color dominates while the rest support.

Best for: Bold designs, when you want balanced energy, colorful projects

Monochromatic Colors

Variations of a single hue by changing lightness and saturation. Creates cohesive, sophisticated designs with subtle depth. Easy to use and always harmonious but can lack visual excitement.

Best for: Minimalist designs, professional sites, when you want cohesion

How to Use This Tool Effectively

  • Start with your brand color: Enter your main brand color as the base and explore different schemes
  • Test different schemes: Try multiple harmony types to see which works best for your project
  • Adjust color count: More colors provide flexibility but can be harder to balance
  • Click to copy: Click any color swatch or format to instantly copy it
  • Use the preview bar: See how colors work together in a linear layout
  • Random exploration: Use the Random button to discover unexpected color combinations

Color Theory Fundamentals

Understanding basic color theory helps you create better designs:

  • Hue: The pure color (red, blue, green, etc.)
  • Saturation: The intensity or purity of the color (from gray to vivid)
  • Lightness: How light or dark the color is (from black to white)
  • Warm colors: Reds, oranges, yellows - energetic and attention-grabbing
  • Cool colors: Blues, greens, purples - calming and professional
  • Neutral colors: Black, white, gray, brown - balance and sophistication

Practical Design Applications

  • Web Design: Use complementary for CTAs, analogous for backgrounds, monochromatic for minimalist sites
  • Brand Identity: Choose a scheme that reflects brand personality and ensures consistency
  • UI/UX Design: Apply 60-30-10 rule: 60% dominant color, 30% secondary, 10% accent
  • Marketing Materials: Use contrasting colors to highlight important information
  • Social Media: Create consistent color themes for brand recognition
  • Print Design: Consider how colors translate to print (CMYK) before finalizing

The 60-30-10 Rule

Interior designers use this rule, and it works perfectly for digital design too:

  • 60% Dominant color: Main background or large areas (often neutral)
  • 30% Secondary color: Supporting elements, sections, cards
  • 10% Accent color: Buttons, links, highlights that draw attention

This ratio creates visual hierarchy and prevents any single color from overwhelming the design.

Common Color Mistakes to Avoid

  • Too many colors: Stick to 3-5 main colors to avoid visual chaos
  • Poor contrast: Ensure text is readable against backgrounds (minimum 4.5:1 ratio for accessibility)
  • Ignoring context: Colors have cultural meanings - research your audience
  • No testing: Always test colors on actual devices and screens
  • Neglecting accessibility: Consider color blindness - don't rely solely on color to convey information
  • Following trends blindly: Choose colors that fit your brand, not just what's trendy

Color Psychology in Design

Colors evoke emotions and associations. Use this to your advantage:

  • Red: Energy, passion, urgency (sales, food, excitement)
  • Blue: Trust, professionalism, calm (corporate, healthcare, tech)
  • Green: Growth, nature, health (environmental, financial, wellness)
  • Yellow: Optimism, attention, warmth (children's products, warnings)
  • Purple: Luxury, creativity, wisdom (beauty, premium products)
  • Orange: Friendly, energetic, affordable (entertainment, sports)
  • Black: Sophistication, elegance, power (luxury, modern)

Testing and Refining Your Palette

After generating a palette, test it thoroughly:

  • Apply colors to actual design mockups, not just swatches
  • Test on different devices (desktop, mobile, tablet)
  • Check in different lighting conditions
  • Verify accessibility with contrast checkers
  • Get feedback from your target audience
  • Consider how colors will age - will they still work in 5 years?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which color harmony scheme should I use for my project?

It depends on your goals. For high contrast and attention (like sales pages), use complementary colors. For calm, professional designs (like corporate sites), choose analogous colors. For playful, energetic projects (like children's content), try triadic colors. Monochromatic works best for minimalist, elegant designs. Split-complementary is a safe, versatile choice for beginners. Consider your brand personality, target audience, and the emotions you want to evoke.

How many colors should I use in my design?

Most professional designs use 3-5 main colors: one dominant color (60% of design), one secondary color (30%), and one or two accent colors (10%). Too many colors create visual confusion and dilute your message. However, you can have more colors as subtle variations - like different shades of your main colors. For web design, establish a core palette of 3-5 colors, then create lighter and darker variations as needed for UI elements.

Can I use these colors for both print and digital?

Yes, but colors may look different in print vs. screens. Digital displays use RGB (additive color) while printing uses CMYK (subtractive color). Some bright RGB colors cannot be accurately reproduced in print. If you need the palette for both mediums, generate it here, then convert to CMYK using our RGB to CMYK converter and request print proofs. Alternatively, start with Pantone colors that have both RGB and CMYK specifications for perfect consistency.

How do I ensure my color palette is accessible?

Accessibility mainly concerns text contrast. Use an online contrast checker to ensure text-to-background contrast meets WCAG standards: minimum 4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text (18pt+). Don't rely solely on color to convey information - use icons, labels, or patterns too. About 8% of men and 0.5% of women have color vision deficiency, so test your designs with color blindness simulators. Ensure interactive elements have sufficient contrast in all states (hover, focus, active).

Can I save or export my generated palettes?

Currently, you can copy individual color values by clicking on them, or copy the entire palette using the "Copy All" button. This copies all colors with their HEX, RGB, and HSL values. You can paste this into a document for future reference. Take screenshots of palettes you like, or bookmark the page with your settings. For professional work, consider creating a style guide document that includes your palette along with usage guidelines and examples.

Why do some color combinations look bad even though they're "harmonious"?

Color harmony rules are guidelines, not guarantees. Even harmonious colors can clash if saturation and lightness aren't balanced. Two highly saturated colors can vibrate against each other even if they're complementary. Context matters too - colors that work in a logo might not work in a full website. The surrounding colors, amount of white space, and intended emotion all affect perception. Use these generated palettes as starting points, then adjust saturation and lightness until they feel right for your specific use case.