Analogous
Choose neighbouring hues, such as blue, blue-green and green. Vary their lightness to avoid a flat result.
Understand. Compare. Create.
Colour wheel: read and combine colours
Understand the colour wheel, neighbouring hues, complements and three-colour combinations.
An RGB hue wheel
This wheel follows RGB / HSL hue order: red, yellow, green, cyan, blue, magenta and back to red. It shows relationships between saturated hues, not every variation in lightness.
A traditional red-yellow-blue painting wheel arranges opposite colours differently. Choose the model suited to your medium.
Three simple harmonies
Complementary
Choose two opposite hues. On this wheel, red faces cyan.
Triadic
Choose three hues separated by 120°. On an HSL wheel, red, green and blue form a triad.
Use the wheel in a project
First limit the number of hues, then adjust proportions and saturation. Add neutrals if needed. The wheel helps choose relationships; testing in the final context determines whether the combination works.
30 palettes. Your next idea starts here.
Get my free kit →Get the free colour kit: HEX/RGB codes and a project worksheet.