Choosing the right color palette for your design project can be challenging. With so many potential color combinations, how do you select a harmonious set of hues that work well together? A color wheel is a useful tool for visualizing color relationships and creating color schemes. By understanding color theory and how to use a color wheel, you can learn to put together palettes with colors that complement each other beautifully.
What is a color wheel?
A color wheel is a circular diagram that shows the relationships between colors based on their hue and warmth. The colors are arranged in a specific order based on the color spectrum. Primary colors (red, yellow, and blue) are typically positioned equidistant around the wheel. Secondary colors (orange, green, and purple) fall between the primaries. Tertiary colors fill in the gaps between the secondaries.
Color wheels come in different formats, but they all serve the same purpose – to help visualize how colors relate to one another. The most common types include:
| Color Wheel Type | Description |
|---|---|
| RYB | Arranges colors in order of the traditional red, yellow, blue primary colors. |
| RGB | Organizes colors based on the additive primaries of red, green, and blue light. |
| CMYK | Shows the subtractive primaries of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black pigments used in printing. |
The hue, value, and warmth of colors are indicated around the wheel. Tints (lighter) and shades (darker) extend out from each hue. Complementary colors sit opposite each other on the wheel. Analogous colors are located next to one another.
Understanding color harmonies
A color harmony refers to any group of colors that are aesthetically pleasing together. The color wheel makes it easy to identify harmonious color combinations based on the relationships between hues. There are several basic types of color harmonies to draw from:
Complementary colors – These are any two colors opposite each other on the color wheel, like red and green or blue and orange. They create a high contrast and vibrant look.
Analogous colors – Analogous colors sit next to each other on the wheel, such as blue, blue-violet, and magenta. They are low contrast but create a rich, harmonious palette.
Triadic colors – Choosing three colors spaced evenly around the color wheel makes up a triadic scheme, like red, yellow, and blue. The contrast is bold yet balanced.
Tetradic/rectangular colors – Tetradic palettes use four colors from the wheel that are spaced into a rectangle, like red, yellow, blue, and green. This creates a diverse color scheme.
Monochromatic colors – Monochromatic palettes consist of different tones, shades, and tints of a single base hue from the wheel. It produces a minimalist, soothing look.
How to build a color palette from a wheel
Follow these steps to easily create a color palette from a color wheel:
1. Choose a base color – Select one dominant hue from the wheel to serve as your starting point. Consider the purpose of your project and mood you want to convey.
2. Find complementary colors – Locate the complementary colors directly across from your base hue. Complementary colors add contrast and visual interest.
3. Pick adjacent colors – Choose 1-2 analogous colors next to your base color for a harmonious scheme. Analogous colors have a rich, subtle look.
4. Consider triadic or tetradic harmonies – Alternatively, try selecting two more colors spaced evenly around the wheel for a triadic or tetradic palette. This adds boldness.
5. Add neutral shades – Include black, white, gray, and beige to soften your palette. Neutrals help ground brighter colors.
6. Adjust and experiment – Make small adjustments to your colors as needed. Play around with tints, shades, and tones until you are satisfied.
Following the basic principles of color theory keeps your palette cohesive. But don’t forget to trust your instincts too. Sometimes an unanticipated color combination yields beautiful, unexpected results.
Choosing a color palette for different mediums
While the color wheel serves as a guide, the medium you are working with should also factor into building your palette. Certain properties of the material can affect how colors are perceived. Consider the following when selecting colors:
Print design – CMYK colors work best for printed materials. Convert your chosen hues into CMYK and adjust as needed. Avoid colors that are difficult to reproduce accurately.
Web/digital design – Web palettes look best using RGB or HEX colors. Ensure enough contrast between colors for accessibility. Test your scheme on screen.
Painting/fine art – Lean into true pigment colors for painting. Verify colors mix well and consider how they may shift when blended.
Textiles/fashion – Look at Pantone colors for fabrics. Evaluate how colors change with lighting and texture. Accent with metallics and neutrals.
Interiors – Factor in light sources and existing furnishings when curating an interior palette. Soft hues often suit home decor best.
Using color theory for harmony
While color wheels provide guidance on harmonious color relationships, a bit of color theory helps explain why some palettes work. Consider how these core principles impact your choices:
Hue – The pigment of a color, described as red, blue, yellow, etc. Hue determines where a color sits on the wheel.
Saturation – The intensity of a color, from pure vivid chroma to muted and grayish. Saturated hues are vibrant, while less saturated ones are softer.
Value – How light or dark a color is. Lighter tints have higher value, while deeper shades have lower value. Value contrasts create visual interest.
Temperature – Colors range from warm (red, orange, yellow) to cool (blue, purple, green). Temperature differences help balance a palette.
Context – Colors are influenced by neighboring hues and background. A color will appear lighter against a dark backdrop and darker against a light one.
Mastering these elements allows you to intentionally curate palettes for any application.
Choosing colors for maximum visual impact
Beyond creating harmonious combinations, strategically wielding color also achieves visual effects that grab attention:
Make a bold statement – Using high contrast, saturated complementary colors together makes elements stand out on the page.
Convey meaning – Colors have symbolic associations. Red communicates urgency, green indicates organic, yellow signifies happiness.
Establish hierarchy – Use color to distinguish and call focus to key information within a composition.
Separate elements – Alternating color between components creates grouping and divides space.
Direct movement – Warm advancing colors bring items forward, while cool receding colors push them back to create rhythm.
Set a mood – Warm palettes feel energetic and cool palettes feel calming. Select hues that produce your desired emotional response.
Putting together your color palette
Follow this process when curating a color palette from a wheel:
1. Determine the color purpose – Consider the emotions and meanings you want to evoke, along with any practical constraints.
2. Select a base color – Choose a dominant hue as your anchor then expand the palette around it.
3. Add complementary colors – Include vibrant complementary hues to provide contrast and visual excitement.
4. Include analogous colors – Incorporate analogous hues around your base color to create cohesion.
5. Consider triadic or tetradic harmony – Adding evenly spaced colors creates balance through diversity.
6. Mix in neutral colors – Incorporate black, white, grays, and browns to soften and ground your palette.
7. Adjust colors as needed – Refine your colors, experimenting with tints, tones, and shades until satisfied.
8. Consider application constraints – Account for how colors may shift based on medium, light sources, texture, etc.
9. Test your palette – View your colors together on your intended materials. Make final tweaks to create the look you desire.
Following these steps while leveraging a color wheel sets you up for choosing a winning, visually appealing palette every time.
Conclusion
The color wheel is an indispensable tool for designers, artists, and anyone seeking to create captivating color combinations. By utilizing color theory principles and understanding relationships between hues, you can learn to pull harmonious palettes from the wheel. Consider the mood you want to set, meanings to convey, and limitations of your medium. With practice building schemes from a color circle, you’ll be able to expertly assemble color palettes that please the eye. So grab a wheel and get ready to compile some beautiful color collections!