Color Harmony Schemes: Complementary, Triadic, Analogous, and More
How complementary, triadic, analogous, split-complementary, and monochromatic color schemes are each generated from a single base hue.
Every classic color scheme is just the same base hue rotated around a 360° color wheel by a different fixed amount.
Complementary: directly across the wheel
A complementary scheme takes the base hue and adds 180°. A blue at hue 217° pairs with an orange at hue 37° — maximum contrast, which is why complementary pairs are popular for elements that need to stand out against each other (like a call-to-action button on a blue-themed page).
Triadic: three colors, evenly spaced
A triadic scheme adds 120° and 240° to the base hue, producing three colors spaced evenly around the wheel. This gives strong visual contrast while feeling more balanced and less jarring than a single complementary pair.
Analogous: neighbors on the wheel
Analogous schemes stay close together, typically offsetting the base hue by ±30°. These schemes feel calm and cohesive since the hues are visually similar — commonly seen in nature-inspired or minimalist designs.
Split-complementary: contrast with less tension
Instead of the exact complement, a split-complementary scheme uses the two hues flanking it — base hue + 150° and + 210°. This keeps most of the contrast of a complementary pairing while feeling slightly softer.
Monochromatic: one hue, five lightness levels
A monochromatic palette keeps hue and saturation fixed and varies only lightness — typically five steps from dark to light. This produces a cohesive palette built entirely around a single brand or accent color.
Choosing a scheme
Complementary and split-complementary work well for contrast-driven UI; analogous and monochromatic work well for calm, unified branding; triadic sits in between. Generate your own with the complementary color calculator, triadic color calculator, analogous color calculator, split-complementary color calculator, and monochromatic color calculator.