Color Theory Wheel

Color Schemes & Harmonies

Complementary Color Scheme

Discover striking complementary color pairs that create powerful contrast and visual energy. Complementary colors sit opposite each other on the color wheel and are ideal for making elements stand out in dynamic compositions.

Complementary Color Examples:

• Red and Green - perfect for holiday designs and nature-inspired palettes
• Blue and Orange - creates energetic, sports-themed combinations
• Yellow and Purple - offers sophisticated, royal color combinations
• Cyan and Red - ideal for modern, digital design aesthetics

Monochromatic Color Scheme

Navigate through a single hue with varying tints, tones, and shades using our monochromatic wheel. This scheme is perfect for creating elegant, cohesive designs with a unified look and feel.

Monochromatic Color Examples:

• Light blue, medium blue, navy blue - creates calming, professional palettes
• Pale pink, rose, deep burgundy - elegant feminine color combinations
• Mint green, forest green, dark emerald - natural, organic feeling designs
• Cream, beige, chocolate brown - warm, earthy monochromatic schemes

Analogous Color Harmony

Generate smooth, harmonious palettes by choosing colors next to each other on the wheel. Analogous schemes work well for serene, visually pleasing designs that need a natural color flow.

Analogous Color Examples:

• Yellow, yellow-orange, orange - warm sunset color combinations
• Blue, blue-green, green - cool ocean-inspired palettes
• Red, red-violet, violet - rich, jewel-toned color schemes
• Green, yellow-green, yellow - fresh spring color combinations

Split Complementary Scheme

This variation of the complementary scheme adds more nuance by using a base color and the two colors adjacent to its complement. It provides strong contrast like complementary colors but with a softer balance.

Split Complementary Color Examples:

• Red with blue-green and yellow-green - creates vibrant yet balanced designs
• Blue with red-orange and yellow-orange - offers warm-cool contrast
• Yellow with red-violet and blue-violet - sophisticated purple-yellow combinations
• Green with red-violet and red-orange - nature meets warmth palettes

Triadic Color Harmony

Triadic schemes use three colors evenly spaced around the wheel, creating vibrant and balanced palettes. Great for bold visuals with strong contrast without losing harmony.

Triadic Color Examples:

• Red, yellow, blue - classic primary color combinations
• Orange, green, violet - secondary color triadic schemes
• Yellow-orange, blue-green, red-violet - tertiary triadic palettes
• Red-orange, yellow-green, blue-violet - dynamic, energetic combinations

Tetradic (Double Complementary) Scheme

This scheme combines two complementary pairs, offering a rich palette with lots of variety. It works best when one color dominates and the others are used for support.

Tetradic Color Examples:

• Blue and orange, green and red - creates rich, complex palettes
• Yellow and violet, red-orange and blue-green - sophisticated four-color schemes
• Red and green, yellow-orange and blue-violet - holiday-inspired combinations
• Cyan and red, yellow and purple - modern, digital-friendly palettes

Square Color Scheme

The square scheme uses four colors evenly spaced around the wheel, resulting in a diverse and balanced palette. Ideal for dynamic designs that still feel unified.

Square Color Examples:

• Red, yellow-green, cyan, blue-violet - creates vibrant, energetic palettes
• Orange, green, blue, violet - balanced warm and cool combinations
• Yellow, blue-green, red, red-violet - playful yet sophisticated schemes
• Yellow-orange, blue, red-violet, green - nature-inspired square palettes

How to Use the Color Theory Wheel

Pick One Dominant Color

No matter the harmony you choose, having one dominant color helps maintain balance in your design. Use the 60-30-10 rule: 60% dominant color, 30% secondary, 10% accent.

Choose a Color Combination

Start with your main color and apply harmony rules (complementary, split complementary, analogous, square, etc.) to select supporting hues for accents or details.

Use Just a Few Colors

Simplicity is key. Too many colors can overwhelm the viewer. Limiting your palette ensures clarity and visual cohesion. Stick to 3-5 colors maximum for most designs.

Consider Color Psychology

Different colors evoke different emotions and responses. Warm colors (reds, oranges, yellows) create energy and excitement, while cool colors (blues, greens, purples) promote calm and trust.

Use our color wheel or color picker to discover stunning color combinations.

Types of Color Circles

Understanding different color wheel systems is crucial for designers and artists. The scientific basis of color theory has evolved from Newton's original observations to modern chromatic systems used today in digital and print media.

Primary Colors

Red, Blue, Yellow - the fundamental colors that cannot be created by mixing other colors

Primary Color Examples:

• Pure red - creates passion, energy, and urgency in designs
• True blue - conveys trust, stability, and professionalism
• Bright yellow - evokes happiness, optimism, and creativity

Secondary Colors

Green, Orange, Purple - created by mixing primary colors in equal parts

Secondary Color Examples:

• Forest green (blue + yellow) - represents nature, growth, and harmony
• Vibrant orange (red + yellow) - creates enthusiasm, warmth, and creativity
• Royal purple (red + blue) - conveys luxury, mystery, and sophistication

Tertiary Colors

Yellow-green, Yellow-orange, Red-orange, Blue-green, Blue-purple, Red-purple - created by mixing primary and secondary colors

Tertiary Color Examples:

• Lime green (yellow-green) - fresh, energetic, modern feeling
• Coral (red-orange) - warm, friendly, approachable combinations
• Teal (blue-green) - sophisticated, calming, professional palettes
• Magenta (red-purple) - bold, creative, attention-grabbing designs
• Amber (yellow-orange) - warm, cozy, vintage-inspired schemes
• Indigo (blue-purple) - deep, mysterious, spiritual color combinations

Common Color Models

RYB Color Wheel

Red, Yellow, Blue - the traditional color wheel used in painting and fine arts. RYB forms the basis for mixing pigments and is commonly taught in art classes to help artists understand color blending and relationships.

RGB Color Wheel

Red, Green, Blue - the digital color wheel model used for screens and all light-based displays. RGB is essential for web and UI design, as it shows how colors are created by mixing light, producing vibrant and luminous effects.

CMY Color Wheel

Cyan, Magenta, Yellow - the standard color model for commercial printing and graphic design. CMY is used to mix inks and create full-color prints, helping designers accurately translate digital colors to paper.

Convert between color formats with our color codes converter.

Core Color Qualities

Hue

Hue refers to the position of a color on the wheel - the purest form of each color without tint, shade, or tone. It's what we typically think of as the "color name."

Saturation

Also known as intensity or chroma, saturation describes how vivid a color is. Highly saturated colors are bold and bright, while desaturated ones appear muted or grayish.

Value

Value tells us how light or dark a color is. Add black to create a shade, white for a tint, and gray for a tone.

Temperature

Colors can feel warm (reds, oranges, yellows) or cool (blues, greens, purples). Temperature also shifts within hues - a red can lean warm with yellow, or cool with blue. When hue, saturation, value, and temperature come together, they create a wide spectrum of color variations from just 12 base hues.

Color Harmonies Breakdown

Monochromatic Color Harmony

A single hue in different tints, shades, and tones. Examples: Light blue, medium blue, navy blue.

Complementary Color Harmony

Two colors opposite each other on the wheel. Examples: Blue and orange, red and green.

Split Complementary Harmony

A base color plus the two adjacent to its complement. Examples: Red with blue-green and yellow-green.

Triadic Color Harmony

Three colors evenly spaced around the wheel. Examples: Red, yellow, blue.

Tetradic Color Harmony

Two pairs of complementary colors. Examples: Blue and orange, green and red.

Square Color Harmony

Four evenly spaced hues on the wheel. Examples: Red, green, blue, yellow.

Analogous Color Harmony

Three colors next to each other on the wheel. Examples: Yellow, yellow-orange, orange.

Color Scheme Applications

For Web Design

• Use complementary schemes for call-to-action buttons
• Apply monochromatic schemes for professional, clean layouts
• Follow Material Design principles for digital interfaces, which emphasize accessible color contrast and systematic color application
• Implement analogous schemes for peaceful, user-friendly interfaces

For Branding

• Triadic schemes work great for bold, memorable logos
• Monochromatic schemes create sophisticated, premium brand feels
• Split complementary schemes offer unique, distinctive brand identities

For Interior Design

• Analogous schemes create calming, cohesive living spaces
• Complementary accents add energy to neutral rooms
• Monochromatic schemes build elegant, timeless room designs

For Fashion

• Complementary accessories make outfits pop
• Analogous color combinations create harmonious, put-together looks
• Monochromatic dressing creates sophisticated, streamlined styles

Pro Tips for Color Success

Start with inspiration - nature, art, photography can guide your color choices

Test in different lighting - colors appear different under various light conditions

Consider your audience - different cultures and demographics respond to colors differently

Use the 60-30-10 rule - 60% dominant, 30% secondary, 10% accent colors

Keep accessibility in mind - ensure sufficient contrast for readability. Follow WCAG 2.1 guidelines which require a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text to ensure your designs are accessible to all users.

Create color swatches - test your palette in various combinations before committing

Trust your instincts - if a combination feels right, it probably is

Master these color theory principles with VibeBerry's interactive color wheel and transform your creative projects with professional, harmonious color schemes.