Color Palette Generator
Generate harmonious color palettes from a base color
About Color Palette Generator
Color Palette Generator is a free online tool that generates harmonious colour palettes from a base colour using colour theory principles. Enter a base colour or pick one from the wheel, select a harmony rule (complementary, analogous, triadic, tetradic, split-complementary, or monochromatic), and the tool generates a complete palette with HEX and RGB codes for every colour.
Colour harmony — the principle that certain colour combinations are visually pleasing — is one of the foundations of design and art. Colour theory, codified by Johannes Itten at the Bauhaus in the 1920s and earlier by Wilhelm von Bezold in the 1870s, identifies consistent patterns in which colours work well together based on their positions on the colour wheel.
The main harmony types produce distinct aesthetic effects. Complementary palettes (colours opposite on the wheel) create maximum contrast and visual energy — classic combinations like blue-orange and red-green. Analogous palettes (adjacent colours on the wheel) create harmony and cohesion — often found in nature, they feel calm and unified. Triadic palettes (three colours equally spaced at 120°) offer balance with more variety than analogous. Monochromatic palettes (tints and shades of one hue) create elegance and visual simplicity.
For practical design use, a colour palette typically consists of: a primary brand colour (the dominant colour), a secondary colour (complementary or analogous), an accent colour (for calls to action and highlights), and neutrals (white, light grey, dark grey, black) for text and backgrounds. The generator provides this structure automatically based on your chosen base colour and harmony type.
How to Use Color Palette Generator
- 1Enter a base colour in HEX or pick from the colour wheel
- 2Select a colour harmony rule (complementary, analogous, triadic, etc.)
- 3View the generated palette with all colour codes
- 4Adjust the base colour to explore different palettes
- 5Copy individual colour codes or export the full palette
Frequently Asked Questions
A complementary colour is the colour directly opposite on the colour wheel — blue and orange, red and green, yellow and purple. Complementary pairs create maximum visual contrast and are often used to make elements stand out, such as an orange CTA button on a blue brand background.
A practical brand palette typically has 5–8 colours: 1 primary brand colour, 1–2 secondary colours, 1 accent/CTA colour, and 2–3 neutral shades. Too few limits design flexibility; too many creates inconsistency.
A design rule where 60% of a design uses the dominant colour (typically a neutral or primary brand colour), 30% uses the secondary colour, and 10% uses the accent colour. This ratio creates visual balance and ensures the accent colour remains impactful by being used sparingly.
Start with your brand's primary colour and use this tool to generate harmonious secondaries. Ensure sufficient contrast between text and background colours (use the Colour Contrast Checker). Test the palette in both light and dark mode. Limit the palette to 3–5 colours for a clean, professional look.
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