Color Palette Generator

What Is a Color Palette?

A color palette is a curated set of colors that work together harmoniously. Designers, developers, and artists use color palettes to ensure visual consistency across websites, apps, branding materials, and artwork. A well-chosen palette communicates mood, establishes hierarchy, and improves user experience.

Color palettes are typically built using color theory -- a framework that describes how colors relate to one another on the color wheel. By understanding color harmonies, you can create palettes that feel intentional and aesthetically pleasing.

Color Harmony Types

Color harmonies are specific arrangements of colors on the color wheel. Each type creates a different visual effect and serves different design purposes.

How the Color Wheel Works

The color wheel arranges colors by their hue in a circle. The HSL (Hue, Saturation, Lightness) color model maps directly to the wheel: hue is the angle (0-360 degrees), saturation controls vividness, and lightness controls brightness.

Our generator uses HSL internally. When you pick a base color, we convert it to HSL, apply hue rotations for each harmony type, and convert back to hex. For monochromatic palettes, we keep the hue and saturation constant while varying lightness at 20%, 35%, 50%, 65%, and 80%.

Tips for Choosing a Color Palette

• Start with your brand color -- use it as the base and let the generator create harmonious companions.
• Use 60-30-10 rule -- 60% dominant color, 30% secondary, 10% accent.
• Test accessibility -- ensure sufficient contrast between text and background colors (WCAG AA requires 4.5:1 for body text).
• Consider context -- warm colors (red, orange, yellow) feel energetic; cool colors (blue, green, purple) feel calm.
• Limit your palette -- 3 to 5 colors is usually enough. Too many colors create visual noise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this color palette generator free?

Yes, completely free with no signup required. Generate unlimited palettes from any base color.

What color format does this tool use?

Colors are displayed in hex format (e.g., #3b82f6). Internally, the tool converts between hex, RGB, and HSL to apply color theory algorithms.

How do I use these palettes in my project?

Click any color swatch to copy its hex code. You can paste hex codes directly into CSS, design tools (Figma, Sketch), or any application that accepts hex color values.

What does "lock" do?

Locking a color marks it as a favorite. Locked colors are visually indicated so you can keep track of the specific shades you want to keep while exploring different base colors.

How do complementary colors work?

Complementary colors sit directly opposite each other on the color wheel (180 degrees apart). They create maximum contrast and visual tension, making them ideal for drawing attention -- like a blue background with an orange call-to-action button.

What is the difference between analogous and monochromatic?

Analogous palettes use colors with neighboring hues (e.g., blue, blue-green, green), creating subtle variety. Monochromatic palettes use a single hue at different lightness levels, creating depth without any hue shift. Monochromatic is simpler and more uniform; analogous has more visual richness.