Question 1

What is a color wheel?

Accepted Answer

A color wheel arranges hues in a circle so that related colors sit next to each other. On this wheel the hue changes as you go around, saturation increases from the gray center to the vivid edge, and the brightness slider darkens or lightens the whole wheel.

Question 2

What's the difference between the RYB and RGB color wheels?

Accepted Answer

The painter's RYB wheel uses red, yellow and blue as primaries, as taught in art classes, so its complements are red–green, blue–orange and yellow–purple. The RGB wheel is based on light, as screens use it, so its complements are red–cyan, green–magenta and blue–yellow. Both give normal web colors: use RYB for classic color theory and RGB for screen-based schemes.

Question 3

Which color harmony should I use?

Accepted Answer

Complementary gives the strongest contrast, which suits buttons and highlights. Analogous colors feel calm, triadic schemes are lively but balanced, and split complementary keeps contrast with less clash. Tetradic and square schemes are rich, so let one color lead. Monochromatic is clean and simple. A common guide is the 60-30-10 rule: a main color for about 60% of the design, a second for 30% and an accent for 10%.

Question 4

How do I change the palette?

Accepted Answer

Drag any marker on the wheel: the whole scheme turns together, and the distance from the center sets the saturation. You can also type an exact base color, click any swatch to make it the new base, or press Random. With the keyboard, focus the wheel and use the arrow keys to change hue and saturation.

Question 5

How do I use or share the palette?

Accepted Answer

Copy the colors as a HEX list or as CSS variables, or download the palette as a PNG image. Open any swatch in the Color Picker for all its codes, contrast checks and shades. The page address saves your base color, scheme and wheel type, so a bookmark or shared link opens the same palette.

Color Wheel

Harmony

Base color

Palette

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