A color palette is a carefully selected set of colors that are used together in a design or artwork. Color palettes create a unified look and feel. They ensure that colors work together harmoniously, preventing a chaotic or jarring visual experience.
Today, we’re going to learn about what you need to know about them.
What are the key components of a color palette?
A color palette has three basic parts: base color, accent color, and secondary color. A base color sets the tone and mood of the color palette. An accent color adds visual interest and contrast. A secondary color provides balance and stability. These three components work with color schemes to form harmonious pairings.
A base color is your primary color, and it should be the most prominent in your design. The secondary color will pair with your base color to balance the design. The accent color highlights important details and provides a visual guide for the eyes. Of course, this looks different according to your industry.
For instance, in web design, the base colors are neutral colors like black and white. This will be your background color and font color. The base color will frame your design. The secondary color balances the base color to bring balance to the layout. The accent color is for links, highlights, and other important details.
What is a color wheel?
The color wheel is a visual representation of colors arranged according to their relationships. It consists of primary colors, secondary colors, and tertiary colors. Here’s a visual to help explain it:
The color scheme uses the color wheel to form color palettes.
What is a color scheme?
A color scheme is a method of pairing colors by their position on the color wheel. There’s 4 common color schemes: Analogous, Monochromatic, Triadic, and Complementary. Here is a visual:
What are the different color schemes?
An analogous color palette uses three color that are next to each other on the color wheel. There are a few combinations that can happen with an analogous color palette. First, we can have a primary with two tertiary, a secondary with two tertiary or a primary with a secondary and tertiary. These color palettes tend to create a sense of harmony and flow. However, it can sometimes feel predictable. Here is an example of an analogous color palette:
A monochromatic color palette uses different shades, tints, and tones of the same color. These color palettes can be sophisticated and elegant. However, using them requires a bit of finesse to avoid feeling monotonous. Here is an example of a monochromatic color palette:
A complementary color palette uses colors that are on the opposite side of the color wheel. These are high contrast color palettes that create visual interest. Although, the contrast can be jarring if used improperly. Here is an example of a complementary color palette:
A triadic color palette uses three colors equally spaced apart on the color wheel. It creates vibrant and dynamic color palettes, but it can be challenging to balance. Here is an example of a triadic color palette:
Another color scheme that you may see is split complementary. It uses a base color with two colors adjacent to its complementary color on the color wheel. It offers a balance of contrast and harmony, but it can be more complex to use effectively. Here is an example of a split complementary:
A less common color scheme is tetradic complementary. It uses two complimentary color pairings. These color palettes have a greater range of color, but it can be difficult to use. Here is an example of a tetradic complementary:
How do I use a color palette?
There is a technique called the 60/30/10 rule. Basically, 60% of a design should be the base color. 30% should be the secondary color, and 10% should be the accent color. Real Time Colors is a great online tool that lets you visualize color palettes on a website.
Author: J.V Krakowski
With a background as a Full Stack Engineer and a current role as a Director of Marketing, I'm dedicated to helping businesses improve their performance. I bring a unique blend of technical know-how and creative thinking to the table.