Boneyard Tools

Complementary Color Calculator

Pick a base hex color and get its complementary color, the two triadic colors and the two analogous colors. These are computed by rotating the hue on the color wheel, so the result is a balanced palette. Everything runs in your browser.

How to find a complementary color

  1. Pick a base color with the swatch or type a hex code.
  2. Read the complementary, triadic and analogous colors below.
  3. Copy any color hex into your CSS or design tool.

Examples

Complement of red

#ff0000
#00ffff (cyan)

Triadic of red

#ff0000
#00ff00 and #0000ff

Frequently asked questions

What is a complementary color?

A complementary color sits directly opposite a color on the wheel, 180 degrees away. Paired together the two colors create strong contrast, which is why the complement of red is cyan.

What are triadic colors?

Triadic colors are three hues spaced evenly around the wheel, 120 degrees apart. Starting from your base color the tool returns the other two, which together make a vivid, balanced trio.

What are analogous colors?

Analogous colors are the immediate neighbours of your color on the wheel, here 30 degrees to each side. They sit well together and are useful for harmonious, low-contrast palettes.

How are the colors calculated?

The base color is converted to HSL, the hue is rotated by the right number of degrees, and the result is converted back to hex. Saturation and lightness stay the same.

Is my color sent to a server?

No. The palette is calculated in your browser, so your color values never leave your device.

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