Color Scheme Generator

One color in, five harmony schemes out.

FREE - NO SIGN-UP - RUNS ON YOUR DEVICE

Runs in your browser tab

  • 1color in
  • 5harmonies
  • HEXready to copy
  • 0uploads
Specification

Color Scheme Generator at a glance

Input
One HEX color and a harmony
Output
Five harmony sets of swatches
Method
Hue rotation and lightness steps
What it does not check
Not a contrast check
Price
Free
Account required
None
Where processing happens
On your device
How to

How to use Color Scheme Generator

  1. 1

    Set the starting color

    Set the starting color.

  2. 2

    Choose a harmony

    Choose a harmony.

  3. 3

    Copy the values

    Copy the HEX values.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Which harmony should I pick?

Complementary gives the most separation and analogous the least, with triadic between them. Try each against your starting color and keep what suits the work.

Are the results ready for a brand palette?

They are a starting scheme. Real palettes get adjusted by eye and then tested for text contrast, which the contrast checker handles.

Can I start from a photo?

Not on this panel. Read a color out of the picture with the image color picker first, then bring that hex value here.

Is my color uploaded?

No. The scheme is worked out in this browser tab, and nothing is sent to a processing server or stored.

Background

From scheme to usable palette

Put in a starting hex color and choose a harmony. The scheme is worked out by rotating the hue, with monochromatic sets stepping the lightness instead.

  • A generated scheme spaces hues evenly; your eye will still want some of them lighter or darker.
  • Let one color lead and the rest support it, rather than using all of them at full strength.
  • Check any pair you plan to put text on with the contrast checker before committing to it.
  • Keep the starting hex value, since the whole scheme can be rebuilt from it at any time.

Full specification

Specification of the Color Scheme Generator tool
InputOne starting color in HEX, and the harmony you want.
OutputFive harmony sets of swatches, each swatch with its HEX value.
MethodHue rotated in HSL, with lightness steps used for monochromatic sets.
What it does not checkWhether the pairs you choose hold enough contrast for text.
PriceFree. Supported by clearly labelled ads outside the working area.
Account requiredNo.
Where processing happensIn your browser tab. Your input is never uploaded.
Next step

Keep going with the same files

All color tools: Color tools on SPOTTOOLS