Newton's Color Theory · 1665 → Present

Everything
Color. One Tool.

An interactive color theory reference for UI/UX designers and developers. Harmonies, psychology, categories, palettes — all wired together.

Color Wheel6 HarmoniesColor Psychology6 Categories7 Curated PalettesHSB / RGB / CMYKLive Picker

01 · Color Wheel

The Wheel of Hues

The traditional RYB color wheel organizes all hues in a circular spectrum. Click any segment to select a base hue and explore its harmonic relationships.

#6e1dbfViolet · 270°
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary

Click a segment to select base hue

Base Hue: 270°

#6e1dbf

Select a hue then scroll down to explore its harmonic relationships.

02 · Color Harmonies

Harmonic Relationships

Rules for combining hues that feel visually balanced. Each harmony is derived from the position of hues on the color wheel.

Based on selected hue: 270°← Change hue

Complementary

180°

Opposite hues — maximum contrast, energetic tension.

#7223c2
#72c223

03 · Color Vocabulary

The Language of Color

Core terminology used to describe color relationships, variations, and properties. Each demonstrated using green (#22c55e) as the base.

Hue

Another name for "color." The pure position on the color wheel, expressed as a degree from 0°–360°.

0° Red → 120° Green → 240° Blue

Saturation

Color's strength — 0% is grey, 100% is pure vivid hue.

0% grey → 100% vivid

Value / Brightness

Color's lightness — 0% is black, 100% is full brightness.

0% black → 100% brightness

Chroma

Pure color with no white, grey, or black mixed in. Maximum chroma = full spectral intensity.

0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%

Tone

Grey added to a pure hue — reduces intensity while preserving color identity.

22c55e
3ab467
51a36f
699178
808080

Vivid → Grey

Shade

Black added to a pure hue — creates deeper, darker versions.

22c55e
1a9447
11632f
093118
000000

Vivid → Black

Tint

White added to a pure hue — produces lighter, more ethereal variations.

22c55e
59d486
91e2af
c8f1d7
ffffff

Vivid → White

04 · Color Psychology

What Colors Communicate

Colors speak before words do. Understanding their emotional associations helps create designs that resonate on a subconscious level.

Red

#dc2626

LoveFireEnergyIntenseBold

Orange

#ea580c

WarmthSuccessAutumnCreativeFriendly

Yellow

#ca8a04

SunshineJoyBrightCheerfulOptimism

Green

#16a34a

NatureGrowthSafetyMoneyBalance

Blue

#2563eb

TrustCalmDepthStabilitySky

Indigo

#4f46e5

IntuitionWisdomMysteryFocusDeep

Purple

#9333ea

RoyaltyPowerAmbitionNobleLuxury

Pink

#db2777

RomanceCareTenderPlayfulFeminine

Black

#171717

ElegantBoldPowerMysteryFormal

White

#e5e5e5

PurityCleanSimpleMinimalHonest

05 · Color Categories

Six Color Families

Color families defined by their HSB (Hue, Saturation, Brightness) characteristics. Each has distinct visual qualities and design use-cases.

Jewel Tones

S: 73–83 · B: 56–76

Rich, saturated hues derived from gemstones — Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald.

#2e8b57
#003399
#1ca3a3
#6a0dad
#9b1111
#c87a00

Pastel Tones

S: 14–21 · B: 89–96

Pale, airy tints — white mixed into pure hues. Soft and gentle.

#f9c5d1
#c5f5e8
#c5d9f9
#f9e0c5
#f9f5c5
#e8c5f9

Earth Tones

S: 36–41 · B: 36–77

Colors from soil, bark, stone, and foliage. Grounded and natural.

#a0785a
#b5614a
#c8993c
#1e5c40
#2e8b57
#5b8aab

Neutral Tones

S: 1–10 · B: 70–99

Colors without a clear name — greige, warm grey, off-white. Timeless.

#b5aaaa
#c4b5a8
#f5f0f0
#e8e8e8
#8c8c8c
#c2c2c2

Fluorescent / Neon

S: 63–100 · B: 82–100

Hyper-saturated, electric versions of primary and secondary colors.

#ff00ff
#00ffcc
#39ff14
#00b3ff
#7b00ff
#ccff00

Shades

S: 0 · B: 0–100

Pure achromatic spectrum — only black, white, and true greys.

#000000
#2a2a2a
#555555
#aaaaaa
#d4d4d4
#ffffff

06 · Curated Palettes

Ready-to-Use Palettes

Hand-crafted palettes for different design moods. Hover over any swatch to reveal its hex value.

Analogous

Side-by-side hues

#2e8b57
#1ca3a3
#006994
#1a3a8c

Complementary

Opposite hues

#6a0dad
#8b0dad
#c8993c
#e8d5a3

Gradient

Warm sunset

#7c1b3a
#c2185b
#f06292
#ffb74d
#fff176

Monochromatic

Single hue, all shades

#1a0533
#4a0080
#7c3aed
#b388ff
#ede7f6

Muted Tones

Desaturated, warm

#9e8c7f
#b5a99a
#cfc2b5
#e0d5cc
#f0ebe6

Vintage

Aged warmth

#5c3d1e
#8b5e3c
#c8993c
#e03030
#f5e6c8

Pastel

Soft, airy palette

#f9c5d1
#c5f5e8
#c5d9f9
#f9e0c5
#e8c5f9

07 · Color Models

How Color Is Defined

Different mathematical representations of color — each optimized for a specific domain. Screens, print, design tools, and greyscale output each use a different model.

RGB

Red · Green · Blue

Additive light model used by all digital screens. Each channel 0–255.

Red
Green
Blue

CMYK

Cyan · Magenta · Yellow · Key (Black)

Subtractive ink model used in professional printing. 0–100% per channel.

Cyan
Magenta
Yellow
Black

HSB / HSV

Hue · Saturation · Brightness

The designer's model — maps directly to how humans perceive color. Used in Figma, Photoshop, and most design tools.

Hue 0–360°
Saturation
Brightness

Greyscale

Luminance only — 0 to 255

A single-channel model representing only lightness. Used for print, accessibility checks, and contrast ratios.

0 Black128 Mid255 White

HSB Converter

Adjust sliders to explore any color

#8033cc

Hue
270°
Saturation
75%
Brightness
80%

HEX

#8033cc

RGB

128, 51, 204

HSB

270°, 75%, 80%

08 · Color Picker

Live Color Explorer

Bidirectional RGB and HSB controls. Change any value to update all others. Instantly see the category, related colors, and copy the hex.

Copy hex
Fluorescent/NeonIndigo family

Related

Complement#abed39
Analogous +#d539ed
Analogous −#3951ed

Presets

RGBScreen model
Red
124
Green
58
Blue
237
HSBDesigner model
Hue
262°
Saturation
76%
Brightness
93%

Values

HEX#7c3aed
RGB124, 58, 237
H262°
S76%
B93%
CatFluorescent/Neon