Triadic colors
Three colors evenly spaced around the color wheel, like red, yellow and blue.
Also called triadic, triad
A triadic palette uses three hues 120° apart. It is lively and balanced, even when the colors are muted.
Let one color lead and use the other two as supporting accents, or the palette can feel loud.
Guides that cover Triadic colors
- Harmony What Is Color Harmony? Color harmony explained: complementary, analogous, triadic and other harmonies, and how balanced color relationships make a design feel right. Read on.
- Color Wheel Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Colors Explained Primary, secondary and tertiary colors explained across RYB, RGB and CMYK, with how each one is mixed on the color wheel. Learn the basics in 5 minutes.
- Tints & Shades Tints, Shades, and Tones Tint, shade and tone explained: see how adding white, black or gray changes a base color, and how to use each to build richer palettes. Read the quick guide.