The color wheel, live

This wheel is spaced in OKLCH hue, a perceptual color space, so equal distances on the ring look like equal steps to your eye. Traditional artist wheels squeeze some hues and stretch others, which is why palettes built on them can feel lopsided.

Complementary pairs sit directly across the ring: maximum contrast, best used unevenly. Analogous colors are neighbors within about 30 degrees: low tension, easy to layer. Triadic and tetradic schemes space three or four hues evenly, trading some calm for range. Split-complementary keeps a complement's energy but softens the collision by 30 degrees.

The lightness slider matters more than most people expect: two hues that clash at full saturation often cooperate as a pale tint and a deep shade. If a scheme fights, separate the values before changing the hues.

When you land on something good, the Explore button jumps to the nearest named color in the encyclopedia, where the full codes, tints, and contrast data live. Or check the pairing logic in depth in our goes-with guides.