Triadic Colour Generator
Enter any colour and instantly find its triadic partners — two colours evenly spaced around the colour wheel — for bold, balanced three-colour palettes.
Choose a Base Colour
Base and Triadic Colours
Base
#4A7C59
+120°
#594A7C
+240°
#7C594A
How to Use the Triadic Colour Generator
Enter a HEX colour code, or use the Random Colour button, and the tool instantly calculates two triadic partners — colours spaced 120 and 240 degrees around the colour wheel from your original. All three colours are shown side by side with Copy buttons for each HEX code.
How the Maths Works
The tool converts your colour to Hue, Saturation and Lightness, then rotates the hue by +120 and +240 degrees while keeping saturation and lightness unchanged, before converting each result back to HEX. Rotating by exactly a third of the 360-degree colour wheel each time creates three colours spaced perfectly evenly apart.
Using Triadic Colours in Your Artwork
Triadic palettes use three colours spaced evenly around the colour wheel, giving strong visual contrast while still feeling balanced, since no single colour is left without a partner. They work well when one colour is allowed to dominate the composition and the other two are used as supporting accents, rather than applying all three in equal amounts.
Examples
Frequently Asked Questions
What are triadic colours?
Triadic colours are three colours spaced evenly around the colour wheel, each 120 degrees apart, such as red, yellow and blue.
How does this tool calculate triadic colours?
It converts your colour to Hue, Saturation and Lightness, rotates the hue by +120 and +240 degrees while keeping saturation and lightness unchanged, and converts each result back to a HEX code.
Why 120 degrees?
120 degrees is exactly one third of the 360-degree colour wheel, so rotating twice by 120 degrees creates three colours spaced perfectly evenly apart.
How many colours does the tool show?
Three: your base colour, plus two triadic partners at +120 degrees and +240 degrees around the colour wheel.
What is the difference between triadic and analogous colours?
Triadic colours are spaced widely apart (120 degrees) for bold contrast, while analogous colours are close neighbours (about 30 degrees apart) for a harmonious, low-contrast look.
What is the difference between triadic and complementary colours?
Complementary uses two colours directly opposite each other (180 degrees apart), while triadic uses three colours evenly spaced around the whole wheel (120 degrees apart) for a bolder, multi-colour palette.
Do triadic colours work well together in art?
Yes. Triadic schemes are a popular choice for vibrant, balanced palettes, especially when one colour is allowed to dominate and the other two are used as supporting accents.
Can I use this for mixing paint?
The tool works with digital HSL colour approximations. Real paints and pigments mix differently to light, so always test a physical swatch before committing to a final artwork.
Does the tool save or store my colours?
No. All calculations happen in your browser and nothing is saved or sent to a server.
Is this tool free to use?
Yes, the Triadic Colour Generator is completely free to use, with no account, sign-up or download required.
Can I copy the HEX codes?
Yes. Each swatch has its own Copy button that copies the HEX code straight to your clipboard.
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