Triadic Colors: Balanced Vibrancy
Three colors equally spaced on the wheel — rich, balanced, and visually dynamic.
What Are Triadic Colors?
Three colors positioned 120° apart on the color wheel, forming an equilateral triangle
The Power of Three
Triadic color schemes offer a sweet spot between the subtlety of analogous colors and the intensity of complementary colors. With three equidistant colors, you get visual richness and variety while maintaining natural balance.
The key to successful triadic palettes is restraint. Even though you have three distinct colors, they shouldn't fight for attention. Establish a clear hierarchy: one dominant, one supporting, one accent.
📐 The Math
Starting from any color on the wheel, move 120° to find your second color, then another 120° for your third. This geometric relationship ensures all three colors have equal visual weight.
Triadic Palette Examples
When to Use Triadic Colors
Perfect For
- • Children's products and toys
- • Creative and artistic brands
- • Illustrations and graphics
- • Carnival/festival themes
- • Infographics with categories
⚠️ Considerations
- • Can feel busy if not balanced
- • Requires clear color hierarchy
- • May overwhelm minimal designs
- • Test on different backgrounds
Mastering Triadic Balance
- 1
Pick your dominant (60%)
Choose the color that best represents your brand's personality. This will be your primary background or main element color.
- 2
Assign your secondary (30%)
Use for supporting elements like headers, cards, or navigation.
- 3
Reserve your accent (10%)
The third color should appear sparingly — buttons, icons, highlights. This scarcity increases its impact.
- 4
Add neutrals liberally
White space and neutral tones give triadic colors room to breathe. Don't let them touch directly too often.
Generate Perfect Triadic Palettes
Our AI creates balanced triadic schemes with proper hierarchy and complementary neutrals built in.
Create Your Palette