Triadic color schemes

A triadic color scheme uses 3 colors that are evenly spaced around the color wheel. It's a variation of the split complementary color scheme. To find triadic colors, take an equilateral triangle and place it on the color wheel. The colors at each point will be a triadic combination.

Triadic schemes are vibrant and have a lot of energy, especially compared to monochromatic and analogous schemes. But because the colors are evenly spaced around the color wheel, they also feel balanced. This is especially true when you let one color dominate and use the others as accent colors — similar to a split complementary harmony. Depending on the mood you're trying to achieve, it can be a good idea to use one bright or dark color and a paler tint or tone of the other two colors.

Tints and shades can help create a sense of calm and tranquility, while full chroma hues are ideal for more youthful concepts. Triadic harmonies look vibrant even when toned down, tinted, or shaded.

Use triadic harmonies to:

• Create balanced drama and contrast
• Create compositions that need more than two colors
• Grab the viewer's eye without creating tension
• Create bright designs that use full chroma colors