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Analogous Colors

Three or more colors adjacent on the wheel, sharing a common hue. Used for harmonious, low-contrast palettes.

Definition

Analogous colors are neighbors on the color wheel — typically 30° apart. They share a dominant hue, so they harmonize naturally and produce calm, cohesive palettes. Common in nature (autumn leaves: red, orange, yellow) and in monochromatic-leaning brand identities. The trade-off is low contrast — pair an analogous palette with one accent in a different family for visual hierarchy.

Formula

From base hue H: analogous palette = [H-30, H, H+30] (all mod 360).

Example

Red (0°), red-orange (30°), orange (60°) — analogous. Teal (180°), cyan (200°), sky-blue (220°) — analogous.

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