HueLab Guide – Color Picker, Palette Generator & Converter
HueLab is a full-featured colour tool — pick any colour, convert between formats, generate harmonious palettes and check WCAG accessibility contrast ratios.
Pick colours, generate palettes and check WCAG contrast — free, instant, no signup.
Open HueLab →Colour Format Comparison
| Format | Example | Used In |
|---|---|---|
| HEX | #a855f7 | CSS, HTML, design tools |
| RGB | 168, 85, 247 | CSS, digital design |
| HSL | 280°, 91%, 65% | CSS, intuitive colour editing |
| CMYK | 32%, 66%, 0%, 3% | Print design |
Colour Harmony Types
- Complementary: Two colours opposite on the wheel. High contrast — good for call-to-action.
- Analogous: Three adjacent colours. Harmonious, calm — good for backgrounds and UI.
- Triadic: Three colours 120° apart. Vibrant, balanced.
- Split-complementary: One base + two adjacent to its complement. Less harsh than complementary.
- Tetradic: Four colours forming a rectangle on the wheel. Rich but needs careful balance.
- Monochromatic: Variations of one hue (tints, shades, tones). Clean and professional.
WCAG Contrast Ratios
Use HueLab's contrast checker to ensure your text is readable:
- WCAG AA (minimum): 4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text (18pt+ or 14pt bold+).
- WCAG AAA (enhanced): 7:1 for normal text, 4.5:1 for large text.
- Black on white = 21:1 (maximum contrast). White on white = 1:1 (invisible).
Frequently Asked Questions
HEX (#ff5733) = base-16 for web. RGB (255, 87, 51) = red/green/blue channels 0–255. HSL (11°, 100%, 60%) = hue/saturation/lightness — more intuitive for colour variations. All represent the same colour; use whichever your tool needs.
WCAG defines minimum contrast ratios for readable text. AA: 4.5:1 normal, 3:1 large. AAA: 7:1 normal. HueLab shows pass/fail for both standards. Essential for accessible web design.
Complementary = opposite on the colour wheel (high contrast). Analogous = adjacent colours (harmonious). Triadic = three equally spaced (120° apart). HueLab generates all these from any base colour.