A palette starts with an idea.

Build layers around one hue using lightness and saturation. A blue palette can hold a pale field, a brighter subject and dark lettering.

Try it for minimal cards, reading journals and consistent series.

Avoid near-identical swatches. Separate lightness enough to distinguish shapes and words.

Choose neighboring hues, such as yellow-green, green and blue-green. Add hierarchy through lightness, area or a little neutral color.

Try it for nature journals, seasonal themes and gentle illustrations.

Let one color lead instead of giving every hue the same area.

Use opposite hues on a wheel. On the RGB wheel used here, examples include blue/yellow and red/cyan. Extend them with lighter and darker variations.

Try it for focal points in posters, celebration cards and decorations.

Complementary hues do not guarantee readable text. If two vivid colors compete, soften one.

Choose a base hue and the two neighbors of its complement. This gives you variation across the wheel and room to adjust.

Try it for postcards, playful journals and varied illustrations.

Start with a dominant color, then introduce the other two one at a time.

Choose three evenly spaced hues. The result offers variety; saturation, lightness and area still shape how it feels.

Try it for playful themes, event posters and geometric pieces.

They need not be equally vivid. Try one bright hue and two softer companions.

Choose four hues spaced 90° apart, one type of four-hue palette. More relationships make a clear hierarchy useful.

Try it for collages, festive decorations and color experiments.

Start with two hues and reserve the other two for small details. You do not have to use every color.