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Categorizing an analogous color harmony for data visualization

Theresa-Marie Rhyne
UX Collective
Published in
8 min readFeb 24, 2022

Flow Chart of Categorizing an Analogous Color Harmony.
Flow Chart of Categorizing an Analogous Color Harmony.

There are instances in data visualization and graphic design where there is a need for a categorical color scheme with neighboring colors on the color wheel. For example, the data might reflect different components from a unified source. Here, I use the case of forecasted sales in three regions of the same unit or division of a company over a four-month period. The color scheme will distinguish between the projected revenue of the three sections of the division. However, the colors will be of similar hues to indicate the data is from the specific unit within the company. An analogous color harmony is an optimal solution for this situation.

Initial Concept Diagram for building an Analogous Color Harmony Scheme in the Key Color of Very Peri.
Initial Concept Diagram for building an Analogous Color Harmony Scheme in the Key Color of Very Peri.

To reflect the 2022 year, I will build this color scheme with Very Peri, the 2022 Pantone Color of the Year. I will be using Adobe Color to build this scheme of three colors adjacent to each other on the color wheel. The final color deficiency tests of the data visualization will be performed with the Color Blindness Simulator, Coblis. Let’s get started by reviewing the analogous color harmony.

Reviewing of the Analogous Color Harmony:

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Written by Theresa-Marie Rhyne

Theresa-Marie Rhyne is a color expert. The 2nd edition of her book “Applying Color Theory to Digital Media and Visualization” was published by CRC Press in 2025

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