Showa era
Corinthian Pink & Aconite Violet
Plate 43 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Corinthian Pink, Aconite Violet.
#a36aa5
purple · 11 palettes
Aconite Violet
About Aconite Violet
Aconite Violet is a mid-tone, muted purple tone. Its hex value is #a36aa5 — that is
RGB 163, 106, 165, or HSL 298°, 25%, 53%.
It holds 5.2:1 contrast against dark, so Aconite Violet works best for body text, headings, and UI labels. (On white it scores 4.1:1; on black 5.2:1.)
Across Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations, Aconite Violet appears in 11 combinations — most often paired with Spectrum Red, Black and Corinthian Pink.
Colours that go with Aconite Violet
From a standard colour wheel, Aconite Violet anchors these four classic schemes. Each swatch is computed from its exact hue, so every hex is a real, usable pairing.
Complementary
#a36aa5 #6CA56A
the hue directly opposite — the highest-contrast pairing, good for a single bold accent.
Analogous
#a36aa5 #866AA5 #A56A89
the two neighbours on the wheel — a calm, cohesive scheme that feels effortless.
Triadic
#a36aa5 #A5A36A #6AA5A3
two hues an even third of the wheel away — balanced and lively without clashing.
Split-complementary
#a36aa5 #89A56A #6AA586
the two colours either side of the complement — the contrast of a complement, softened.
How to use Aconite Violet
Aconite Violet is a mid-tone, muted tone (HSL 298°, 25%, 53%), which makes it a versatile mid-tone for accents, buttons or blocks. For text it passes WCAG AA for body text against a dark background (5.2:1) — safe for paragraphs, buttons and labels. When you do set type on it, use light lettering. Pair it with its complement (#6CA56A) for a focal accent, or with its analogous neighbours (#866AA5 and #A56A89) for a quieter, harmonious feel.
Studio
Taking Aconite Violet off the screen
A hex code is an instruction to a screen, not a colour. Where this one is going decides what it needs next.
-
...onto paper
Start here if the palette gets printed. Screen colour and ink colour are not the same colour, and this is the deck that translates between them.
Pantone
Color Bridge Guide — coated
Listed on Amazon as Pantone Color Bridge Guide Coated | Pantone to CMYK, RGB & HTML Color Matching Fan Deck for Graphic Design, Branding & Print | GG6103B
View on Amazon -
...onto a screen you can trust
Start here if it stays digital. An uncalibrated monitor is the single most common reason a palette that looked right on your desk looks wrong everywhere else.
Calibrite
Display Plus HL colorimeter kit
Listed on Amazon as Calibrite Video Photo Kit with Display Plus HL Colorimeter and ColorChecker Passport Video 2, 10,000 Nit Monitor Calibration, Camera Color Matching
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...by hand
Start here if you are mixing it. Wada's plates were flat printed colour; gansai pans are the closest everyday medium to them.
Pentel
Fude Touch brush sign pen
Listed on Amazon as Pentel Fude Touch Sign Pen, Black, Felt Pen Like Brush Stroke (SES15C-A) 3 Pieces
View on Amazon
Amazon Associates affiliate links — your price is unchanged and a small commission keeps the archive free. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Palettes with Aconite Violet
Aconite Violet appears in 11 combinations from the archive. Each pairing reveals how the same color shifts character depending on its neighbours. For how usage like this compares across the whole dictionary, see the data analysis of all 348 plates.
Questions about Aconite Violet
- What is the hex code for Aconite Violet?
- Aconite Violet is #a36aa5. It appears in 11 historical color combinations from Sanzo Wada's 1933 "A Dictionary of Color Combinations".
- What does Aconite Violet look like on white and black backgrounds?
- Aconite Violet (#a36aa5) has a WCAG contrast ratio of 4.07:1 against white (#FFFFFF) and 5.16:1 against black (#000000). WCAG AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
- Where does the color Aconite Violet come from?
- Aconite Violet is documented in Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933, Seigensha Art Publishing 2010 reprint). Wada catalogued purple pigments and historical Japanese color terms. The source work is in the public domain.
- Can I use Aconite Violet in my own design or brand?
- Yes. The color name and hex value (#a36aa5) are factual data — not copyrightable. Our curation and descriptions are CC BY 4.0 licensed.
From the archive
Support the archive The full catalog, on your disk, as a thank-you.
- All 378 palettes (348 Wada + 30 editorial) in five formats
- Figma design tokens (W3C-spec JSON, drag into any file)
- Tailwind v4 + v3 configs — drop into any project
- CSS custom properties — every plate, one stylesheet
- 378 museum SVG plates — print-ready at any size
- Full JSON — colors, names, eras, moods, dominant hues
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