Showa era
Olive Ocher & Cobalt Green +1
Plate 156 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Olive Ocher, Cobalt Green, Violet.
#96d1aa
green · 12 palettes
Cobalt Green
About Cobalt Green
Cobalt Green is a light, muted green tone. Its hex value is #96d1aa — that is
RGB 150, 209, 170, or HSL 140°, 39%, 70%.
It holds 12.0:1 contrast against dark, so Cobalt Green works best for body text, headings, and UI labels. (On white it scores 1.8:1; on black 12.0:1.)
Across Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations, Cobalt Green appears in 12 combinations — most often paired with Grenadine Pink, Turquoise Green and Pale Lemon Yellow.
Colours that go with Cobalt Green
From a standard colour wheel, Cobalt Green anchors these four classic schemes. Each swatch is computed from its exact hue, so every hex is a real, usable pairing.
Complementary
#96d1aa #D196BD
the hue directly opposite — the highest-contrast pairing, good for a single bold accent.
Analogous
#96d1aa #A0D196 #96D1C7
the two neighbours on the wheel — a calm, cohesive scheme that feels effortless.
Triadic
#96d1aa #AA96D1 #D1AA96
two hues an even third of the wheel away — balanced and lively without clashing.
Split-complementary
#96d1aa #C796D1 #D1969F
the two colours either side of the complement — the contrast of a complement, softened.
How to use Cobalt Green
Cobalt Green is a light, muted tone (HSL 140°, 39%, 70%), which makes it a soft background or a light accent. For text it passes WCAG AA for body text against a dark background (12.0:1) — safe for paragraphs, buttons and labels. When you do set type on it, use dark lettering. Pair it with its complement (#D196BD) for a focal accent, or with its analogous neighbours (#A0D196 and #96D1C7) for a quieter, harmonious feel.
Studio
Taking Cobalt Green 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.
Listed on Amazon as Pantone Formula Guide – Coated & Uncoated | Professional PMS Color Matching System for Print, Packaging & Graphic Design | GP1601B
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
ColorChecker Passport Photo 2
Listed on Amazon as Calibrite ColorChecker Passport Photo 2 Portable Color Calibration Kit for Photo and Video, 4 Target Set for White Balance, Exposure and Creative Look
View on Amazon -
...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.
Kuretake
Gansai Tambi 36
Listed on Amazon as Kuretake GANSAI TAMBI Watercolor Paint Set 36 Colors
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 Cobalt Green
Cobalt Green appears in 12 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 Cobalt Green
- What is the hex code for Cobalt Green?
- Cobalt Green is #96d1aa. It appears in 12 historical color combinations from Sanzo Wada's 1933 "A Dictionary of Color Combinations".
- What does Cobalt Green look like on white and black backgrounds?
- Cobalt Green (#96d1aa) has a WCAG contrast ratio of 1.75:1 against white (#FFFFFF) and 12.00:1 against black (#000000). WCAG AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
- Where does the color Cobalt Green come from?
- Cobalt Green is documented in Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933, Seigensha Art Publishing 2010 reprint). Wada catalogued green pigments and historical Japanese color terms. The source work is in the public domain.
- Can I use Cobalt Green in my own design or brand?
- Yes. The color name and hex value (#96d1aa) 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
See what's inside
Launching soon. The free archive stays free, always.