Showa era
Hay's Russet & Dull Violet Black
Plate 95 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Hay's Russet, Dull Violet Black.
#1e0e3f
blue · 8 palettes
Dull Violet Black
About Dull Violet Black
Dull Violet Black is a deep, vivid blue tone. Its hex value is #1e0e3f — that is
RGB 30, 14, 63, or HSL 260°, 64%, 15%.
It holds 17.7:1 contrast against white, so Dull Violet Black works best for body text, headings, and UI labels. (On white it scores 17.7:1; on black 1.2:1.)
Across Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations, Dull Violet Black appears in 8 combinations — most often paired with Hay's Russet, Antwarp Blue and Brown.
Colours that go with Dull Violet Black
From a standard colour wheel, Dull Violet Black anchors these four classic schemes. Each swatch is computed from its exact hue, so every hex is a real, usable pairing.
Complementary
#1e0e3f #2F3F0E
the hue directly opposite — the highest-contrast pairing, good for a single bold accent.
Analogous
#1e0e3f #0E163F #370E3F
the two neighbours on the wheel — a calm, cohesive scheme that feels effortless.
Triadic
#1e0e3f #3F1E0E #0E3F1E
two hues an even third of the wheel away — balanced and lively without clashing.
Split-complementary
#1e0e3f #3F370E #163F0E
the two colours either side of the complement — the contrast of a complement, softened.
How to use Dull Violet Black
Dull Violet Black is a deep, vivid tone (HSL 260°, 64%, 15%), which makes it a grounding background or strong accent. For text it passes WCAG AA for body text against a light background (17.7:1) — safe for paragraphs, buttons and labels. When you do set type on it, use light lettering. Pair it with its complement (#2F3F0E) for a focal accent, or with its analogous neighbours (#0E163F and #370E3F) for a quieter, harmonious feel.
Studio
Taking Dull Violet Black 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
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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.
Kuretake
Gansai Tambi 24 — Art Nouveau
Listed on Amazon as Kuretake GANSAI TAMBI Watercolor Paint Set 24 Colors II - Art Nouveau
View on Amazon
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Palettes with Dull Violet Black
Dull Violet Black appears in 8 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 Dull Violet Black
- What is the hex code for Dull Violet Black?
- Dull Violet Black is #1e0e3f. It appears in 8 historical color combinations from Sanzo Wada's 1933 "A Dictionary of Color Combinations".
- What does Dull Violet Black look like on white and black backgrounds?
- Dull Violet Black (#1e0e3f) has a WCAG contrast ratio of 17.65:1 against white (#FFFFFF) and 1.19:1 against black (#000000). WCAG AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
- Where does the color Dull Violet Black come from?
- Dull Violet Black is documented in Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933, Seigensha Art Publishing 2010 reprint). Wada catalogued blue pigments and historical Japanese color terms. The source work is in the public domain.
- Can I use Dull Violet Black in my own design or brand?
- Yes. The color name and hex value (#1e0e3f) are factual data — not copyrightable. Our curation and descriptions are CC BY 4.0 licensed.
From the archive
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