Kamakura era
Red Lead & Ink— 鉛丹と墨
The dense orange-red of lead oxide pigment struck against ink black.
#C8411D
red · 1 palette
Entan
鉛丹
Red lead orange
About Entan
Entan (鉛丹) is a mid-tone, vivid red tone. Its hex value is #C8411D — that is
RGB 200, 65, 29, or HSL 13°, 75%, 45%.
Red lead orange.
It holds 5.0:1 contrast against white, so Entan works best for body text, headings, and UI labels. (On white it scores 5.0:1; on black 4.2:1.)
Across Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations, Entan appears in 1 combination — most often paired with Sumi and Kogane.
The story of Entan
Entan (鉛丹) is the heavier, slightly muted red made from lead tetroxide. It served historically as a ground for shu lacquer — entan would be applied first, and the more expensive shu cinnabar painted on top — but is also visible on its own in unrestored medieval temple architecture, where the shu top-coat has weathered away to reveal the entan beneath.
The colour reads ancient, weathered, and structural. Closer to brick than to crimson, it's the red you reach for when the brief wants gravitas without ceremony — historic identity systems, old-money editorial, museum and archive design, projects where wear is part of the story.
Working note: Best paired with deep sumi black — the Tang-dynasty ink-and-wash register, like a worn parchment surface with a single warm dominant.
Colours that go with Entan
From a standard colour wheel, Entan anchors these four classic schemes. Each swatch is computed from its exact hue, so every hex is a real, usable pairing.
Complementary
#C8411D #1DA4C8
the hue directly opposite — the highest-contrast pairing, good for a single bold accent.
Analogous
#C8411D #C81D4E #C8971D
the two neighbours on the wheel — a calm, cohesive scheme that feels effortless.
Triadic
#C8411D #1DC841 #411DC8
two hues an even third of the wheel away — balanced and lively without clashing.
Split-complementary
#C8411D #1DC897 #1D4EC8
the two colours either side of the complement — the contrast of a complement, softened.
How to use Entan
Entan is a mid-tone, vivid tone (HSL 13°, 75%, 45%), which makes it a versatile mid-tone for accents, buttons or blocks. For text it passes WCAG AA for body text against a light background (5.0:1) — safe for paragraphs, buttons and labels. When you do set type on it, use light lettering. Pair it with its complement (#1DA4C8) for a focal accent, or with its analogous neighbours (#C81D4E and #C8971D) for a quieter, harmonious feel.
Palettes with Entan
Entan appears in 1 combination from the archive.
From the archive
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