Showa era
Scarlet & Dull Viridian Green +1
Plate 136 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Scarlet, Dull Viridian Green, Red Violet.
#cb2f43
red · 3 palettes
Scarlet
About Scarlet
Scarlet is a mid-tone, vivid red tone. Its hex value is #cb2f43 — that is
RGB 203, 47, 67, or HSL 352°, 62%, 49%.
It holds 5.2:1 contrast against white, so Scarlet works best for body text, headings, and UI labels. (On white it scores 5.2:1; on black 4.0:1.)
Across Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations, Scarlet appears in 3 combinations — most often paired with Dull Viridian Green, Red Violet and Fawn.
Colours that go with Scarlet
From a standard colour wheel, Scarlet anchors these four classic schemes. Each swatch is computed from its exact hue, so every hex is a real, usable pairing.
Complementary
#cb2f43 #2FCBB7
the hue directly opposite — the highest-contrast pairing, good for a single bold accent.
Analogous
#cb2f43 #CB2F91 #CB692F
the two neighbours on the wheel — a calm, cohesive scheme that feels effortless.
Triadic
#cb2f43 #43CB2F #2F43CB
two hues an even third of the wheel away — balanced and lively without clashing.
Split-complementary
#cb2f43 #2FCB69 #2F91CB
the two colours either side of the complement — the contrast of a complement, softened.
How to use Scarlet
Scarlet is a mid-tone, vivid tone (HSL 352°, 62%, 49%), 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 (5.2:1) — safe for paragraphs, buttons and labels. When you do set type on it, use light lettering. Pair it with its complement (#2FCBB7) for a focal accent, or with its analogous neighbours (#CB2F91 and #CB692F) for a quieter, harmonious feel.
Palettes with Scarlet
Scarlet appears in 3 combinations from the archive. Each pairing reveals how the same color shifts character depending on its neighbours.
From the archive
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- All 378 palettes (348 Wada + 30 editorial) in five formats
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