Showa era
Spectrum Red & Orange Yellow +2
Plate 257 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Spectrum Red, Orange Yellow, Blue, Aconite Violet.
#e31f26
red · 4 palettes
Spectrum Red
About Spectrum Red
Spectrum Red is a mid-tone, vivid red tone. Its hex value is #e31f26 — that is
RGB 227, 31, 38, or HSL 358°, 78%, 51%.
It holds 4.7:1 contrast against white, so Spectrum Red works best for body text, headings, and UI labels. (On white it scores 4.7:1; on black 4.5:1.)
Across Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations, Spectrum Red appears in 4 combinations — most often paired with Aconite Violet, Ivory Buff and Rainette Green.
Colours that go with Spectrum Red
From a standard colour wheel, Spectrum Red anchors these four classic schemes. Each swatch is computed from its exact hue, so every hex is a real, usable pairing.
Complementary
#e31f26 #1FE3DC
the hue directly opposite — the highest-contrast pairing, good for a single bold accent.
Analogous
#e31f26 #E31F88 #E37A1F
the two neighbours on the wheel — a calm, cohesive scheme that feels effortless.
Triadic
#e31f26 #26E31F #1F26E3
two hues an even third of the wheel away — balanced and lively without clashing.
Split-complementary
#e31f26 #1FE37A #1F88E3
the two colours either side of the complement — the contrast of a complement, softened.
How to use Spectrum Red
Spectrum Red is a mid-tone, vivid tone (HSL 358°, 78%, 51%), 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 (4.7:1) — safe for paragraphs, buttons and labels. When you do set type on it, use light lettering. Pair it with its complement (#1FE3DC) for a focal accent, or with its analogous neighbours (#E31F88 and #E37A1F) for a quieter, harmonious feel.
Palettes with Spectrum Red
Spectrum Red appears in 4 combinations from the archive. Each pairing reveals how the same color shifts character depending on its neighbours.
From the archive
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