Showa era
Sudan Brown & Glaucous Green +1
Plate 207 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Sudan Brown, Glaucous Green, Black.
#a36752
brown · 3 palettes
Sudan Brown
About Sudan Brown
Sudan Brown is a mid-tone, muted brown tone. Its hex value is #a36752 — that is
RGB 163, 103, 82, or HSL 16°, 33%, 48%.
It holds 4.6:1 contrast against dark, so Sudan Brown works best for body text, headings, and UI labels. (On white it scores 4.5:1; on black 4.6:1.)
Across Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations, Sudan Brown appears in 3 combinations — most often paired with Glaucous Green, Black and Ivory Buff.
Colours that go with Sudan Brown
From a standard colour wheel, Sudan Brown anchors these four classic schemes. Each swatch is computed from its exact hue, so every hex is a real, usable pairing.
Complementary
#a36752 #528EA3
the hue directly opposite — the highest-contrast pairing, good for a single bold accent.
Analogous
#a36752 #A35266 #A38F52
the two neighbours on the wheel — a calm, cohesive scheme that feels effortless.
Triadic
#a36752 #52A367 #6752A3
two hues an even third of the wheel away — balanced and lively without clashing.
Split-complementary
#a36752 #52A38F #5266A3
the two colours either side of the complement — the contrast of a complement, softened.
How to use Sudan Brown
Sudan Brown is a mid-tone, muted tone (HSL 16°, 33%, 48%), which makes it a versatile mid-tone for accents, buttons or blocks. For text it passes WCAG AA for body text against a dark background (4.6:1) — safe for paragraphs, buttons and labels. When you do set type on it, use light lettering. Pair it with its complement (#528EA3) for a focal accent, or with its analogous neighbours (#A35266 and #A38F52) for a quieter, harmonious feel.
Palettes with Sudan Brown
Sudan Brown 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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