Showa era
Yellow Ocher & Violet
Plate 42 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Yellow Ocher, Violet.
#4f4086
blue · 12 palettes
Violet
About Violet
Violet is a deep, muted blue tone. Its hex value is #4f4086 — that is
RGB 79, 64, 134, or HSL 253°, 35%, 39%.
It holds 8.7:1 contrast against white, so Violet works best for body text, headings, and UI labels. (On white it scores 8.7:1; on black 2.4:1.)
Across Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations, Violet appears in 12 combinations — most often paired with Carmine Red, Vandyke Red and Yellow Ocher.
Colours that go with Violet
From a standard colour wheel, Violet anchors these four classic schemes. Each swatch is computed from its exact hue, so every hex is a real, usable pairing.
Complementary
#4f4086 #778640
the hue directly opposite — the highest-contrast pairing, good for a single bold accent.
Analogous
#4f4086 #405486 #724086
the two neighbours on the wheel — a calm, cohesive scheme that feels effortless.
Triadic
#4f4086 #864F40 #40864F
two hues an even third of the wheel away — balanced and lively without clashing.
Split-complementary
#4f4086 #867240 #548640
the two colours either side of the complement — the contrast of a complement, softened.
How to use Violet
Violet is a deep, muted tone (HSL 253°, 35%, 39%), 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 (8.7:1) — safe for paragraphs, buttons and labels. When you do set type on it, use light lettering. Pair it with its complement (#778640) for a focal accent, or with its analogous neighbours (#405486 and #724086) for a quieter, harmonious feel.
Palettes with Violet
Violet appears in 12 combinations from the archive. Each pairing reveals how the same color shifts character depending on its neighbours.
From the archive
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