What colors are in the "Light Brown Drab & Carmine Red" palette?

Light Brown Drab & Carmine Red contains 2 colors: Light Brown Drab (#b59392), Carmine Red (#a62c37). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).

When was the "Light Brown Drab & Carmine Red" palette created?

This palette is from Sanzo Wada's 1933 reference work "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (Seigensha Art Publishing 2010 reprint). The source work is in the public domain.

What style or era does the "Light Brown Drab & Carmine Red" palette belong to?

Light Brown Drab & Carmine Red is associated with the showa era and emphasizes red tones. Plate 35 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Light Brown Drab, Carmine Red.

Can I use the "Light Brown Drab & Carmine Red" palette in my own design?

Yes. The source palette by Sanzo Wada (1933) is in the public domain. This page's curation and metadata are CC BY 4.0 licensed — attribution to colorcombinations.org appreciated but not required for the colors themselves.

Light Brown Drab & Carmine Red — The Dictionary of Color Combinations

About this combination

Combination 35 of 348 in Wada's six-volume 1933 work. A two-colour pairing of Light Brown Drab, Carmine Red, as documented in the original plates.

Historical context

Plate 35 of Wada's 348 anchors Light Brown Drab and Carmine Red in the red family — a 2-colour grouping with a refined, warm, austere character, recorded in Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations (six volumes; Seigensha Art Publishing 2010 reprint), and in the public domain by age. Its strongest pairing — Light Brown Drab on Carmine Red — reaches a contrast ratio of 2.49:1, below the WCAG text-contrast floor, so it reads best in decorative blocks rather than text pairings.

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Taking Light Brown Drab & Carmine Red off the screen

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...onto paper

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Pantone

Color Bridge Guide Set — coated & uncoated

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Calibrite

ColorChecker Studio spectrophotometer

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...by hand

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Kuretake

Gansai Tambi 36

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Details

Era: Showa
Dominant hue: red
Moods: refined, warm, austere
Colors: 2

Accessibility

WCAG contrast ratios between every color pair. Use the strongest combinations for text; the weakest ones make good decorative backgrounds.

Strongest pair: Light Brown Drab on Carmine Red — 2.49:1 (Fail)

Light Brown Drab·Carmine Red2.49:1Fail

How to read this

AAA: Passes WCAG 2.1 AAA for normal text — the highest accessibility bar.
AA: Passes WCAG 2.1 AA for normal text. Standard production requirement.
AA Large: Passes WCAG 2.1 AA for large text only (18pt+ or 14pt+ bold). Avoid for body copy.
Fail: Below WCAG 2.1 AA. Fine for decorative use — not for text.

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Preview

From the editorial · Long read

Wabi-Sabi Color Theory: The Beauty of Things That Have Aged

What it actually means for color when a tradition values age over newness — the tea-room palette, three exemplars, and the anti-patterns to avoid.

Read the article →

Colors that go with these shades

Find partner colors for each tone in this palette.

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Edo era

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Edo era

Indigo Blue & Silver— 縹と銀

Mid-grade indigo with the quiet sheen of silver — an understated Edo merchant robe.

Muromachi era

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Wild grass yellow tempered by the muted grey favored by the tea master Sen no Rikyū.

Heian era

Royal Purple & Silver— 紫と銀

Imperial purple set against lunar silver — Heian courtly luxury at its quietest.

See the full color palettes for websites collection →

Questions about Light Brown Drab & Carmine Red

What colors are in the "Light Brown Drab & Carmine Red" palette?: Light Brown Drab & Carmine Red contains 2 colors: Light Brown Drab (#b59392), Carmine Red (#a62c37). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).
When was the "Light Brown Drab & Carmine Red" palette created?: This palette is from Sanzo Wada's 1933 reference work "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (Seigensha Art Publishing 2010 reprint). The source work is in the public domain.
What style or era does the "Light Brown Drab & Carmine Red" palette belong to?: Light Brown Drab & Carmine Red is associated with the showa era and emphasizes red tones. Plate 35 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Light Brown Drab, Carmine Red.
Can I use the "Light Brown Drab & Carmine Red" palette in my own design?: Yes. The source palette by Sanzo Wada (1933) is in the public domain. This page's curation and metadata are CC BY 4.0 licensed — attribution to colorcombinations.org appreciated but not required for the colors themselves.

Related combinations

Three palettes with a similar feel.

Showa era

Grenadine Pink & Deep Indigo

Plate 6 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Grenadine Pink, Deep Indigo.

Showa era

Vandyke Red & Pale King's Blue

Plate 16 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Vandyke Red, Pale King's Blue.

Showa era

Eugenia Red | B & Sea Green

Plate 17 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Eugenia Red | B, Sea Green.

Light Brown Drab & Carmine Red

About this combination

Historical context

Taking Light Brown Drab & Carmine Red off the screen

Color Bridge Guide Set — coated & uncoated

ColorChecker Studio spectrophotometer

Gansai Tambi 36

Embed this palette

Support the archive The full catalog, on your disk, as a thank-you.

Wabi-Sabi Color Theory: The Beauty of Things That Have Aged

Find partner colors for each tone in this palette.

Other palettes in Color Palettes for Websites.

Crimson & Navy— 紅と紺

Pale Blue & Vermillion— 浅葱と朱

Celadon & Unbleached— 青磁と生成

Indigo Blue & Silver— 縹と銀

Grass Yellow & Rikyū Grey— 刈安と利休鼠

Royal Purple & Silver— 紫と銀

Questions about Light Brown Drab & Carmine Red

Grenadine Pink & Deep Indigo

Vandyke Red & Pale King's Blue

Eugenia Red | B & Sea Green

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