What colors are in the "Carmine Red & Blue" palette?

Carmine Red & Blue contains 2 colors: Carmine Red (#a62c37), Blue (#006eb8). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).

When was the "Carmine Red & Blue" palette created?

This palette is from Sanzo Wada's 1933 reference work "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (Seigensha Art Publishing 2010 reprint). Wada documented historical Japanese color combinations from the showa era and earlier periods. The source work is in the public domain.

What style or era does the "Carmine Red & Blue" palette belong to?

Carmine Red & Blue is associated with the showa era and emphasizes red tones. Plate 51 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Carmine Red, Blue.

Can I use the "Carmine Red & Blue" 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.

Carmine Red & Blue — The Dictionary of Color Combinations

About this combination

Combination 51 of 348 in Wada's six-volume 1933 work. A two-colour pairing of Carmine Red, Blue, as documented in the original plates.

Historical context

This palette is inspired by the tradition of Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations, which cataloged combinations drawn from centuries of Japanese cultural life. The specific colors here use traditional shikisai names that have been in the public domain for generations.

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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: Carmine Red on Blue — 1.29:1 (Fail)

Carmine Red·Blue1.29:1Fail

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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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.

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Related combinations

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Showa era

Grenadine Pink & Deep Indigo

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

Showa era

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Carmine Red & Blue

About this combination

Historical context

Embed this palette

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

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

Grenadine Pink & Deep Indigo

Vandyke Red & Pale King's Blue

Eugenia Red | B & Sea Green