What colors are in the "Olympic Blue & Dark Tyrian Blue" palette?

Olympic Blue & Dark Tyrian Blue contains 2 colors: Olympic Blue (#5a82b3), Dark Tyrian Blue (#12354e). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).

When was the "Olympic Blue & Dark Tyrian 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 "Olympic Blue & Dark Tyrian Blue" palette belong to?

Olympic Blue & Dark Tyrian Blue is associated with the showa era and emphasizes blue tones. Plate 67 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Olympic Blue, Dark Tyrian Blue.

Can I use the "Olympic Blue & Dark Tyrian 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.

Olympic Blue & Dark Tyrian Blue — The Dictionary of Color Combinations

About this combination

Combination 67 of 348 in Wada's six-volume 1933 work. A two-colour pairing of Olympic Blue, Dark Tyrian 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: blue
Moods: refined, cool, 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: Olympic Blue on Dark Tyrian Blue — 3.21:1 (AA Large)

Olympic Blue·Dark Tyrian Blue3.21:1AA Large

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.

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Related combinations

Three palettes with a similar feel.

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Benzol Green & Grayish Lavender - A

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Olympic Blue & Dark Tyrian 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

Benzol Green & Grayish Lavender - A

Light Porcelain Green & Olympic Blue

Pale King's Blue & Blue