What colors are in the "Pale Lemon Yellow & Blackish Olive" palette?

Pale Lemon Yellow & Blackish Olive contains 2 colors: Pale Lemon Yellow (#ffefae), Blackish Olive (#42533e). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).

When was the "Pale Lemon Yellow & Blackish Olive" 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 "Pale Lemon Yellow & Blackish Olive" palette belong to?

Pale Lemon Yellow & Blackish Olive is associated with the showa era and emphasizes yellow tones. Plate 109 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Pale Lemon Yellow, Blackish Olive.

Can I use the "Pale Lemon Yellow & Blackish Olive" 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.

Pale Lemon Yellow & Blackish Olive — The Dictionary of Color Combinations

About this combination

Combination 109 of 348 in Wada's six-volume 1933 work. A two-colour pairing of Pale Lemon Yellow, Blackish Olive, 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: yellow
Moods: refined, 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: Pale Lemon Yellow on Blackish Olive — 7.17:1 (AAA)

Pale Lemon Yellow·Blackish Olive7.17:1AAA

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

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Related combinations

Three palettes with a similar feel.

Showa era

Yellow Orange & Dark Tyrian Blue

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Pale Lemon Yellow & Blackish Olive

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

Yellow Orange & Dark Tyrian Blue

Isabella Color & Red Violet

Isabella Color & Green Blue