What colors are in the "Lemon Yellow & Apricot Orange +2" palette?

Lemon Yellow & Apricot Orange +2 contains 4 colors: Lemon Yellow (#f8ed43), Apricot Orange (#f68c50), Cotinga Purple (#501345), Slate Color (#34454c). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).

When was the "Lemon Yellow & Apricot Orange +2" 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 "Lemon Yellow & Apricot Orange +2" palette belong to?

Lemon Yellow & Apricot Orange +2 is associated with the showa era and emphasizes yellow tones. Plate 253 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Lemon Yellow, Apricot Orange, Cotinga Purple, Slate Color.

Can I use the "Lemon Yellow & Apricot Orange +2" 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.

Lemon Yellow & Apricot Orange +2 — The Dictionary of Color Combinations

About this combination

Combination 253 of 348 in Wada's six-volume 1933 work. A 4-colour grouping of Lemon Yellow, Apricot Orange, Cotinga Purple, Slate Color, 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, warm, bold
Colors: 4

Accessibility

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

Strongest pair: Lemon Yellow on Cotinga Purple — 11.31:1 (AAA)

Lemon Yellow·Apricot Orange1.96:1Fail
Lemon Yellow·Cotinga Purple11.31:1AAA
Lemon Yellow·Slate Color8.18:1AAA
Apricot Orange·Cotinga Purple5.78:1AA
Apricot Orange·Slate Color4.18:1AA Large
Cotinga Purple·Slate Color1.38:1Fail

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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Related combinations

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Showa era

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Lemon Yellow & Apricot Orange +2

About this combination

Historical context

Embed this palette

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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

Pyrite Yellow & Peach Red +2

Sulpher Yellow & Ochraceous Salmon +2

Cream Yellow & Ecru +2