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

Yellow Orange & Sepia +2 contains 4 colors: Yellow Orange (#f99d1b), Sepia (#644b1e), Taupe Brown (#7a4456), Black (#111314). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).

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

Yellow Orange & Sepia +2 is associated with the showa era and emphasizes yellow tones. Plate 288 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Yellow Orange, Sepia, Taupe Brown, Black.

Can I use the "Yellow Orange & Sepia +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.

Yellow Orange & Sepia +2 — The Dictionary of Color Combinations

About this combination

Combination 288 of 348 in Wada's six-volume 1933 work. A 4-colour grouping of Yellow Orange, Sepia, Taupe Brown, Black, 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: solemn, 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: Yellow Orange on Black — 8.75:1 (AAA)

Yellow Orange·Sepia3.84:1AA Large
Yellow Orange·Taupe Brown3.54:1AA Large
Yellow Orange·Black8.75:1AAA
Sepia·Taupe Brown1.09:1Fail
Sepia·Black2.28:1Fail
Taupe Brown·Black2.47:1Fail

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

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Related combinations

Three palettes with a similar feel.

Showa era

Sepia & Veronia Purple

Plate 24 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Sepia, Veronia Purple.

Showa era

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Plate 250 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Pyrite Yellow, Peach Red, Sea Green, Nile Blue.

Showa era

Lemon Yellow & Apricot Orange +2

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Yellow Orange & Sepia +2

About this combination

Historical context

Embed this palette

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Crimson & Navy— 紅と紺

Scorched Brown & Unbleached— 焦茶と生成

Madder Red & Evergreen— 茜と常磐

Persimmon & Burnt Brown— 柿と焦茶

Crimson Lake & Pine— 臙脂と松葉

Vermillion, Black, Gold— 朱・黒・金

Sepia & Veronia Purple

Pyrite Yellow & Peach Red +2

Lemon Yellow & Apricot Orange +2