What colors are in the "Spectrum Red & Ivory Buff +2" palette?

Spectrum Red & Ivory Buff +2 contains 4 colors: Spectrum Red (#e31f26), Ivory Buff (#ebd3a2), Rainette Green (#8fa071), Aconite Violet (#a36aa5). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).

When was the "Spectrum Red & Ivory Buff +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 "Spectrum Red & Ivory Buff +2" palette belong to?

Spectrum Red & Ivory Buff +2 is associated with the showa era and emphasizes red tones. Plate 301 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Spectrum Red, Ivory Buff, Rainette Green, Aconite Violet.

Can I use the "Spectrum Red & Ivory Buff +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.

Spectrum Red & Ivory Buff +2 — The Dictionary of Color Combinations

About this combination

Combination 301 of 348 in Wada's six-volume 1933 work. A 4-colour grouping of Spectrum Red, Ivory Buff, Rainette Green, Aconite Violet, 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, 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: Spectrum Red on Ivory Buff — 3.20:1 (AA Large)

Spectrum Red·Ivory Buff3.20:1AA Large
Spectrum Red·Rainette Green1.66:1Fail
Spectrum Red·Aconite Violet1.15:1Fail
Ivory Buff·Rainette Green1.93:1Fail
Ivory Buff·Aconite Violet2.78:1Fail
Rainette Green·Aconite Violet1.44:1Fail

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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Spectrum Red & Ivory Buff +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

Red Orange & Pale Lemon Yellow +2

Eosine Pink & Burnt Sienna +2

Light Brown Drab & Vinaceous Tawny +2