What colors are in the "Vandyke Red & Dull Viridian Green +2" palette?

Vandyke Red & Dull Viridian Green +2 contains 4 colors: Vandyke Red (#82241f), Dull Viridian Green (#009465), Violet (#4f4086), Red Violet (#59256a). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).

When was the "Vandyke Red & Dull Viridian Green +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 "Vandyke Red & Dull Viridian Green +2" palette belong to?

Vandyke Red & Dull Viridian Green +2 is associated with the showa era and emphasizes red tones. Plate 316 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Vandyke Red, Dull Viridian Green, Violet, Red Violet.

Can I use the "Vandyke Red & Dull Viridian Green +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.

Vandyke Red & Dull Viridian Green +2 — The Dictionary of Color Combinations

About this combination

Combination 316 of 348 in Wada's six-volume 1933 work. A 4-colour grouping of Vandyke Red, Dull Viridian Green, Violet, Red 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: 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: Dull Viridian Green on Red Violet — 2.86:1 (Fail)

Vandyke Red·Dull Viridian Green2.44:1Fail
Vandyke Red·Violet1.08:1Fail
Vandyke Red·Red Violet1.17:1Fail
Dull Viridian Green·Violet2.25:1Fail
Dull Viridian Green·Red Violet2.86:1Fail
Violet·Red Violet1.27:1Fail

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

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Vandyke Red & Dull Viridian Green +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

Carmine Red & Oil Green +2

Carmine & Yellow +2

Madder Brown & Deep Indigo