What colors are in the "Raw Sienna & Apricot Yellow +2" palette?

Raw Sienna & Apricot Yellow +2 contains 4 colors: Raw Sienna (#bb7125), Apricot Yellow (#ffdd00), Yellow Orange (#f99d1b), Cossack Green (#437742). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).

When was the "Raw Sienna & Apricot Yellow +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 "Raw Sienna & Apricot Yellow +2" palette belong to?

Raw Sienna & Apricot Yellow +2 is associated with the showa era and emphasizes orange tones. Plate 319 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Raw Sienna, Apricot Yellow, Yellow Orange, Cossack Green.

Can I use the "Raw Sienna & Apricot Yellow +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.

Raw Sienna & Apricot Yellow +2 — The Dictionary of Color Combinations

About this combination

Combination 319 of 348 in Wada's six-volume 1933 work. A 4-colour grouping of Raw Sienna, Apricot Yellow, Yellow Orange, Cossack Green, 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: orange
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: Apricot Yellow on Cossack Green — 3.94:1 (AA Large)

Raw Sienna·Apricot Yellow2.83:1Fail
Raw Sienna·Yellow Orange1.79:1Fail
Raw Sienna·Cossack Green1.39:1Fail
Apricot Yellow·Yellow Orange1.58:1Fail
Apricot Yellow·Cossack Green3.94:1AA Large
Yellow Orange·Cossack Green2.49:1Fail

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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