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

Spectrum Red & Brick Red +2 contains 4 colors: Spectrum Red (#e31f26), Brick Red (#a84222), Eupatorium Purple (#bf5892), Blue Violet (#6450a1). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).

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

Spectrum Red & Brick Red +2 is associated with the showa era and emphasizes red tones. Plate 322 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Spectrum Red, Brick Red, Eupatorium Purple, Blue Violet.

Can I use the "Spectrum Red & Brick Red +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 & Brick Red +2 — The Dictionary of Color Combinations

About this combination

Combination 322 of 348 in Wada's six-volume 1933 work. A 4-colour grouping of Spectrum Red, Brick Red, Eupatorium Purple, Blue 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: Eupatorium Purple on Blue Violet — 1.57:1 (Fail)

Spectrum Red·Brick Red1.29:1Fail
Spectrum Red·Eupatorium Purple1.12:1Fail
Spectrum Red·Blue Violet1.40:1Fail
Brick Red·Eupatorium Purple1.45:1Fail
Brick Red·Blue Violet1.08:1Fail
Eupatorium Purple·Blue Violet1.57:1Fail

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

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Spectrum Red & Brick Red +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