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

Brick Red & Apricot Orange +2 contains 4 colors: Brick Red (#a84222), Apricot Orange (#f68c50), Vandyke Brown (#4b3317), Light Porcelain Green (#00908a). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).

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

Brick Red & Apricot Orange +2 is associated with the showa era and emphasizes red tones. Plate 328 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Brick Red, Apricot Orange, Vandyke Brown, Light Porcelain Green.

Can I use the "Brick Red & Apricot Orange +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.

Brick Red & Apricot Orange +2 — The Dictionary of Color Combinations

About this combination

Combination 328 of 348 in Wada's six-volume 1933 work. A 4-colour grouping of Brick Red, Apricot Orange, Vandyke Brown, Light Porcelain 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.

Export

One click — no signup, no watermark.

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: Apricot Orange on Vandyke Brown — 4.92:1 (AA)

Brick Red·Apricot Orange2.53:1Fail
Brick Red·Vandyke Brown1.94:1Fail
Brick Red·Light Porcelain Green1.54:1Fail
Apricot Orange·Vandyke Brown4.92:1AA
Apricot Orange·Light Porcelain Green1.64:1Fail
Vandyke Brown·Light Porcelain Green3.00:1AA Large

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.

Embed this palette

Add this swatch strip to any blog post, Notion page, or website. It links back here automatically.

<iframe src="https://colorcombinations.org/embed/wada-328-brick-red-apricot-orange/" width="320" height="80" frameborder="0" style="border-radius:6px;overflow:hidden;" title="Brick Red & Apricot Orange +2 color palette — colorcombinations.org"></iframe>

Preview

Other palettes in Color Palettes for Websites.

Heian era

Crimson & Navy— 紅と紺

Deep safflower crimson against navy — the courtly contrast of Heian-era robes and formal Edo textiles.

Edo era

Pale Blue & Vermillion— 浅葱と朱

The faded blue of Shinsengumi jackets against shrine-gate vermillion — restrained power.

Muromachi era

Celadon & Unbleached— 青磁と生成

Celadon pottery green beside the unbleached warmth of raw silk.

Edo era

Indigo Blue & Silver— 縹と銀

Mid-grade indigo with the quiet sheen of silver — an understated Edo merchant robe.

Muromachi era

Grass Yellow & Rikyū Grey— 刈安と利休鼠

Wild grass yellow tempered by the muted grey favored by the tea master Sen no Rikyū.

Heian era

Royal Purple & Silver— 紫と銀

Imperial purple set against lunar silver — Heian courtly luxury at its quietest.

See the full color palettes for websites collection →

Related combinations

Three palettes with a similar feel.

Showa era

Red Orange & Pale Lemon Yellow +2

Plate 241 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Red Orange, Pale Lemon Yellow, Isabella Color, Dark Medici Blue.

Showa era

Eosine Pink & Burnt Sienna +2

Plate 242 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Eosine Pink, Burnt Sienna, Diamine Green, Black.

Showa era

Light Brown Drab & Vinaceous Tawny +2

Plate 244 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Light Brown Drab, Vinaceous Tawny, Andover Green, Antwarp Blue.

Brick Red & Apricot Orange +2

About this combination

Historical context

Embed this palette

Support the archive The full catalog, on your disk, as a thank-you.

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