What colors are in the "Olive Yellow & Sea Green +2" palette?

Olive Yellow & Sea Green +2 contains 4 colors: Olive Yellow (#a6a159), Sea Green (#00b49b), Helvetia Blue (#005b8d), Lilac (#b984af). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).

When was the "Olive Yellow & Sea 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 "Olive Yellow & Sea Green +2" palette belong to?

Olive Yellow & Sea Green +2 is associated with the showa era and emphasizes yellow tones. Plate 347 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Olive Yellow, Sea Green, Helvetia Blue, Lilac.

Can I use the "Olive Yellow & Sea 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.

Olive Yellow & Sea Green +2 — The Dictionary of Color Combinations

About this combination

Combination 347 of 348 in Wada's six-volume 1933 work. A 4-colour grouping of Olive Yellow, Sea Green, Helvetia Blue, Lilac, 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: yellow
Moods: refined, cool, 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: Sea Green on Helvetia Blue — 2.78:1 (Fail)

Olive Yellow·Sea Green1.02:1Fail
Olive Yellow·Helvetia Blue2.73:1Fail
Olive Yellow·Lilac1.13:1Fail
Sea Green·Helvetia Blue2.78:1Fail
Sea Green·Lilac1.15:1Fail
Helvetia Blue·Lilac2.42:1Fail

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

Lemon Yellow & Green Blue +2

Plate 259 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Lemon Yellow, Green Blue, Helvetia Blue, Warm Gray.

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Olive Yellow & Sea Green +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

Lemon Yellow & Green Blue +2

Cream Yellow & Yellow Orange +2

Cream Yellow & Olive Ocher +2