Showa era
Yellow & Deep Lyons Blue
Plate 22 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Yellow, Deep Lyons Blue.
#1c4286
blue · 10 palettes
Deep Lyons Blue
About Deep Lyons Blue
Deep Lyons Blue is a deep, vivid blue tone. Its hex value is #1c4286 — that is
RGB 28, 66, 134, or HSL 218°, 65%, 32%.
It holds 9.7:1 contrast against white, so Deep Lyons Blue works best for body text, headings, and UI labels. (On white it scores 9.7:1; on black 2.2:1.)
Across Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations, Deep Lyons Blue appears in 10 combinations — most often paired with Yellow, Diamine Green and Cameo Pink.
Colours that go with Deep Lyons Blue
From a standard colour wheel, Deep Lyons Blue anchors these four classic schemes. Each swatch is computed from its exact hue, so every hex is a real, usable pairing.
Complementary
#1c4286 #86601C
the hue directly opposite — the highest-contrast pairing, good for a single bold accent.
Analogous
#1c4286 #1C7786 #2B1C86
the two neighbours on the wheel — a calm, cohesive scheme that feels effortless.
Triadic
#1c4286 #861C42 #42861C
two hues an even third of the wheel away — balanced and lively without clashing.
Split-complementary
#1c4286 #862B1C #77861C
the two colours either side of the complement — the contrast of a complement, softened.
How to use Deep Lyons Blue
Deep Lyons Blue is a deep, vivid tone (HSL 218°, 65%, 32%), which makes it a grounding background or strong accent. For text it passes WCAG AA for body text against a light background (9.7:1) — safe for paragraphs, buttons and labels. When you do set type on it, use light lettering. Pair it with its complement (#86601C) for a focal accent, or with its analogous neighbours (#1C7786 and #2B1C86) for a quieter, harmonious feel.
Studio
Taking Deep Lyons Blue off the screen
A hex code is an instruction to a screen, not a colour. Where this one is going decides what it needs next.
Affiliate links — as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
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...onto paper
Start here if the palette gets printed. Screen colour and ink colour are not the same colour, and this is the deck that translates between them.
Listed on Amazon as Pantone Formula Guide – Coated & Uncoated | Professional PMS Color Matching System for Print, Packaging & Graphic Design | GP1601B
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...onto a screen you can trust
Start here if it stays digital. An uncalibrated monitor is the single most common reason a palette that looked right on your desk looks wrong everywhere else.
Calibrite
ColorChecker Passport Photo 2
Listed on Amazon as Calibrite ColorChecker Passport Photo 2 Portable Color Calibration Kit for Photo and Video, 4 Target Set for White Balance, Exposure and Creative Look
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...by hand
Start here if you are mixing it. Wada's plates were flat printed colour; gansai pans are the closest everyday medium to them.
Kuretake
Gansai Tambi 24 — Art Nouveau
Listed on Amazon as Kuretake GANSAI TAMBI Watercolor Paint Set 24 Colors II - Art Nouveau
See price on Amazon
Amazon Associates affiliate links — your price is unchanged and a small commission keeps the archive free. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Palettes with Deep Lyons Blue
Deep Lyons Blue appears in 10 combinations from the archive. Each pairing reveals how the same color shifts character depending on its neighbours. For how usage like this compares across the whole dictionary, see the data analysis of all 348 plates.
Questions about Deep Lyons Blue
- What is the hex code for Deep Lyons Blue?
- Deep Lyons Blue is #1c4286. It appears in 10 historical color combinations from Sanzo Wada's 1933 "A Dictionary of Color Combinations".
- What does Deep Lyons Blue look like on white and black backgrounds?
- Deep Lyons Blue (#1c4286) has a WCAG contrast ratio of 9.66:1 against white (#FFFFFF) and 2.17:1 against black (#000000). WCAG AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
- Where does the color Deep Lyons Blue come from?
- Deep Lyons Blue is documented in Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933, Seigensha Art Publishing 2010 reprint). Wada catalogued blue pigments and historical Japanese color terms. The source work is in the public domain.
- Can I use Deep Lyons Blue in my own design or brand?
- Yes. The color name and hex value (#1c4286) are factual data — not copyrightable. Our curation and descriptions are CC BY 4.0 licensed.
From the archive
Support the archive The full catalog, on your disk, as a thank-you.
- All 378 palettes (348 Wada + 30 editorial) in five formats
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- Tailwind v4 + v3 configs — drop into any project
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- 378 SVG plates (348 Wada + 30 editorial) — print-ready at any size
- Full JSON — colors, names, eras, moods, dominant hues
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