Showa era
Orange Yellow & Antwarp Blue
Plate 114 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Orange Yellow, Antwarp Blue.
#fcb315
yellow · 8 palettes
Orange Yellow
About Orange Yellow
Orange Yellow is a mid-tone, vivid yellow tone. Its hex value is #fcb315 — that is
RGB 252, 179, 21, or HSL 41°, 97%, 54%.
It holds 11.6:1 contrast against dark, so Orange Yellow works best for body text, headings, and UI labels. (On white it scores 1.8:1; on black 11.6:1.)
Across Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations, Orange Yellow appears in 8 combinations — most often paired with Antwarp Blue, Olive Ocher and Cerulian Blue.
Colours that go with Orange Yellow
From a standard colour wheel, Orange Yellow anchors these four classic schemes. Each swatch is computed from its exact hue, so every hex is a real, usable pairing.
Complementary
#fcb315 #155EFC
the hue directly opposite — the highest-contrast pairing, good for a single bold accent.
Analogous
#fcb315 #FC3F15 #D2FC15
the two neighbours on the wheel — a calm, cohesive scheme that feels effortless.
Triadic
#fcb315 #15FCB3 #B315FC
two hues an even third of the wheel away — balanced and lively without clashing.
Split-complementary
#fcb315 #15D2FC #3F15FC
the two colours either side of the complement — the contrast of a complement, softened.
How to use Orange Yellow
Orange Yellow is a mid-tone, vivid tone (HSL 41°, 97%, 54%), which makes it a versatile mid-tone for accents, buttons or blocks. For text it passes WCAG AA for body text against a dark background (11.6:1) — safe for paragraphs, buttons and labels. When you do set type on it, use dark lettering. Pair it with its complement (#155EFC) for a focal accent, or with its analogous neighbours (#FC3F15 and #D2FC15) for a quieter, harmonious feel.
Studio
Taking Orange Yellow 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.
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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.
Listed on Amazon as Strathmore 300 Series Tape Bound Watercolor Pad, 140 lb. Cold Press, 11 X 15 inches, White, 12 Sheets (360-111)
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Palettes with Orange Yellow
Orange Yellow appears in 8 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 Orange Yellow
- What is the hex code for Orange Yellow?
- Orange Yellow is #fcb315. It appears in 8 historical color combinations from Sanzo Wada's 1933 "A Dictionary of Color Combinations".
- What does Orange Yellow look like on white and black backgrounds?
- Orange Yellow (#fcb315) has a WCAG contrast ratio of 1.81:1 against white (#FFFFFF) and 11.60:1 against black (#000000). WCAG AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
- Where does the color Orange Yellow come from?
- Orange Yellow is documented in Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933, Seigensha Art Publishing 2010 reprint). Wada catalogued yellow pigments and historical Japanese color terms. The source work is in the public domain.
- Can I use Orange Yellow in my own design or brand?
- Yes. The color name and hex value (#fcb315) are factual data — not copyrightable. Our curation and descriptions are CC BY 4.0 licensed.
From the archive
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