Showa era
Khaki & Deep Lyons Blue +1
Plate 236 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Khaki, Deep Lyons Blue, Purple Drab.
#84565b
red · 1 palette
Purple Drab
About Purple Drab
Purple Drab is a mid-tone, near-neutral red tone. Its hex value is #84565b — that is
RGB 132, 86, 91, or HSL 353°, 21%, 43%.
It holds 6.1:1 contrast against white, so Purple Drab works best for body text, headings, and UI labels. (On white it scores 6.1:1; on black 3.5:1.)
Across Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations, Purple Drab appears in 1 combination — most often paired with Khaki and Deep Lyons Blue.
Colours that go with Purple Drab
From a standard colour wheel, Purple Drab anchors these four classic schemes. Each swatch is computed from its exact hue, so every hex is a real, usable pairing.
Complementary
#84565b #56847F
the hue directly opposite — the highest-contrast pairing, good for a single bold accent.
Analogous
#84565b #845672 #846856
the two neighbours on the wheel — a calm, cohesive scheme that feels effortless.
Triadic
#84565b #5B8456 #565B84
two hues an even third of the wheel away — balanced and lively without clashing.
Split-complementary
#84565b #568468 #567284
the two colours either side of the complement — the contrast of a complement, softened.
How to use Purple Drab
Purple Drab is a mid-tone, muted tone (HSL 353°, 21%, 43%), which makes it a versatile mid-tone for accents, buttons or blocks. For text it passes WCAG AA for body text against a light background (6.1:1) — safe for paragraphs, buttons and labels. When you do set type on it, use light lettering. Pair it with its complement (#56847F) for a focal accent, or with its analogous neighbours (#845672 and #846856) for a quieter, harmonious feel.
Studio
Taking Purple Drab 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.
-
...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 GP6102B Color Bridge Guide Set Coated & Uncoated, Multi-Colour
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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 Studio spectrophotometer
Listed on Amazon as Calibrite ColorChecker Studio Spectrophotometer for Complete Color Management for Display, Projector, Printer and Scanner Profiling
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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 36
Listed on Amazon as Kuretake GANSAI TAMBI Watercolor Paint Set 36 Colors
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Palettes with Purple Drab
Purple Drab appears in 1 combination from the archive. For how usage like this compares across the whole dictionary, see the data analysis of all 348 plates.
Questions about Purple Drab
- What is the hex code for Purple Drab?
- Purple Drab is #84565b. It appears in 1 historical color combination from Sanzo Wada's 1933 "A Dictionary of Color Combinations".
- What does Purple Drab look like on white and black backgrounds?
- Purple Drab (#84565b) has a WCAG contrast ratio of 6.06:1 against white (#FFFFFF) and 3.46:1 against black (#000000). WCAG AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
- Where does the color Purple Drab come from?
- Purple Drab is documented in Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933, Seigensha Art Publishing 2010 reprint). Wada catalogued red pigments and historical Japanese color terms. The source work is in the public domain.
- Can I use Purple Drab in my own design or brand?
- Yes. The color name and hex value (#84565b) are factual data — not copyrightable. Our curation and descriptions are CC BY 4.0 licensed.
From the archive
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