About this combination
Entan — red lead — was the pigment of temple pillars and warning marks. Paired with sumi ink, it is the color of shrine gates at night: ceremonial, sharp, a little dangerous.
Where it works
- Film posters with historical themes
- Editorial for drama and stage
- Branding that needs danger without looking cheap
Historical context
This combination from Wada's catalog anchors Entan, Sumi and Kogane in the red family — a 3-colour grouping with a bold, solemn character, recorded in the Kamakura-era volumes of Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations, where these shikisai names have sat in the public domain for generations. Its strongest pairing — Sumi on Kogane — reaches a contrast ratio of 8.10:1, clearing the WCAG AAA bar for body text, so it holds up for text-on-colour layouts as well as decorative use.