What colors are in the "Pale Lemon Yellow & Vinaceous Cinnamon +1" palette?

Pale Lemon Yellow & Vinaceous Cinnamon +1 contains 3 colors: Pale Lemon Yellow (#ffefae), Vinaceous Cinnamon (#eea78c), Lincoln Green (#555832). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).

When was the "Pale Lemon Yellow & Vinaceous Cinnamon +1" 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 "Pale Lemon Yellow & Vinaceous Cinnamon +1" palette belong to?

Pale Lemon Yellow & Vinaceous Cinnamon +1 is associated with the showa era and emphasizes yellow tones. Plate 203 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Pale Lemon Yellow, Vinaceous Cinnamon, Lincoln Green.

Can I use the "Pale Lemon Yellow & Vinaceous Cinnamon +1" 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.

Pale Lemon Yellow & Vinaceous Cinnamon +1 — The Dictionary of Color Combinations

About this combination

Combination 203 of 348 in Wada's six-volume 1933 work. A 3-colour grouping of Pale Lemon Yellow, Vinaceous Cinnamon, Lincoln Green, as documented in the original plates.

Historical context

Plate 203 of Wada's 348 anchors Pale Lemon Yellow, Vinaceous Cinnamon and Lincoln Green in the yellow family — a 3-colour grouping with a refined, warm character, recorded in the Showa-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 — Pale Lemon Yellow on Lincoln Green — reaches a contrast ratio of 6.44:1, meeting the WCAG AA bar for body text, so it holds up for text-on-colour layouts as well as decorative use.

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Details

Era: Showa
Dominant hue: yellow
Moods: refined, warm
Colors: 3

Accessibility

WCAG contrast ratios between every color pair. Use the strongest combinations for text; the weakest ones make good decorative backgrounds.

Strongest pair: Pale Lemon Yellow on Lincoln Green — 6.44:1 (AA)

Pale Lemon Yellow·Vinaceous Cinnamon1.73:1Fail
Pale Lemon Yellow·Lincoln Green6.44:1AA
Vinaceous Cinnamon·Lincoln Green3.73:1AA Large

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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Heian Court Color Theory: Kasane, Kinjiki, and the Seasonal Palette

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Related combinations

Three palettes with a similar feel.

Showa era

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Pale Lemon Yellow & Vinaceous Cinnamon +1

About this combination

Historical context

Embed this palette

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Heian Court Color Theory: Kasane, Kinjiki, and the Seasonal Palette

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

Ivory Buff & Orange Rufous

Naples Yellow & Peach Red

Yellow Ocher & Vandyke Brown