What colors are in the "Hay's Russet & Nile Blue +2" palette?

Hay's Russet & Nile Blue +2 contains 4 colors: Hay's Russet (#793327), Nile Blue (#bce4e5), Venice Green (#62c6bf), Blue Violet (#6450a1). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).

When was the "Hay's Russet & Nile Blue +2" 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 "Hay's Russet & Nile Blue +2" palette belong to?

Hay's Russet & Nile Blue +2 is associated with the showa era and emphasizes red tones. Plate 345 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Hay's Russet, Nile Blue, Venice Green, Blue Violet.

Can I use the "Hay's Russet & Nile Blue +2" 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.

Hay's Russet & Nile Blue +2 — The Dictionary of Color Combinations

About this combination

Combination 345 of 348 in Wada's six-volume 1933 work. A 4-colour grouping of Hay's Russet, Nile Blue, Venice Green, Blue Violet, as documented in the original plates.

Historical context

Plate 345 of Wada's 348 anchors Hay's Russet, Nile Blue, Venice Green and Blue Violet in the red family — a 4-colour grouping with a refined, warm, bold 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 — Hay's Russet on Nile Blue — reaches a contrast ratio of 6.64:1, 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: red
Moods: refined, warm, bold
Colors: 4

Accessibility

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

Strongest pair: Hay's Russet on Nile Blue — 6.64:1 (AA)

Hay's Russet·Nile Blue6.64:1AA
Hay's Russet·Venice Green4.47:1AA Large
Hay's Russet·Blue Violet1.38:1Fail
Nile Blue·Venice Green1.48:1Fail
Nile Blue·Blue Violet4.80:1AA
Venice Green·Blue Violet3.23:1AA 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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Preview

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Hay's Russet & Nile Blue +2

About this combination

Historical context

Embed this palette

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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

Red Orange & Pale Lemon Yellow +2

Eosine Pink & Burnt Sienna +2

Light Brown Drab & Vinaceous Tawny +2