Interactive Dictionary of Color Combinations

Explore

The Japanese have developed a fine sense for color in their art and architecture, where the right combination of colors can create the perfect mood. Between 1933 and 1934, Japanese artist Sanzo Wada published 6-volumes of color studies, documenting over a thousand color combinations. His work has been credited with being the first book to catalog color schemes in such a manner and has been compared to modern graphic design resources.

As an exercise in color theory,

HexPot⁠

collected some of these palettes, which can be used to inspire your own art direction. To make it easier we’ve created an interactive guide that lets you explore the colors to get a feel for how they work together. This guide offers 348 Japanese palettes, which you can use in web design, posters, and more. Just click any color below and see what Sanzo Wada would combine it with.

Hermosa Pink

ffb3f0

Corinthian Pink

ffa6d9

Cameo Pink

e6adcf

Fawn

d1b0b3

Light Brown Drab

b08699

Coral Red

ff7399

Fresh Color

ff788c

Grenadine Pink

ff616b

Eosine Pink

ff5ec4

Spinel Red

ff4dc9

Old Rose

d94d99

Eugenia Red | A

ed3d66

Eugenia Red | B

e62e73

Raw Sienna

b85e00

Vinaceous Tawny

c74300

Jasper Red

fa2b00

Spectrum Red

f20000

Red Orange

e81900

Etruscan Red

c9303e

Burnt Sienna

a93400

Ochre Red

a7374b

Scarlet

d50c42

Carmine

d60036

Indian Lake

cc1a97

Rosolanc Purple

b319ab

Pomegranite Purple

b90078

Hydrangea Red

9e194d

Brick Red

a32100

Carmine Red

a10b2b

Pompeian Red

a90636

Red

a10045

Brown

6c2b11

Hay's Russet

681916

Vandyke Red

740909

Pansy Purple

6f0043

Pale Burnt Lake

730f1f

Violet Red

3d0079

Vistoris Lake

5c2c45

Sulpher Yellow

f5f5b8

Pale Lemon Yellow

fff59e

Naples Yellow

faed8f

Ivory Buff

ebd999

Seashell Pink

ffcfc4

Light Pinkish Cinnamon

ffbf99

Pinkish Cinnamon

f2ad78

Cinnamon Buff

ffbf6e

Cream Yellow

ffb852

Golden Yellow

fa9442

Vinaceous Cinnamon

f59994

Ochraceous Salmon

d99e73

Isabella Color

c3a55c

Maple

c2975a

Olive Buff

bcd382

Ecru

c0b490

Yellow

ffff00

Lemon Yellow

f2ff26

Apricot Yellow

ffe600

Pyrite Yellow

c4bf33

Olive Ocher

d1bd19

Yellow Ocher

e0b81f

Orange Yellow

ffab00

Yellow Orange

ff8c00

Apricot Orange

ff7340

Orange

ff5200

Peach Red

ff3319

English Red

de4500

Cinnamon Rufous

c2612c

Orange Rufous

c05200

Sulphine Yellow

baa600

Khaki

b68400

Citron Yellow

a6d40d

Buffy Citrine

888d2a

Dark Citrine

7e8743

Light Grayish Olive

76844e

Krongbergs Green

759243

Olive

718600

Orange Citrine

8c6510

Sudan Brown

9b5348

Olive Green

58771e

Light Brownish Olive

706934

Deep Grayish Olive

505423

Pale Raw Umber

5e4017

Sepia

503d00

Madder Brown

651300

Mars Brown / Tobacco

522000

Vandyke Brown

362304

Turquoise Green

b5ffc2

Glaucous Green

b3e8c2

Dark Greenish Glaucous

b3d9a3

Yellow Green

a6ff47

Light Green Yellow

bdf226

Night Green

7aff00

Olive Yellow

99b333

Artemesia Green

65a98f

Andover Green

5c8a73

Rainette Green

85b857

Pistachio Green

56aa69

Sea Green

33ff7d

Benzol Green

00d973

Light Porcelain Green

23c17c

Green

40c945

Dull Viridian Green

19cc33

Oil Green

6ea900

Diamine Green

1b8e13

Cossack Green

328e13

Lincoln Green

405416

Blackish Olive

324e2a

Deep Slate Olive

172713

Nile Blue

bfffe6

Pale King's Blue

abf5ed

Light Glaucous Blue

a6e6db

Salvia Blue

96bfe6

Cobalt Green

94ff94

Calamine BLue

80ffcc

Venice Green

6bffb3

Cerulian Blue

29bdad

Peacock Blue

00cf91

Green Blue

2dbc94

Olympic Blue

4f8fe6

Blue

0d75ff

Antwarp Blue

008aa1

Helvetia Blue

0057ba

Dark Medici Blue

417777

Dusky Green

00592e

Deep Lyons Blue

0024cc

Violet Blue

202d85

Vandar Poel's Blue

003e83

Dark Tyrian Blue

0d2b52

Dull Violet Black

06004f

Deep Indigo

000831

Deep Slate Green

0f261f

Grayish Lavender - A

b8b8ff

Grayish Lavender - B

bfabcc

Laelia Pink

cc85d1

Lilac

b875eb

Eupatorium Purple

bf36e0

Light Mauve

9161f2

Aconite Violet

9c52f2

Dull Blue Violet

6e66d4

Dark Soft Violet

4d52de

Blue Violet

4733ff

Purple Drab

754260

Deep Violet / Plumbeous

5c7287

Veronia Purple

7e3075

Dark Slate Purple

53225c

Taupe Brown

6b2e63

Violet Carmine

531745

Violet

2619d1

Red Violet

3400a3

Cotinga Purple

340059

Dusky Madder Violet

2d0060

White

ffffff

Neutral Gray

b5d1cc

Mineral Gray

9fc2b2

Warm Gray

9cb29e

Slate Color

1b3644

Black

000000

⁠

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