System · Colour
A Dictionary of Color Combinations
348 combinationsSanzo Wada (1883-1967) set these down in the 1930s: 159 colours in sets of two, three, and four. Each hex is the printed swatch, proofed through the press profile the reprint uses. Pick a colour below to see every set it belongs to.
159 colours · 348 sets · Japan Color 2001 Coated · How the hex was made
The 159 colours, in the book's order
- English Red · Cerulian Blue
- Yellow Orange · Dark Tyrian Blue
- Raw Sienna · Pale Lemon Yellow
- Isabella Color · Red Violet
- Cossack Green · Vandar Poel's Blue
- Grenadine Pink · Deep Indigo
- Orange · Glaucous Green
- Cinnamon Rufous · Grayish Lavender A
- Violet Red · Dull Blue Violet
- Cinnamon Rufous · Dark Citrine
- Ivory Buff · Mineral Gray
- Isabella Color · Green Blue
- Raw Sienna · Veronia Purple
- Spinel Red · Naples Yellow
- Benzol Green · Grayish Lavender A
- Vandyke Red · Pale King's Blue
- Eugenia Red B · Sea Green
- Fawn · Dusky Madder Violet
- Mars Brown Tobacco · Night Green
- Calamine Blue · Laelia Pink
- Grenadine Pink · Sea Green
- Yellow · Deep Lyons Blue
- Cinnamon Buff · Light Mauve
- Sepia · Veronia Purple
- Etruscan Red · Nile Blue
- Golden Yellow · Pale Raw Umber
- Corinthian Pink · Slate Color
- Madder Brown · Deep Indigo
- Krongbergs Green · Salvia Blue
- Pompeian Red · Mineral Gray
- Red Orange · Pale Lemon Yellow
- Ochraceous Salmon · Night Green
- Raw Sienna · Slate Color
- Eosine Pink · Neutral Gray
- Light Brown Drab · Carmine Red
- Sulphine Yellow · Turquoise Green
- Brick Red · Red Violet
- Diamine Green · Deep Lyons Blue
- Carmine · Helvetia Blue
- Vinaceous Tawny · Citron Yellow
- Dark Citrine · Calamine Blue
- Yellow Ocher · Violet
- Corinthian Pink · Aconite Violet
- Light Porcelain Green · Olympic Blue
- Seashell Pink · Lemon Yellow
- Orange · Black
- Etruscan Red · Grayish Lavender B
- Rosolanc Purple · Helvetia Blue
- Pale King's Blue · Blue
- Ivory Buff · Dusky Madder Violet
- Carmine Red · Blue
- Sulpher Yellow · Black
- Yellow Orange · Dusky Madder Violet
- Benzol Green · Light Glaucous Blue
- Old Rose · White
- Grayish Lavender B · Violet
- Taupe Brown · Slate Color
- Hay's Russet · Sea Green
- Eosine Pink · Citrine
- Pale Lemon Yellow · Dark Tyrian Blue
- Light Green Yellow · Cotinga Purple
- Yellow · Black
- Vistoris Lake · Cerulian Blue
- Aconite Violet · Dark Soft Violet
- Sulphine Yellow · Calamine Blue
- Olive Ocher · Olive Green
- Olympic Blue · Dark Tyrian Blue
- Light Brown Drab · Yellow
- Warm Gray · Black
- Raw Sienna · Lincoln Green
- Pompeian Red · Ochraceous Salmon
- Sulpher Yellow · Pale King's Blue
- Pale Raw Umber · Rainette Green
- Turquoise Green · Green Blue
- Pale King's Blue · Violet Blue
- Pale Lemon Yellow · Warm Gray
- Eugenia Red B · Vandar Poel's Blue
- Pinkish Cinnamon · Venice Green
- Madder Brown · Green Blue
- Sulpher Yellow · Light Mauve
- Golden Yellow · Warm Gray
- Hay's Russet · Dusky Madder Violet
- Olive Buff · Violet Blue
- Seashell Pink · Deep Slate Green
- Vinaceous Tawny · Antwarp Blue
- Raw Sienna · Sea Green
- Corinthian Pink · Citron Yellow
- Seashell Pink · Blue
- Yellow Orange · Violet Blue
- Eosine Pink · Aconite Violet
- Vistoris Lake · Orange Rufous
- Coral Red · Benzol Green
- Citrine · Light Glaucous Blue
- Ivory Buff · Dusky Green
- Hay's Russet · Dull Violet Black
- Yellow Ocher · Olive
- Corinthian Pink · Etruscan Red
- Madder Brown · Violet Blue
- Pale Lemon Yellow · Cerulian Blue
- Buffy Citrine · Dull Blue Violet
- Cameo Pink · Deep Lyons Blue
- Ivory Buff · Orange Rufous
- Cinnamon Rufous · Dusky Madder Violet
- Carmine Red · Sulpher Yellow
- Cameo Pink · Chromium Green
- Antwarp Blue · Dull Violet Black
- Apricot Yellow · Light Grayish Olive
- Eosine Pink · Brick Red
- Pale Lemon Yellow · Blackish Olive
- Brown · Vandyke Brown
- Pale Lemon Yellow · Yellow Green
- Grenadine Pink · Black
- Seashell Pink · Vandyke Brown
- Orange Yellow · Antwarp Blue
- Naples Yellow · Peach Red
- Cameo Pink · Blue Violet
- Carmine · Black
- Yellow Ocher · Vandyke Brown
- Light Glaucous Blue · Dark Tyrian Blue
- Cameo Pink · Pompeian Red
- Brown · Ochraceous Salmon · Lincoln Green
- Carmine · Cream Yellow · Benzol Green
- Coral Red · Lemon Yellow · Taupe Brown
- Pale Burnt Lake · Yellow Ocher · Olive Yellow
- Fawn · Cerulian Blue · Violet Blue
- Ivory Buff · Yellow Ocher · Deep Lyons Blue
- Cinnamon Buff · Pistachio Green · Dark Soft Violet
- Corinthian Pink · Venice Green · Light Mauve
- Apricot Yellow · Khaki · Salvia Blue
- Raw Sienna · Carmine Red · Violet
- Raw Sienna · English Red · Peacock Blue
- Sulpher Yellow · Golden Yellow · Citrine
- Vandyke Red · Citrine · Sea Green
- Eosine Pink · Light Mauve · Red Violet
- Sulpher Yellow · Cossack Green · Salvia Blue
- Scarlet · Dull Viridian Green · Red Violet
- Etruscan Red · Cinnamon Buff · Pistachio Green
- Golden Yellow · Lemon Yellow · Venice Green
- Salvia Blue · Deep Indigo · Neutral Gray
- Golden Yellow · Antwarp Blue · Slate Color
- Orange · Yellow Green · Dark Tyrian Blue
- Hydrangea Red · Sulphine Yellow · Salvia Blue
- Blue · Lilac · Warm Gray
- Rosolanc Purple · Orange · Black
- Brown · Citron Yellow · Dull Violet Black
- Khaki · Deep Grayish Olive · Diamine Green
- Spinel Red · Vandyke Red · Turquoise Green
- Olive Ocher · Orange Yellow · Cerulian Blue
- Olive Ocher · Orange · Deep Slate Green
- Seashell Pink · Citron Yellow · Glaucous Green
- Sulpher Yellow · Yellow Orange · Vandar Poel's Blue
- Etruscan Red · Hay's Russet · Light Glaucous Blue
- Eosine Pink · Orange Yellow · Citron Yellow
- Carmine · Yellow · Blue
- Jasper Red · Benzol Green · Deep Indigo
- Olive Ocher · Cobalt Green · Violet
- Pansy Purple · Olive Ocher · Olympic Blue
- Lemon Yellow · Cinnamon Rufous · Night Green
- Khaki · Calamine Blue · Grayish Lavender A
- Sulphine Yellow · Pale Raw Umber · Dark Medici Blue
- Brown · Pinkish Cinnamon · Helvetia Blue
- Old Rose · Rainette Green · Lilac
- Apricot Yellow · Turquoise Green · Antwarp Blue
- Red Orange · Orange Yellow · Violet
- Cameo Pink · Spinel Red · Vistoris Lake
- Grenadine Pink · Naples Yellow · Deep Slate Green
- Ecru · Pale King's Blue · Vandar Poel's Blue
- Lemon Yellow · Vandar Poel's Blue · Veronia Purple
- Corinthian Pink · Pale Lemon Yellow · Warm Gray
- Rosolanc Purple · Orange Yellow · Red Violet
- Pale Burnt Lake · Yellow Orange · Glaucous Green
- Cinnamon Rufous · Antwarp Blue · Red Violet
- Lemon Yellow · Madder Brown · Turquoise Green
- Corinthian Pink · Grayish Lavender B · Taupe Brown
- Pinkish Cinnamon · Olive Buff · Blue Violet
- Hermosa Pink · Seashell Pink · Calamine Blue
- Pale Burnt Lake · Buffy Citrine · Grayish Lavender A
- Ivory Buff · Light Glaucous Blue · Green Blue
- Red Orange · Golden Yellow · Deep Lyons Blue
- Cinnamon Buff · Light Mauve · Neutral Gray
- Carmine Red · Violet · Cotinga Purple
- Raw Sienna · Vandyke Brown · Deep Indigo
- Deep Violet / Plumbeous · Veronia Purple · Red Violet
- Spinel Red · Ivory Buff · Light Grayish Olive
- Light Brown Drab · Etruscan Red · Pale Lemon Yellow
- Hay's Russet · Ochraceous Salmon · Blue
- Helvetia Blue · Grayish Lavender B · Aconite Violet
- Rainette Green · Salvia Blue · Cobalt Green
- Lemon Yellow · Deep Slate Olive · Venice Green
- Ivory Buff · English Red · Black
- Light Brown Drab · Yellow Ocher · Blue
- Cream Yellow · Vandyke Brown · Deep Violet / Plumbeous
- Grenadine Pink · Naples Yellow · Light Porcelain Green
- Jasper Red · Seashell Pink · Olympic Blue
- Spinel Red · Pale Lemon Yellow · Neutral Gray
- Citron Yellow · Pale King's Blue · Blue Violet
- Eosine Pink · Dark Soft Violet · Neutral Gray
- Burnt Sienna · Apricot Yellow · Green
- Ochre Red · Light Brownish Olive · Deep Lyons Blue
- Carmine Red · Olive Buff · Chromium Green
- Grenadine Pink · Olive · Cobalt Green
- Turquoise Green · Cobalt Green · Slate Color
- Pale Lemon Yellow · Vinaceous Cinnamon · Lincoln Green
- Rosolanc Purple · Cinnamon Rufous · Light Glaucous Blue
- Pale Burnt Lake · Vinaceous Cinnamon · Violet
- Corinthian Pink · Golden Yellow · Cinnamon Rufous
- Sudan Brown · Glaucous Green · Black
- Sulpher Yellow · Green Blue · Antwarp Blue
- Ivory Buff · Yellow Orange · Salvia Blue
- Cinnamon Buff · Lemon Yellow · Lincoln Green
- Apricot Orange · Olive Yellow · Deep Indigo
- Pompeian Red · Orange Citrine · Salvia Blue
- Vinaceous Cinnamon · Apricot Yellow · Pale King's Blue
- Ivory Buff · Sudan Brown · Violet
- Cream Yellow · Blue · Eupatorium Purple
- Jasper Red · Green · Black
- Pale Burnt Lake · Ochraceous Salmon · Diamine Green
- Helvetia Blue · Grayish Lavender A · Deep Violet / Plumbeous
- Jasper Red · Chromium Green · Dusky Green
- Pomegranite Purple · Ochraceous Salmon · Aconite Violet
- Carmine Red · Neutral Gray · Black
- Yellow Ocher · Yellow Orange · Orange Rufous
- Light Brown Drab · Ochraceous Salmon · Turquoise Green
- Spinel Red · Dark Medici Blue · Taupe Brown
- Carmine · Dusky Green · Dark Slate Purple
- Vistoris Lake · Cream Yellow · Violet
- Hermosa Pink · Light Glaucous Blue · Cerulian Blue
- Carmine Red · Pale Lemon Yellow · Neutral Gray
- Golden Yellow · Deep Slate Olive · Neutral Gray
- Grenadine Pink · Turquoise Green · Cobalt Green
- Cameo Pink · Hay's Russet · Olympic Blue
- Carmine · Pinkish Cinnamon · Deep Indigo
- Carmine Red · Buffy Citrine · Violet Blue
- Cinnamon Buff · Pale Raw Umber · Pale King's Blue
- Ivory Buff · Yellow Orange · Grayish Lavender B
- Khaki · Deep Lyons Blue · Purple Drab
- Carmine Red · Madder Brown · Salvia Blue
- Ochraceous Salmon · Cotinga Purple · Warm Gray
- Light Brown Drab · Pyrite Yellow · Glaucous Green
- Fresh Color · Yellow · Cerulian Blue
- Red Orange · Pale Lemon Yellow · Isabella Color · Dark Medici Blue
- Eosine Pink · Burnt Sienna · Diamine Green · Black
- Raw Sienna · Ivory Buff · Olive Green · Slate Color
- Light Brown Drab · Vinaceous Tawny · Andover Green · Antwarp Blue
- Carmine Red · Oil Green · Dark Tyrian Blue · Slate Color
- Corinthian Pink · Brick Red · Sulpher Yellow · Cinnamon Buff
- Raw Sienna · Apricot Yellow · Benzol Green · Deep Lyons Blue
- Eosine Pink · Khaki · Grayish Lavender A · Dark Slate Purple
- Hay's Russet · Ecru · Olive Ocher · Dark Medici Blue
- Pyrite Yellow · Peach Red · Sea Green · Nile Blue
- Red · Yellow · Diamine Green · Slate Color
- Eugenia Red B · Raw Sienna · Sulphine Yellow · Green Blue
- Lemon Yellow · Apricot Orange · Cotinga Purple · Slate Color
- Corinthian Pink · Sulpher Yellow · Olive · Laelia Pink
- Raw Sienna · Pyrite Yellow · Calamine Blue · Black
- Vinaceous Cinnamon · Orange · Dull Viridian Green · Black
- Spectrum Red · Orange Yellow · Blue · Aconite Violet
- Pale Burnt Lake · Pinkish Cinnamon · Olive · Antwarp Blue
- Lemon Yellow · Green Blue · Helvetia Blue · Warm Gray
- Old Rose · Vinaceous Cinnamon · Glaucous Green · Sea Green
- Red · Pale Lemon Yellow · Calamine Blue · Warm Gray
- Eugenia Red B · Ivory Buff · Citrine · Cossack Green
- Burnt Sienna · Pinkish Cinnamon · Turquoise Green · Slate Color
- Corinthian Pink · Red Orange · Dark Greenish Glaucous · Cerulian Blue
- Old Rose · Apricot Yellow · Olive Yellow · Dull Violet Black
- Spectrum Red · Ivory Buff · Rainette Green · Benzol Green
- Cream Yellow · Yellow Orange · Benzol Green · Blue
- Light Brown Drab · Raw Sienna · Deep Slate Olive · Nile Blue
- Raw Sienna · Pale Burnt Lake · Aconite Violet · Black
- Eugenia Red B · Sulpher Yellow · Olive Green · Cossack Green
- Pomegranite Purple · Cobalt Green · Green Blue · Deep Slate Green
- Pale Lemon Yellow · Orange · Turquoise Green · Salvia Blue
- Hermosa Pink · Pansy Purple · Sudan Brown · Neutral Gray
- Peach Red · Dark Citrine · Olympic Blue · Light Mauve
- Etruscan Red · Ecru · Madder Brown · Taupe Brown
- Eosine Pink · Seashell Pink · Yellow Green · Black
- Spinel Red · Rosolanc Purple · Olive · Dull Violet Black
- Cream Yellow · Olive Ocher · Cossack Green · Dusky Green
- Raw Sienna · Vinaceous Cinnamon · Ecru · Dark Tyrian Blue
- Eugenia Red B · Lincoln Green · Laelia Pink · Taupe Brown
- Pale Lemon Yellow · Benzol Green · Cobalt Green · Antwarp Blue
- Eugenia Red B · Maple · Cobalt Green · Lilac
- Ochre Red · Pale Burnt Lake · Chromium Green · Venice Green
- Eugenia Red A · Apricot Yellow · Sea Green · Dusky Green
- Light Brown Drab · Burnt Sienna · Peach Red · Turquoise Green
- Burnt Sienna · Orange Yellow · Peacock Blue · Violet Blue
- Eosine Pink · Pyrite Yellow · Pale King's Blue · Calamine Blue
- Yellow Orange · Sepia · Taupe Brown · Black
- Lemon Yellow · Light Green Yellow · Violet Blue · Dull Violet Black
- Vistoris Lake · Pale Lemon Yellow · Lincoln Green · Cobalt Green
- Light Green Yellow · Sea Green · Cobalt Green · Calamine Blue
- Pale Lemon Yellow · Pinkish Cinnamon · Isabella Color · Ecru
- Raw Sienna · Turquoise Green · Artemesia Green · Green
- Sulpher Yellow · Cream Yellow · Cossack Green · Salvia Blue
- Cream Yellow · Yellow · Blue · Dull Violet Black
- Sulpher Yellow · Ochraceous Salmon · Pale Raw Umber · Slate Color
- Burnt Sienna · Yellow Orange · Olive Green · Violet Blue
- Raw Sienna · Lemon Yellow · Peach Red · Black
- Indian Lake · Vinaceous Cinnamon · Oil Green · Antwarp Blue
- Grenadine Pink · Cream Yellow · Turquoise Green · Calamine Blue
- Spectrum Red · Ivory Buff · Rainette Green · Aconite Violet
- Cream Yellow · Ecru · Nile Blue · Antwarp Blue
- Naples Yellow · Peach Red · Deep Slate Olive · Neutral Gray
- Hay's Russet · Cream Yellow · Dark Citrine · Benzol Green
- Pinkish Cinnamon · Apricot Yellow · Citron Yellow · Turquoise Green
- Lemon Yellow · Benzol Green · Dull Viridian Green · Nile Blue
- Carmine · Grayish Lavender A · Aconite Violet · Cotinga Purple
- Fawn · Scarlet · English Red · Cobalt Green
- Golden Yellow · Apricot Orange · Violet Blue · Vandar Poel's Blue
- Sulpher Yellow · Pinkish Cinnamon · Olive · Deep Slate Olive
- Pompeian Red · Cream Yellow · Dark Greenish Glaucous · Light Green Yellow
- Burnt Sienna · Yellow Orange · Artemesia Green · Helvetia Blue
- Carmine · Yellow · Diamine Green · Black
- Eosine Pink · Hay's Russet · Deep Lyons Blue · Dusky Madder Violet
- Grenadine Pink · Sulpher Yellow · Golden Yellow · Eupatorium Purple
- Vandyke Red · Dull Viridian Green · Violet · Red Violet
- Light Pinkish Cinnamon · Ecru · Lemon Yellow · Turquoise Green
- Light Brownish Olive · Blackish Olive · Dusky Green · Deep Slate Green
- Raw Sienna · Apricot Yellow · Yellow Orange · Cossack Green
- Coral Red · Sulpher Yellow · Oil Green · Light Glaucous Blue
- Light Brown Drab · Sulpher Yellow · Deep Slate Olive · Salvia Blue
- Spectrum Red · Brick Red · Eupatorium Purple · Blue Violet
- Cinnamon Buff · Citron Yellow · Madder Brown · Black
- Pompeian Red · Olympic Blue · Aconite Violet · Neutral Gray
- Eugenia Red B · Naples Yellow · Yellow Ocher · Deep Slate Green
- Sulpher Yellow · Peach Red · Yellow Green · Night Green
- Eosine Pink · Raw Sienna · Ecru · Grayish Lavender B
- Brick Red · Apricot Orange · Vandyke Brown · Light Porcelain Green
- Cream Yellow · Grayish Lavender B · Cotinga Purple · Slate Color
- Olive Buff · Nile Blue · Salvia Blue · Green Blue
- Indian Lake · Dull Violet Black · Light Mauve · Violet
- Coral Red · Scarlet · Deep Slate Olive · Dusky Green
- Burnt Sienna · Lemon Yellow · Cobalt Green · Blue
- Seashell Pink · Olive · Yellow Green · Antwarp Blue
- Vandyke Red · Yellow Orange · Violet · Slate Color
- Eosine Pink · Hay's Russet · Pale Lemon Yellow · Blackish Olive
- Vistoris Lake · Laelia Pink · Violet Carmine · Black
- Carmine Red · Orange Yellow · Dusky Green · Grayish Lavender B
- Ochraceous Salmon · English Red · Light Glaucous Blue · Violet Blue
- Peach Red · Sea Green · Neutral Gray · Black
- Grenadine Pink · Cossack Green · Deep Slate Olive · Light Glaucous Blue
- Corinthian Pink · Cream Yellow · Orange Citrine · Deep Slate Olive
- Burnt Sienna · Ivory Buff · Deep Grayish Olive · Vandar Poel's Blue
- Cinnamon Buff · Deep Lyons Blue · Aconite Violet · Black
- Hay's Russet · Nile Blue · Venice Green · Blue Violet
- Rosolanc Purple · Turquoise Green · Light Green Yellow · Andover Green
- Olive Yellow · Sea Green · Helvetia Blue · Lilac
- Olive Buff · Cossack Green · Deep Slate Olive · Cotinga Purple
No set matches.
Four sets, built out as themes
How the hex was made
The book gives each colour as process CMYK. The usual web conversion subtracts each ink from white, which skips the paper and the press, and turns Hermosa Pink (C0 M30 Y6) into a lilac, #ffb3f0. Here every CMYK value is soft-proofed through Japan Color 2001 Coated, relative colorimetric with black point compensation, so the same pink reads as printed: #f7c9d5.
Names, CMYK values, and set numbers come from Matt DesLauriers' dataset (MIT, Copyright (c) 2020 Matt DesLauriers), which corrects Dain M. Blodorn Kim's original transcription. Every set was checked against the book's layout: 1 to 120 hold two colours, 121 to 240 three, 241 to 348 four. Spellings such as Sulpher and Vandar Poel's are the book's.
Agents get the same sets as library/wada.txt in the Design Lounge skill, one per line, with tone and best contrast, for Free colour and brand boards. The book is worth owning: Seigensha's reprint, A Dictionary of Color Combinations.