A living catalog of color.

One disc, with every dimension of color given its own axis. The ring you land in is the lightness — pale at the center, dark at the rim. The angle around it is the hue. And how far out a color sits within its own ring is its chroma: grey at the ring's inner edge, vivid at its outer.

Browse all colors

Color of the day

A new pick every day

Every color in the catalog takes its turn. It's over a year before one comes back.

burlywood

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Make your own

Endless combinations

Pick colors from the catalog, or pull them from a photo. Every palette is yours to name, publish, and export.

Create a palette

Community

Latest from the community

The newest combinations published by visitors.

HELUR by

430 Dark Grayish Olive 035 Brown 409 Grayish Yellow 412 Yellowish Gray 411 Yellowish White

HELUR by

088 Pale Raw Umber 398 Light Grayish Yellowish Brown 412 Yellowish Gray 411 Yellowish White 218 floralwhite

HELUR by

Terracotta by anonymous

381 Dark Grayish Brown 084 Sudan Brown 058 Ecru 441 Grayish Yellow Green 411 Yellowish White 317 whitesmoke

Terracotta by anonymous

357 Dark Reddish Orange 493 Dark Greenish Blue 043 Sea-foam Yellow 256 linen

Terracotta by anonymous

HELUR by anonymous

430 Dark Grayish Olive 085 Olive Green 035 Brown 089 Sepia 398 Light Grayish Yellowish Brown 412 Yellowish Gray

HELUR by anonymous

View all community palettes

FAQ

Questions, answered

The short version of what's on the About and Terms pages.

Who was Sanzo Wada?

Sanzo Wada (1883–1967) was a Japanese painter and costume designer. He worked in kimono, theater, and film, and won an Oscar for Gate of Hell. His charts always showed colors in pairs, never alone.

Why are there CSS and NBS/ISCC colors too?

The combinations are all Wada's, but the color catalog is broader than his dictionary. Alongside his 171 colors it carries the standardized CSS and NBS/ISCC named colors, as separate sources. 586 colors in all, every one free to browse and use.

What's the difference between a Palette and a Color?

A Palette is one of Wada's original combinations. It's a set of colors with no ranking between them. A Color is a single hue with its own page, its values, and every combination it shows up in. Both matter.

Can I use these colors in my own work?

Yes. Every hex, RGB, CMYK, and LAB value here is free to copy and use. Wada.ink is free, ad-free, and not for sale.

What are Vol. I and Vol. II?

The two original volumes of Wada's 1933 dictionary. 348 combinations in the first, 233 in the second. The numbering is his, kept as-is.

Can I build and share my own combinations?

Yes. Sign in with Google or GitHub, pick colors from the same catalog, and publish your combo to the Community. Others can favorite it, comment on it, or export it as a theme.