Kuretake Watercolor Gansai Tambi 12-color set A

Kuretake's Gansai Tambi watercolours stand in the tradition of Japanese ink painting – the company was founded in 1902 in Nara and has combined knowledge of sumi ink with modern pigment technology ever since. The 12-colour Set A contains hand-crafted, water-based pigment colours in extra-large pans that dissolve quickly and evenly with a damp brush. Characteristic of Gansai Tambi is their creamy consistency: rich, intense colour that varies between transparent watercolour and nearly opaque gouache depending on water content.

Features

• Pigment-based colours with high luminosity: The pigments are highly concentrated, which produces vibrant hues even with plenty of water. Lightfastness is guaranteed – the more concentrated the application, the more stable the colour remains over time.
• Between watercolour and gouache: With little water, the colours deliver an almost opaque, slightly glossy application. With plenty of water, they become transparent and fluid – a range that many Western watercolours don't cover.
• Extra-large pans (approx. 45 × 25 mm): The generous pan surface allows working with broad brushes and loads easily for large washes without needing to dip the brush constantly.
• Removable individual pans: Each colour sits in its own plastic housing that can be removed from the palette and used separately – practical when only certain colours are needed.
• Colour chart on lid interior: The underside of the cardboard lid contains a blank colour chart that can be filled in with the actual colours – so you can see exactly how each colour looks when dry.
• Classic basic palette (Set A): White (No. 10), Black (No. 20), Cadmium Red (No. 31), Red (No. 32), Deep Rose Madder (No. 36), Lemon Yellow (No. 40), Ochre Yellow (No. 44), Burnt Sienna (No. 46), Sap Green (No. 53), Viridian (No. 55), Ultramarine (No. 64), Indigo (No. 67).
• Not archival: The water-based pigment colours are lightfast once dry, but not waterproof – overpainting with water can dissolve the layer.
• Made in Japan in Nara, where Kuretake has been manufacturing paint and ink materials for over 120 years.

Use & Tips

• Dissolving: Dampen the brush and apply directly over the pan – the colour dissolves quickly and evenly. For a rich, opaque application, dampen the brush only slightly; for transparent glazes, use more water and pre-dilute on the palette or lid interior.
• Paper: Watercolour paper from 300 gsm upwards holds the water without buckling. On Japanese paper (e.g. washi), the colours flow more freely and show the characteristic fraying of the Japanese ink tradition – a deliberately exploitable effect for sumi-e or etegami.
• Opaque application for lettering: With little water, the colours, especially white and the bold tones, can be applied directly to dark paper or over dried underlayers – the creamy flow is ideal for brush calligraphy and brush lettering.
• Mixing: Colours can be mixed on the transparent protective film or on a separate watercolour pad. For bold mixed tones, mix with little water – heavily diluted mixes can lose brilliance.
• Transport: Allow the pans to dry completely before storing and transport the palette horizontally. A rubber band around the cardboard prevents the pans from shifting when carrying.
• Replenish individual pans: All Gansai Tambi colour pans are available individually – empty pans can be replaced selectively without buying the entire set anew.

For Illustration Enthusiasts & Japanese Painting Techniques

Gansai Tambi has a different binder composition than Western watercolours: Kuretake draws on over 120 years of sumi ink production knowledge, which gives the colours their own flow – softer in transition, with a slight sheen in opaque applications. In the Japanese tradition, colours are often used pure and unmixed; colour depth comes less from mixing than from water content. Set A encompasses indigo, ultramarine, viridian, sap green, two red tones, burnt sienna, two yellow tones plus white and black – a classic artist's palette equally suited to ukiyo-e-inspired illustrations, manga colouring and sumi-e tinting. For etegami – Japanese picture postcards – the combination of ink outline and Gansai colour is particularly characteristic.

Technical Specifications