Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor No.33 CADMIUM ORANGE

Cadmium Orange No. 33 is a warm, luminous orange from Kuretake's Gansai Tambi line – handcrafted Japanese watercolours based on pigments, created using technology rooted in over 100 years of ink manufacturing. The hue sits between a saturated yellow-orange and a deep red-orange, and can be used anywhere from opaque-intense to fine-glazed depending on water dilution. The pigment combination of PY1, PY42 and an organic red pigment creates a spectrum that remains clear and vibrant even with heavy dilution.

Features

• Water-based pigment colour with semi-gloss finish when dry – on smooth watercolour paper, this creates a lively surface with subtle sheen rather than a flat matte appearance.
• High opacity in the Japanese style: when dry or lightly diluted, the colour works like gouache and covers darker backgrounds; with more water it becomes transparent and can be used in classic glazing technique.
• Creamy-soft consistency straight from the pan – dissolves instantly and evenly with a damp brush, without becoming crumbly or brittle.
• Lightfast (pigment-based formulation) – lightfastness is more stable at full saturation than in heavily diluted washes; for very pale washes, we recommend storing the original in a light-protected location.
• Non-toxic (AP-certified, cadmium-free – the name refers to the colour, not the chemical composition).
• Large pan format (approx. 48 × 28 mm) – plenty of space for broad brushes, calligraphy brushes or large-belly watercolour brushes.
• Available individually as a refill colour – can be placed directly into any Gansai Tambi palette slot without decanting or melting.

Use & Tips

• Illustration and sketching: The rich orange works as an accent colour for sunsets, autumn foliage, fire or highlights on skin – applied dry for sharp edges, wet for soft transitions into yellow or red.
• Sumi-e and Asian painting techniques: The large pan allows direct loading of broad sumi brushes, as is typical for quick brushstroke painting.
• Calligraphy colour accents: With a watercolour brush or broad calligraphy nib, the colour can be used as vibrant ink for decorative lettering – the opacity ensures good legibility even on coloured paper.
• Mixing: Cadmium Orange No. 33 can be mixed with No. 40 Lemon Yellow for light yellow-orange tones and with No. 30 Cadmium Red for deep orange-red tones – the creamy consistency of both colours blends without streaking.
• Black paper and dark backgrounds: Thanks to its opacity, the orange is visible even on black watercolour paper or dark-primed surfaces – ideal for dramatic light effects in illustrations.
• After use, the colour dries simply in the pan and reactivates with water next time – no cleaning required, no waste.

For Watercolour Enthusiasts

The name "Cadmium Orange" describes the colour character in Gansai Tambi paints, not the chemical composition – in fact, No. 33 contains no cadmium compounds, but rather a pigment blend of PY1 (Hansa Yellow), an organic red pigment plus PY42 (Yellow Ochre base). This combination produces an orange with good colour strength and moderate transparency. The interplay of PY1 and PY42 brings on the one hand the brightness of the yellow component, on the other hand an earthy stability that gives the tone depth. The binder used by Kuretake is water-based and draws on the company's own ink-manufacturing tradition – "Gansai" (岩彩) has long referred to a colour pressed from solid pigments, "Tambi" (淡美) stands for aesthetic refinement. The result is a colour that, unlike Western watercolours, does not merge with the paper surface but sits lightly on top – which makes later lifting with a damp brush easier and favours multi-layer techniques.

Technical Specifications