Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor No.10 WHITE

Kuretake Gansai Tambi No. 10 White is a Japanese pigment watercolour in a compact pan format. As a water-based colour with titanium white pigment (PW6), it behaves differently depending on water content: undiluted or with minimal water it covers like gouache, and with more water it becomes increasingly translucent. This makes it one of the most versatile colours in the Gansai Tambi range – and a crafting tool that goes far beyond simply being a white.

Features

• Strong opacity with minimal water: Mixed undiluted or with just a little water, No. 10 White completely covers deeply saturated backgrounds and dark areas – ideal for corrections, highlights and white highlights on dark paper.
• Pigment PW6 (titanium white): PW6 is the sole pigment in this colour, a lightfast, opaque titanium white with no mixed pigments. This makes the colour precise to use as a mixing medium without unpredictably shifting the hue.
• Translucent when more diluted: When thinned with plenty of water, White becomes a soft, milky-light glaze – useful for lightening other Gansai Tambi colours directly on the paper or in a mixing palette.
• Creamy, soft consistency: The colour dissolves quickly and evenly in the pan, flows smoothly with both broad and fine brushes, and leaves a gently silky surface sheen once dry.
• Large pan format 48 × 28 mm: The oversized pan provides plenty of surface area for broad brushes and generous colour pick-up – essential since white areas consume pigment quickly.
• Non-toxic, water-soluble: The colour is formulated on a water base, rinses out easily with clean water and contains no toxic components.
• Available as individual pan: No. 10 White is sold as a single pan and fits into all Gansai Tambi palettes as a replacement.

Use & Tips

• Highlights and white highlights on dark paper: When working on black or toned watercolour card, use No. 10 White undiluted for sharp, brilliant highlights and light reflections.
• Lightening and mixing colours: A small amount of White mixed directly into prepared Gansai Tambi colours creates pastel, creamy tones – without completely neutralising the character of the base colour.
• Illustration and manga: In manga and illustration practice, white pigment is frequently used for hair highlights, eye reflections and atmospheric blending – tasks for which No. 10 White is well suited thanks to its dense pigmentation.
• Sumi-e and calligraphy: Traditionally employed in Japanese painting, White flows smoothly on rough rice paper or textured paper with a soft round brush – the brushstrokes remain visible and appear lively.
• Corrections: Minor errors on light papers can be masked with undiluted White before applying colour again. On highly absorbent paper, a second coat may be necessary.
• Card design and mixed media: No. 10 White is ideal for incorporating into collages, layering techniques or as an underpainting for further colour applications.

For Watercolour Enthusiasts

The Japanese term "gansai" traditionally denotes a pressed solid colour formulated with pigment – a technique that Kuretake supports with over 100 years of experience in sumi ink production. No. 10 White behaves differently from Western watercolour whites: whilst many European watercolour whites remain relatively transparent, PW6 in the Gansai Tambi formulation works with a higher pigment content and a binder structure that is very opaque with minimal water addition, but permits translucent transitions with greater dilution. Important to note: the lightfastness of pigment-based gansai colours decreases with increasing water content – for archival-quality work, therefore, a colour application as concentrated as possible is recommended.

Technical Specifications