Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor No.17 CORAL PINK

Coral Pink No. 17 is a warm, muted coral-pink with a subtle orange undertone – traditionally known in Japanese as 珊瑚色 (sango-iro), the colour of red coral. The pan belongs to Kuretake's Gansai Tambi series: hand-crafted, water-based watercolours with a creamy consistency and high pigment content. Depending on water application, the colour behaves as a transparent glaze or as a solid, opaque layer.

Features

• Pigment composition PR101, PW6 and SCARLET 215: PR101 (synthetic iron oxide) provides the warm, slightly earthy base tone; SCARLET 215 brings vibrant coral brightness; PW6 (titanium white) creates the characteristic body of the Gansai Tambi colour system – the colour remains stable even when mixed and is more easily distinguishable than purely transparent watercolour pigments.
• Creamy, dense consistency: The colour dissolves completely with minimal water, applies smoothly and flows evenly into the brushstroke. Equally suitable for broad washes and detailed linework.
• Transparent to opaque: Mixed with plenty of water, it produces a delicate, transparent glaze; used with little water or taken directly from the pan, the colour appears solid and opaque – similar to gouache, but with its own character.
• Lightfast: Gansai Tambi colours are pigment-based and retain their colour strength when dry. With heavily diluted glazes, lightfastness decreases – for lightfast results, medium to high pigment concentration is recommended.
• Pan size 48 mm × 28 mm: The generous format allows the use of wide brushes, watercolour brushes with water reservoirs or flat mop brushes without limitation.
• Individual pan for refilling: Fits all standard Gansai Tambi palettes and can be used as a replacement for empty colours.
• Non-toxic, ACMI-certified: Water-based, with no solvent-based additives.

Use & Tips

• Illustration and Sumi-e: Coral Pink is ideal for floral motifs, figurative sketches and traditional Japanese subjects – the red tone with white content appears particularly striking on washi and rice paper, as the colour retains its body even on absorbent surfaces.
• Watercolour paper 300 g/m² and above: For wet-on-wet techniques and soft transitions, heavyweight, cold-pressed watercolour paper is recommended. The creamy consistency tends to bleed uncontrollably on lighter paper (under 200 g/m²).
• Mixing: Coral Pink can be mixed with other Gansai Tambi tones directly on the palette or wet on paper. Combined with White (No. 10), it creates lighter rosé tones; with warm ochres or orange tones, terracotta-like mixtures can be achieved.
• Stamp colouring: The colour can be easily taken from the pan with a dry or slightly damp brush to fill in stamped motifs – it also adheres well to smooth, calendered paper.
• Activation: Lightly dissolve the pan with a damp brush and wait 10–15 seconds until the surface becomes creamy – then the colour flows evenly and without lumps.

For Watercolour Enthusiasts

Coral Pink No. 17 occupies an interesting intermediate position in terms of pigment technology: PR101 (synthetic iron oxide red) is an opaque, lightfast pigment type that is rarely found in classical artist watercolours – transparent organic pigments dominate there. In combination with SCARLET 215 and PW6, a colour tone is created that layers differently than purely transparent rosé or coral colours: glazes show a slightly milky depth instead of clear transparency, overpainting covers more reliably. This makes the colour particularly interesting for mixed techniques – for example, as an opaque correction colour over dried transparent layers or as a primer for ink lines.

Technical Specifications