Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor No.53 SAP GREEN

Sap Green No. 53 is a warm, medium yellow-green from Kuretake's Gansai Tambi line – traditional Japanese watercolor paint in a large pan format, handcrafted in Japan. The color is based on a pigment combination of PY1, PG7, and PY42, which gives it this characteristic, slightly earthy green tone with yellowish warmth. In the pan, the color appears deeply saturated; on paper, it unfolds everything from delicate glazed green washes to almost opaque color, depending on the water content.

Special Features

• Creamy-soft consistency: The color dissolves quickly and evenly with a wet brush – no scraping, no rubbing. Even wide bristle brushes and watercolor brushes pick up the pigment immediately.
• Between watercolor and gouache: Gansai Tambi contains more pigment than Western watercolor paints and thus delivers higher opacity – without the weight of gouache. With plenty of water, transparent glazes are created; with little water, opaque, vibrant areas emerge.
• Large pan (48 × 28 mm): The generous format allows for broad brush strokes and working with large-format brushes without having to reload constantly.
• Pigment combination PY1 · PG7 · PY42: Phthalocyanine green (PG7) as the base provides luminosity and transparency; the two yellow components (PY1, PY42) shift the tone toward warmth and earthiness – typical of classic Sap Green, which carries plant greens and botanical motifs.
• Rewettable: Dried color in the pan can be completely reactivated – no waste, no crusts that separate from the pigment.
• Made in Japan: Handcrafted production following traditional Japanese watercolor traditions.

Application & Tips

• Botanical illustration: Sap Green No. 53 is a classic base color for foliage, stems, and meadows. With more water, airy background washes are created; with a dry brush (dry brush technique), leaf veins and grass blades can be structured.
• Mixing partner: Mixed with Indigo (No. 67), cool shadow tones emerge for foliage shadows. With Yellow Ochre (No. 44) or Burnt Sienna (No. 46), autumnal green-brown tones can be mixed. With White (No. 10), a delicate, almost pastel mint green is created.
• Calligraphy and brush lettering: The smooth, creamy consistency flows evenly on watercolor paper and washi from the brush tip – suitable for botanical lettering, floral lettering compositions, and sumi-e sketches.
• Dark paper: Thanks to the increased opacity, Sap Green No. 53 is also effective on medium-toned or dark paper – something transparent Western watercolor paints would lose there.
• Paper recommendation: Watercolor paper from 300 g/m² (cold or hot pressed), washi and rice paper take the color particularly beautifully. On smooth, calendered paper, the color flows more fluidly; on rough surfaces, more texture and slight grain emerge.

For Watercolor Enthusiasts

The pigment combination PY1 (Hansa Yellow) · PG7 (Phthalocyanine Green) · PY42 (Yellow Iron Oxide) positions No. 53 as a warm, slightly muted Sap Green – closer to classic historical plant color mixtures than to chemically pure single-pigment greens. PY42 as iron oxide brings subtle earthiness, making botanical subjects appear particularly credible. Those seeking a cooler, clearer counterpoint will find it in No. 55 Viridian (PY3 · PG7 · PB15:3). For deeper, almost forest-like tones, No. 58 Sap Green Deep is recommended.

Technical Data