Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor No.61 ULTRAMARINE PALE

Ultramarine Pale No. 61 is an individual pan colour from Kuretake's Gansai Tambi series – handcrafted in Japan and pigmented with PB29 (Ultramarine Blue) and PW6 (Titanium White). The result is a soft, gently muted ultramarine blue: not the full deep blue, but a lighter, airier variant that ranges from delicate, translucent glazes to rich, opaque coverage depending on water dilution. The creamy, soft consistency of Gansai Tambi colours – traditionally rooted in Japanese ink painting – makes this pan an independent tool for sketching, illustration and calligraphy.

Features

• Pigment blend PB29 + PW6: Ultramarine Blue (PB29) is lightened with Titanium White (PW6) – creating that characteristic pastel, slightly milky blue that remains visible even on black or dark paper.
• Creamy, soft consistency: The colour dissolves quickly and evenly with a damp brush – no scraping, no rubbing. The pigment flows smoothly from the pan, even with fine brushes.
• Variable opacity: Little water yields an opaque, solid blue that completely covers the ground; plenty of water makes the colour transparent and glazing – comparable to using gouache versus classical watercolour.
• Lightfastness: All Gansai Tambi colours are rated as lightfast; PB29 (Ultramarine Blue) is considered one of the most stable blue pigments available.
• Large pan (4.5 × 2.5 cm): The format allows broad brush strokes and mixing directly on the pan lid – practical for large washes or quick sketches on the go.
• Non-toxic, water-based: The colour is not permanent – it remains reactivatable with water after drying, allowing reworking of areas.
• Available individually: The pan can be used independently or as a replacement within existing Gansai Tambi palettes.

Use & Tips

• Watercolour glaze: Diluted with plenty of water, a delicate sky-blue veil emerges – ideal for sky gradations in landscape sketches or as a background wash.
• Opaque areas: Little water and a full brush create an opaque blue that can be applied over dark lines or ink drawings.
• Mixing: Ultramarine Pale blends easily with other Gansai Tambi colours directly on the pan lid or palette – with No. 64 Ultramarine it yields a deeper blue, with No. 10 White an even lighter pastel blue.
• Sumi-e and illustration: The colour suits traditional Japanese painting techniques (Sumi-e) as well as manga colouring or botanical illustration.
• Calligraphy: On smooth, ink-resistant paper, the colour can be applied with a broad calligraphy brush for coloured lettering or decorative backgrounds.
• Reactivation: Dried colour in the pan can be re-dissolved any time with a damp brush – no material is wasted.

For Watercolour Enthusiasts

No. 61 Ultramarine Pale is based on the PW6 + PB29 combination. PB29 (synthetic Ultramarine Blue) is an inorganic pigment with excellent lightfastness and a slightly warm tone compared to cool phthalocyanines. The added PW6 (Titanium White) increases opacity and lightens the tone without shifting it towards grey – this distinguishes Ultramarine Pale from simply water-diluted Ultramarine Blue, which appears more transparent and colour-intense. Switching between No. 61 and No. 64 Ultramarine gives you direct access to two fundamentally different opacity levels of the same blue tone: opaque-pastel versus transparent-saturated.

Technical Specifications