Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor No.260 GRAPHITE BLUE

Graphite Blue No. 260 is one of six Graphite Colors shades from the Kuretake Gansai Tambi line – a muted, deep blue with a matte graphite texture that behaves fundamentally differently from classical watercolours. The colour cake is handcrafted, water-based and supplied in a removable individual pan that can be used standalone or as a complement to an existing Gansai Tambi palette. What sets this colour apart: when applied dry, it develops a velvety matte surface that can be activated to a subtle metallic shimmer by rubbing or polishing.

Features

• Graphite pigment (PBk10) as carrier: Graphite Blue contains graphite as its primary pigment alongside a coloured secondary pigment. This creates an unusually dense, opaque mass tone layer from the first application – not a thin glaze, but substance on the paper.
• Matte drying surface: Unlike other Gansai Tambi shades, this colour dries distinctly matte even with thick applications – no unwanted gloss spots from binder accumulation. If you want shine, you create it deliberately by polishing the dried surface.
• Polishing effect on demand: The dried layer can be burnished with a fingernail, burnisher or smooth tool to a metallic silver-blue gloss – an effect no other watercolour medium delivers quite like this.
• Easily reactivated: The pressed colour cake dissolves instantly with a slightly damp brush or water brush – no soaking, no pre-warming. The creamy, soft consistency makes dissolving problem-free even with broad brushes.
• Removable pan: The individual cake sits in a removable plastic pan. This allows it to be placed directly into an empty or existing Gansai Tambi palette or positioned separately on your work surface.
• Non-toxic and water-based: Water-based pigment, non-toxic – suitable for concentrated work without special protective measures.

Use & Tips

• Minimal water = graphite character: Applied with minimal water, Graphite Blue displays its full opaque, graphite-like nature – ideal for pencil-style shading, dark backgrounds or night sky scenes.
• Plenty of water = cool, transparent glaze: When heavily diluted, the dense blue-grey becomes a delicate, cool grey-blue that works well as an underpainting or for atmospheric soft-focus effects.
• Polishing effect in lettering and illustration: Calligraphy brushes or a broad flat brush apply the colour thickly. After drying, rub over the line or area – a gloss emerges that recalls polished metal or graphite pencil. Particularly striking on smooth, calendered paper.
• Mixing with other Gansai Tambi shades: Graphite Blue can be mixed directly on the palette or wet-in-wet with other colours. The graphite component tones down every mixed hue and grounds bright colours into broken, restful nuances.
• Suitable for sketches, illustration, sumi-e and card design: Originally developed for colouring ink drawings, the colour cake works for all techniques where depth and controlled opacity are required.
• Reactivating dried colour: Partially dried residue in the pan can be dissolved again at any time with a damp brush – nothing wasted, no drying out.

For Watercolour Enthusiasts

Graphite Blue No. 260 belongs to the Graphite Colours group, where graphite (PBk10) is used as the primary pigment – combined with an undeclared coloured secondary pigment that gives the tone its bluish character. The result is a multi-pigment blend that shows subtle granulation and minimal colour separation when applied wet-in-wet: the graphite particles settle slightly differently than the secondary pigment, creating lively, dynamic wash tones. The generous pan format of 48 × 28 mm allows working with broad flat brushes or generous watercolour round brushes without constant reloading. Regarding light fastness, as with all pigment-based Gansai Tambi colours: the more concentrated the application, the more stable the pigment – heavily diluted glazes can fade with prolonged light exposure.

Technical Specifications