Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor No.261 GRAPHITE VIOLET

Graphite Violet No. 261 is a single watercolour pan from the Kuretake Gansai Tambi range – a traditionally Japanese pigment-based watercolour with a characteristic, muted violet that evokes the matt depth of graphite. The large pan (48 × 28 mm) activates readily with both broad brushes and water brushes, and suits glazing techniques as readily as opaque gouache work. What sets the Graphite series apart: dry colour surfaces can be polished to reveal a subtle metallic shimmer.

Features

• Graphite-like matteness, polishable: When applied, Graphite Violet initially appears velvety-matt and weighty. On dry colour layers, a restrained metallic sheen emerges through gentle polishing (for example with a fingernail or smooth tool) – the stronger the effect, the more concentrated the colour application.
• Variable opacity through water control: With minimal water, the result is an opaque, gouache-like application on light and dark papers alike. When further diluted, a transparent layer forms, allowing glazing techniques and subtle transitions.
• Creamy, readily mixable consistency: The pan dissolves evenly in water and releases pigment richly and with control – ideal for mixing and modulating across the entire Gansai Tambi palette.
• Pigment composition No. 261: PBk10 (graphite black), PV23 (dioxazine violet), BR12, PB1 – a combination that creates this colour's characteristically cool, slightly blue-tinted violet-grey.
• Lightfast: As a pigment-based colour, Graphite Violet is lightfast; lightfastness diminishes with heavily diluted glazes.
• Non-toxic, ACMI-certified: The colour is water-based and free from animal-derived materials in the manufacturing process.
• Large pan format: 48 × 28 mm – noticeably larger than Western half-pans, making broad brushwork and large-scale painting comfortable.

Use & Tips

• Deploy the polish effect intentionally: For maximum shimmer, apply the colour undiluted and in multiple layers, allow to dry completely, then stroke a bone folder, smooth fingernail or polishing tool across the surface. Most effective on smooth, calendered paper.
• Illustration and Sumi-e: The muted violet tone works as a shadow colour for monochrome ink illustration or as an atmospheric colour field in the Sumi-e tradition.
• Mixing within the Graphite series: Graphite Violet harmonises directly with Graphite Blue (No. 260) and Graphite Brown (No. 270) for a coherent, dark-earthed colour scheme – for instance in shadow work in architectural or nature sketches.
• On dark paper: Thanks to its opacity at concentrated application, Graphite Violet works on dark grey or black paper – the cool violet shimmer remains visible.
• Lettering and calligraphy: Picked up with a medium water brush, Graphite Violet suits brush lettering; the matt character with optional polish gloss creates a crafted, unpretentious look.
• Refilling: The single pan serves as a direct replacement for exhausted colour in existing Gansai Tambi sets.

For Watercolour and Illustration Enthusiasts

No. 261 belongs to the Graphite subfamily of the Gansai Tambi range and differs significantly in pigment composition from the classic violet tones in the range: rather than a pure colour pigment, PBk10 (natural graphite black) dominates the mixture, complemented by PV23 as the colour provider and PB1 as a cooling blue undertone. This accounts for the colour's characteristic weight and matteness when wet, and its ability to be polished once dry – a property arising from the crystalline structure of the graphite pigment. Kuretake's over 100 years of experience in Sumi ink manufacture flows into the processing of these pigments, enabling even, rich colour release with minimal brushwork.

Technical Specifications