Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor No.301 OLD MAUVE

Old Mauve (No. 301) is a muted red-violet tone from Kuretake's Gansai Tambi series – a traditional Japanese name (紫苑色, shion-iro) for a broken rose-lilac that tempers its red component through Prussian blue (PB27) and white pigment (PW6). As a water-soluble pigment colour in pan format, it can be applied opaquely like gouache or transparently like watercolour depending on water content, and dries with a subtle sheen on paper.

Features

• Pigment composition Scarlet 215 + PB27 + PW6: The interplay of organic red pigment, Prussian blue and titanium white produces a desaturated red-violet tone with visible grey cast – characteristic of historical-botanical or Art Nouveau palettes.
• Variable opacity: Little water → pasty, opaque layer similar to gouache; plenty of water → transparent, glazing watercolour wash. Both working methods in one colour.
• Subtle dry sheen: Dried layers display a subtle silk matt finish that looks pleasant in illustrations and scans without glare.
• Large pan format (48 × 28 mm): Wide brushes and broad washes can be applied directly from the pan without tedious reloading.
• Creamy, soft consistency: The colour dissolves evenly with little water and can be worked directly into damp areas – colour gradations develop without harsh drying edges.
• Made in Japan: Kuretake has manufactured Gansai Tambi for over 100 years based on Japanese ink technology.

Use & Tips

• Botanical illustration: Old Mauve complements the series' broken green and beige tones (e.g. No. 503 Cobalt Green, No. 401 Flax Beige) for plant subjects with muted colour harmony.
• Portraits and skin tones: Highly diluted, the tone works as a shadow colour in light skin areas or as an underpainting for cool shadows in the face.
• Layering: Since Gansai Tambi sits on paper rather than sinking in, one layer must dry completely before applying the next – otherwise the first layer will reactivate.
• Card making and lettering backgrounds: Applied opaquely on smooth, ink-resistant paper, lettering can be set directly over it with white fountain pen ink or gel pen.
• Mixing: Old Mauve can be shifted with No. 303 Mauve Taupe to a warmer, more brownish rosé or neutralised with No. 601 Grayish Blue to a cool grey-violet.

For Watercolour Enthusiasts

Old Mauve contains white pigment (PW6), which fundamentally distinguishes the colour from transparent western watercolours. PW6 increases opacity but affects transparency when heavily diluted: the layer remains slightly milky and does not produce pure glazes. This is not a fault, but the typical behaviour of Gansai as an independent medium. Those seeking maximum transparency with Old Mauve should work with very small colour quantities and plenty of water, and rinse the mixing palette occasionally to prevent white pigment accumulation. The Prussian blue (PB27) in the formula is light-sensitive under extreme long-term exposure – store work behind glass or with UV protection if long-term permanence is required.

Technical Specifications