Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor No.304 ALIZARIN CRIMSON

Alizarin Crimson No. 304 is a deep, cool carmine red from the Kuretake Gansai Tambi series – a Japanese watercolour system based on pigments, rooted in the tradition of Sumi ink-making. The large pan size of 48 × 28 mm allows for the use of wide brushes and swift colour pickup. Depending on the amount of water, the colour shifts between velvety-opaque and transparent glaze effects – making it a format that sits between classical watercolour technique and gouache.

Features

• Large pan (48 × 28 mm): The unusually wide pan surface accommodates thick round brushes or flat watercolour brushes without squeezing or tilting – invaluable when working quickly with broad strokes.
• Variable opacity: Applied neat or with minimal dilution, Alizarin Crimson appears vibrant and nearly opaque; with more water, it becomes a transparent, luminous carmine pink. The same pigment, two entirely different characters.
• Swift dissolution: The pigment body dissolves immediately with a damp brush – no soaking, no waiting. Kuretake's over 100 years of Sumi ink experience shows in the even pigment distribution and smooth flow.
• Individual pan for refilling: The pan sits in a removable plastic tray and can be inserted into existing Gansai Tambi palettes as a single colour or used separately.
• Vegan formulation: The binder is based on synthetic resin rather than animal skin or beeswax – a difference from classical Gansai colours.
• AP-certified: Non-toxic, conforms to international safety standards according to ASTM (Approved Product Seal).

Use & Tips

• Sketchbooks and illustration: Alizarin Crimson is ideal for sketches, botanical illustrations and lettering backgrounds – anywhere a warm, deep red in controllable intensity is needed.
• Dark paper: A heavily concentrated application shows full colour strength even on dark or black paper – a quality that classical transparent watercolours cannot offer.
• Mixing with other Gansai Tambi colours: Alizarin Crimson mixes well with the blue and violet tones in the series; diluted with plenty of water, it creates cool rosé hues for background washes.
• Drying behaviour: With very thick application, the synthetic binder may leave a slight sheen. Those preferring a matte surface should work with slightly more water or thinner layers.
• Light fastness: Kuretake specifies pigment-based light fastness; the intensity of light fastness depends, however, on water content and colour number. Alizarin tones (red shades) are generally considered more light-sensitive than earth colours – for work in sketchbooks, on cards or for digital reproduction, the colour is perfectly suited; for permanent exhibition pieces with direct light exposure, this property should be taken into account.
• Calligraphy and Sumi-e: On rice paper or smooth paper, the colour exhibits the characteristic soft flow that comes from the Sumi tradition – equally suitable for use with a fine hair brush or a broad Fude brush.

For Watercolour Enthusiasts

Gansai Tambi straddles two worlds: the format of the pigmented solid colour is that of the classical watercolour pan, but the behaviour corresponds more to a gouache with high pigment content and synthetic resin binder. Unlike gum arabic-bound Western colours, dried Gansai Tambi does not lift as readily with a damp brush – making corrections more difficult but layering more secure. Kuretake does not provide pigment CI numbers for the series; those requiring exact pigment information for professional archival purposes should factor this in when purchasing. For sketchbooks, illustration, card design and Sumi-e techniques, No. 304 Alizarin Crimson is an expressive, deeply saturated red with a cool undertone.

Technical Specifications