Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor No.401 FLAX BEIGE

Flax Beige (No. 401) is a warm, muted beige-brown – named after the Japanese colour term ama-iro for the shade of flax fibres. The colour is composed of iron oxide pigments PR101 and PY42, complemented by PBk11 and PW6 (titanium white), which give it a velvety coverage and an earthy, tranquil character. As a pressed pan in the classic Gansai Tambi format, the colour dissolves quickly and evenly with a brush.

Features

• Iron oxide pigment base (PR101, PY42, PBk11, PW6): These inorganic earth pigments are exceptionally stable. They mix cleanly and resist unwanted colour shifts when mixed with other Gansai Tambi colours.
• Creamy-soft consistency: The pressed pigment cake dissolves smoothly with minimal water – no lumps, no grainy texture. The colour flows evenly from the brush.
• Variable opacity: With little water and a thick brush stroke, Flax Beige appears almost opaque like gouache; heavily diluted, it creates a transparent, delicate beige shimmer. Both states are possible within a single colour.
• Light silky sheen after drying: Like all Gansai Tambi colours, Flax Beige dries with a subtle silk finish – characteristic of the Gansai binder and distinctly visible in the mass tone (undiluted application).
• Large pan (48 × 28 mm): The generous pan size makes it easy to pick up colour with wide flat or round brushes and is compatible with Kuretake Gansai Tambi palettes as a refill pan.
• Made in Japan: Hand-crafted production using traditional Gansai methods.

Use & Tips

• Backgrounds and underpainting: Flax Beige works as a warm, neutral foundation for illustrations and botanical watercolours – the muted tone allows applied colours to shine without dominating the composition.
• Colouring ink drawings and sumi-e: Originally developed for colouring ink drawings, the tone remains visible even in thin glazes and adds warmth to line work.
• On black or dark paper: Thanks to its opacity from PW6, Flax Beige stands out cleanly against dark grounds – ideal for light accents on toned paper or black watercolour board.
• Mixing partner: As a neutral tone, Flax Beige combines well with other earth tones from the Gansai Tambi palette (e.g. Mars Yellow No. 402, Venetian Red No. 403) to create harmonious earth palettes. Mixed with plenty of water, it produces a delicate wash perfect for skin and fur areas in animal and portrait illustration.
• Reactivatable: Dried colour in the pan can be easily reactivated with water – no material loss during storage.
• Paper: On smooth, calendered paper, the colour shows its finest texture; on rough watercolour paper, soft, painterly edges develop.

For Watercolour Enthusiasts

Flax Beige consists exclusively of inorganic iron oxide and titanium dioxide pigments (PR101, PBk11, PY42, PW6) – a combination known in traditional painting for its mixing stability. Iron oxide pigments react minimally with other pigment classes, making them reliable mixing partners across the entire palette. The characteristic light silk sheen after drying is created by the Gansai-specific binder; those preferring a more matte finish can apply the colour more heavily diluted. Not archival – the water-based formulation remains reactivatable with water after drying, which aids corrections but also means finished works are not water-resistant.

Technical Specifications