Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor No.402 MARS YELLOW

Mars Yellow (No. 402) is one of the earthy tones from Kuretake's Gansai Tambi Art Nouveau range – a warm, muted yellow reminiscent of ochre and iron oxide pigments. The individually available pan integrates seamlessly into existing Gansai Tambi palettes or can be purchased as a replacement colour. The paint is handcrafted in Japan, water-soluble with a pigment base, and dries with a subtle silky sheen.

Features

• Earthy Mars Yellow with opacity: The tone sits between warm ochre and muted gold – applied opaquely it produces rich, solid washes; heavily diluted it creates transparent, glazed tones with warm undertones.
• Creamy, soft consistency: The pan dissolves quickly and evenly with the brush – even with minimal water the paint flows smoothly and can be picked up directly from the pan.
• Versatile opacity between watercolour and gouache: Little water yields opaque, covering washes; plenty of water opens the colour for transparent glazes. This range distinguishes Gansai Tambi from Western watercolours.
• Subtle glossy dry film: Once dry, the paint displays a subtly silky surface – characteristic of the entire Gansai Tambi range.
• Individually replaceable: The pan fits the compartment system of all Gansai Tambi sets and can be removed, refilled, or exchanged.
• ACMI-certified and non-toxic: The water-based pigment paint is ACMI-certified.
• Made in Japan by Kuretake, established 1902.

Use & Tips

• For illustration and sketching: Mars Yellow works as a base tone for botanical illustrations, autumn motifs, and landscapes – the iron oxide character of the shade adds depth to leaves, rocks, or architecture.
• Mixing with other Gansai Tambi tones: Combined with Venetian Red (No. 403) or Saffron Yellow (No. 404) creates warm terracotta gradations; mixed with Green Gold (No. 405) yields an autumnal olive-yellow.
• On dark or black paper: Thanks to its opacity, light ochre tones show beautifully on dark grounds – ideal for night illustrations with warm light accents.
• Wet-on-dry for control: The paint flows less forcefully than Western watercolours – on dry paper it allows you to apply precise, clearly defined washes.
• As a glaze with plenty of water: Heavily diluted, Mars Yellow becomes a transparent, golden-brown tone – suitable as an underlay or shadow in sepia-like tonal drawings.
• Mind your layers: When applying multiple layers, allow the lower layer to dry completely and work swiftly, as damp layers may dissolve and merge with the new application.

For Watercolour Enthusiasts

"Gansai" (顔彩) refers to solid paint pressed from pigments in Japan; "Tambi" (淡美) stands for aesthetic and delicacy. The pigment PR101 (synthetic iron oxide red) typically dominates the spectrum of earthy ochre Mars shades in this range – this explains the high lightfastness and opacity that distinguishes Mars Yellow from purely organic yellow pigments. The paint sits on the paper surface rather than sinking in – a behaviour rooted in traditional Japanese painting on rice paper with large brushes, and valued today by illustrators who work with controlled, opaque colour washes.

Technical Specifications