Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor No.638 OPAL VIOLET

Opal Violet is a watercolor from Kuretake's Gansai Tambi series, which owes its characteristic shimmer to a mica pigment. When applied wet, the color shows a soft violet with pearlescent light effects; as it dries, the mica settles on the surface and creates a silky iridescent film. The color comes as a pressed pan in the oversized Gansai Tambi pan size – ideal for broad brushstrokes and large areas.

Special Features

• Mica pigmentation: The mica content scatters light at varying angles and makes the color shift between cool lavender and a warmer purple depending on viewing angle – a color effect that classic watercolor pigments cannot deliver.
• Broad covering power: Water-based pigmented color that covers like gouache when used pure and transitions into transparent glazes with increasing water content. This makes it suitable for both opaque highlights and paper-thin color layers.
• Large pan format: The pan measures 48 × 28 mm and provides enough surface area for large watercolor brushes or broad bristle brushes to pick up generous amounts of color without re-wetting.
• Creamy, quickly soluble consistency: The color dissolves with a damp brush within seconds – no long soaking required.
• Handcrafted in Japan: Each pan is hand-pressed in Japan; manufacturing quality follows Kuretake's over 100 years of experience in sumi ink production.
• Non-toxic (AP certified): The color meets the ASTM D 4236 standard and is approved for regular art use.

Application & Tips

• Highlights on dark paper: Mica colors reveal their luminosity especially on dark or black papers. Applied pure, Opal Violet appears almost metallic violet there; with little water, delicate, shimmering gradations can be created.
• Glazing and layering: For fine glazes, dilute the color with plenty of water and apply over already-dried layers. The mica content remains visible even in thin layers and gives matte underpainting a subtle glossy accent.
• Calligraphy and lettering: With a soft, pointed brush, Opal Violet can be used for shimmering calligraphic lettering – especially on natural or colored paper.
• Mixing and combining: Mica colors can be mixed with other Gansai Tambi shades without the shimmer disappearing completely; a blue or red-violet tone from the series intensifies the color while preserving the shimmer.
• Illustration and manga: The color is suitable for floral motifs, fantasy illustrations, and manga backgrounds where a luminous, not entirely matte surface is desired.

For Watercolor Enthusiasts

The mica pigment in Opal Violet is a synthetically coated mica powder (mica, not a classic artist pigment with a CI number) that reflects and scatters light rather than absorbing it. This explains why the color behaves differently from conventional watercolors as the water content increases: the more water, the more the mica flakes distribute across the surface, and the finer and more transparent the shimmer appears. With heavy dilution on very smooth paper, the flakes can visibly migrate as they dry – an effect many illustrators deliberately use for organic textures. On rough watercolor paper, the shimmer catches in the valleys of the paper structure and creates a granular, shimmering pattern.

Technical Data