Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor No.692 OPAL COPPER

Opal Copper (No. 692) is one of six opal shades in Kuretake's Gansai Tambi line – a traditional Japanese watercolour pan made with water-based pigments and hand-crafted in Japan. The colour shifts depending on your viewing angle: on white paper it appears delicate and pearlescent-copper, on dark backgrounds it reveals a rich metallic shimmer. The generous-sized pan (48 × 28 mm) allows comfortable working with wide brushes and quick coverage of larger areas.

Features

• Iridescent opal finish: Pearl-effect pigments create a colour shift depending on light and viewing angle – from warm copper tones to an almost metallic lustre.
• Creamy-soft consistency: The colour dissolves completely with minimal water and applies richly and evenly – no scratching, no clumping.
• Variable coverage: With plenty of water it glazes like watercolour, with minimal water it covers like gouache – the same shade in two completely different effects.
• Large pan (48 × 28 mm): The unusually wide pan allows you to dip flat brushes and medium to large watercolour brushes without spilling colour.
• Light-fastness: Pigment-based and therefore more light-fast than dye inks – with minimal water dilution, colour intensity is retained over time.
• Hand-crafted in Japan: Kuretake has produced Gansai Tambi colours for over 100 years in Nara. Handcrafted production may create small air bubbles in the paint cake – a natural feature of manufacture with no impact on paintability.

Use & Tips

• Dark paper as a stage: On black or deep blue paper, Opal Copper shows its strongest effect – the copper-metallic shimmer is particularly striking. Ideal for lettering, illustration and decorative cards.
• Mixing with transparent watercolours: When Opal Copper is blended into another transparent watercolour shade, it doesn't create a simple mixed tone – instead the base colour remains and the opal shimmer sits as a layering effect on top. A copper glow over warm tones like ochre or terracotta is particularly harmonious.
• Calligraphy and brush lettering: The creamy consistency flows well through watercolour brushes and brush pens. For fine script, dilute the colour slightly; for opaque, glossy lettering accents, apply it almost undiluted.
• Sketches and manga illustration: As a semi-opaque colour, Opal Copper is ideal for colouring directly over pencil or ink lines – the line remains visible and the colour doesn't completely obscure it.
• Layering and overpainting: Dried layers can be redissolved with a damp brush and blended softly. For hard edges or textures, apply the colour concentrated and allow it to dry completely before adding another layer.

For Calligraphy Enthusiasts

Gansai Tambi colours are not document-proof – the water-based pigment binder remains soluble after drying. This is an intentional feature of traditional Japanese Gansai painting technique: layering and corrections are part of the craft. For archival-quality calligraphy work, a final fixative or protective layer is recommended. Opal Copper works particularly well with soft watercolour brushes and brush pens, which allow even ink flow without pressure on the nib – otherwise the pearl-effect pigment settles quickly in finer nib gaps.

Technical Specifications