Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor No.731 PEARL SCARLET RED

The Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolour No.731 Pearl Scarlet Red is a handcrafted, water-based pigment watercolour pan from the Pearl series of the traditional Japanese Gansai Tambi line. The shade combines a luminous scarlet red with a pearlescent shimmer created by fine mica particles. Depending on paper colour and water content, the character of the colour changes: on white paper it shimmers delicately and lightly, while on dark paper it develops a strong, metallic-seeming depth.

Features

• Pearlescent shimmer from mica particles: Fine mica particles in the pigment create a soft, elegant pearl lustre – light and delicate on white paper, intense and luminous on black or dark paper.
• High opacity, versatile application: Used with minimal water, Pearl Scarlet Red works as opaquely as gouache; with more water, a more transparent, watercolour-like flow develops – whilst maintaining brilliant colour throughout.
• Large pan (48 × 28 mm): The unusually wide pan allows generous brushwork with broad watercolour brushes, round brushes and brush pens – without constant re-loading.
• Creamy, quickly soluble consistency: The colour dissolves completely with just a few brush strokes, applies smoothly in layers, and mixes effortlessly with other Gansai Tambi colours.
• Pigment-based and lightfast: Water-based pigment, not dye-based – therefore stable lightfastness, provided the colour is not heavily diluted.
• Not document-proof: Water-based pigment on water base; dried areas may re-activate on contact with water.
• Odourless and non-toxic: Without xylol and other solvents – suitable for use in enclosed spaces and for workshops.
• Manufactured in Japan: Each pan is hand-cast in Kuretake's manufactory in Nara.

Use & Tips

• Calligraphy and brush lettering: Pearl Scarlet Red is particularly suitable for lettering on black or deep blue paper – the pearlescent shimmer is especially striking on dark grounds. Broad calligraphy brushes load well, as the large pan provides enough colour even for sweeping movements.
• Illustration on dark paper: Applied with minimal water, the colour provides complete coverage over dark grounds. Ideal for manga, sumi-e backgrounds and night or light scenes.
• Watercolour glazes on white paper: Diluted with more water, a transparent scarlet tone emerges with subtly pearlescent shimmer – beautiful for delicate blooms, light reflections or background washes.
• Mixing with other Gansai colours: Pearl Scarlet Red can be mixed on the palette or wet-in-wet with other Gansai Tambi shades. The pearl effect is retained even in mixes, but becomes softer as white content increases.
• Stamp colour and mixed media: The opaque version (minimal water) works well on stamped motifs and mixed techniques with acrylic underpainting.
• Paper recommendation: On smooth, waterproof paper with low absorbency, the pearlescent shimmer remains most visible. Highly absorbent watercolour paper can partially absorb the mica effect.

For Calligraphy and Watercolour Enthusiasts

The Pearl series of Gansai Tambi draws on more than 100 years of Kuretake experience in sumi ink manufacture: the creamy binding consistency that enables smooth flow on paper is directly derived from the ink-making tradition. The mica particles are ground so finely and incorporated into the binder that they activate just as easily with a damp brush as a standard Gansai pan – without settling or clumping, which can occur with coarser effect pigments. For brush lettering with a soft round brush tip, a moderate water content is recommended: the colour flows evenly and the pearlescent shimmer reveals itself with full intensity as it dries.

Technical Specifications