Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor No.762 PEARL COBALT BLUE

Kuretake Gansai Tambi Pearl Cobalt Blue (No.762) is a single watercolor pan from the Japanese Gansai Tambi line – a water-soluble, pigment-based pearl shimmer blue with silky luster. The color combines the warm glow of pearl particles (mica) with a cool phthalocyanine blue (PB15:3) and behaves like a medium between classic watercolor and gouache. Each pan is hand-poured in Nara, Japan – following over 120 years of tradition in sumi ink production.

Key Features

• Pearl Shimmer Pigmentation (Mica + PB15:3): The mica component creates a soft, silky shimmer. On white paper, the color appears delicate and luminous; on black or dark blue paper, it reveals a powerful, metallic glow – two completely different moods from a single pan.
• High Opacity, Infinitely Adjustable: Mixed pure with little water, Pearl Cobalt Blue behaves opaquely like gouache and effortlessly covers darker backgrounds. Diluted with more water, it creates a translucent, shimmering wash that takes on watercolor character.
• Large Format Pan (48 × 28 mm): The oversized pan can be activated equally well with broad flat brushes, hair brushes, and lettering brushes – no refilling, no scraping on tiny pans.
• Water-Based, Odorless, ACMI Certified: The color is free of solvents and xylene, odor-neutral, and classified as non-toxic according to ACMI AP.
• Lightfast with Moderate Dilution: As a pigment color, Pearl Cobalt Blue is lightfast with low water content. Lightfastness decreases with heavy dilution – typical for the Gansai Tambi line.
• Not Document-Proof: The dried color dissolves again with water – ideal for layering techniques with fast working, but not suitable for archival final works.
• Hand-Poured in Japan: Each pan is manually poured in Kuretake's manufactory in Nara, ensuring uniform pigment density throughout the pan.

Application & Tips

• Calligraphy and Brush Lettering: Mix pure with a medium round or lettering brush – the creamy consistency provides clean edges, and the shimmer becomes prominent in raking light.
• Illustration on Black Paper: Little water, thick application – Pearl Cobalt Blue glows particularly intense metallic on black watercolor board or toned paper. Ideal for night and water motifs.
• Lavering Background Wash: Applied heavily diluted on damp, heavy watercolor paper (300 g/m²), it creates a delicately shimmering sky or water tone that glints softly after drying.
• Highlights and Accents: Applied as the final layer over dried watercolor layers, Pearl Cobalt Blue emphasizes highlight reflections, wave crests, or textile surfaces – the mica particles reflect light differently than matte watercolor paints.
• Manga and Sumi-e: Traditionally used for quick, expressive brushwork – the high pigment density allows fast working without lengthy mixing.
• Paper Recommendation: Best on smooth or slightly textured watercolor paper from 200 g/m², on washi paper, or black board. On highly absorbent paper, mica particles can dry unevenly distributed.

For Watercolor Enthusiasts

Pigment-wise, No.762 combines mica (scale-shaped interference particles) with phthalocyanine blue PB15:3 – one of the most lightfast organic blue pigments available. The mica component slightly shifts the color tone depending on viewing angle: viewed flat, the color appears lighter and pearlescent; viewed steeply from above, darker and more saturated. Kuretake's binder formulation is based on proprietary sumi ink technology with over 120 years of development history – this explains the characteristic creamy flow properties, which differ noticeably from Western gum arabic watercolors. The color sits slightly on the paper surface after drying rather than soaking in completely, which facilitates relayering techniques but requires fast working before lower layers dissolve again.

Technical Specifications