Kuretake Watercolors Gansai Tambi 36-Color Set

Gansai Tambi is Kuretake's most renowned watercolour palette – a company that has been producing inks and paints in the traditional Sumi craft tradition in Nara, Japan since 1902. The 36 colour pans dissolve within seconds when touched with a damp brush, delivering opaque-saturated or transparent-glazed layers depending on water content. In addition to the classic watercolour spectrum, the set includes three metallic tones – Gold, Blush Gold and Silver – making it equally suited to sketchbook routines, mixed-media and lettering projects.

Features

• Large, individually removable pans (approx. 2.5 × 4.8 cm): The wells are considerably larger than standard palettes, allowing generous brush loading and work with broad watercolour brushes without constant refilling.
• Rapid dissolution: A single stroke with a damp brush is enough to pick up colour – no pre-wetting, no waiting. Particularly practical for quick sketching on location.
• Dual coverage depth through water control: Little water yields strong, almost opaque tones with a subtle gloss effect after drying; plenty of water creates light, transparent glazes. Both characteristics can be combined within a single painting.
• Three metallic tones: Gold, Blush Gold and Silver are fully integrated into the palette and can be mixed directly with other colours or applied as accents over dry surfaces.
• Colour sample grid on lid interior: The underside of the lid features an empty colour grid that can be filled with actual colours – making it instantly visible how each tone actually performs on paper.
• AP Certification (ASTM D 4236): All 36 colours are certified as non-toxic according to the American ASTM standard.
• Origin and tradition: Developed and produced by Kuretake Co., Ltd., founded in 1902 in Nara – the Gansai formula draws on over 120 years of experience in Sumi ink production.

Use & Tips

• Watercolour on paper: The colours perform strongest on heavy, absorbent watercolour paper (at least 200 g/m², cold- or hot-pressed). Smooth, calendered papers suit sharper edges and fine line work.
• Opaque coverage: With minimal water and multiple layers, fully opaque areas can be built – ideal for lettering backgrounds or flat illustration. Once dry, a subtle silk gloss appears, giving the image depth.
• Glazing technique: Apply highly diluted colour over already-dry underpainting without re-dissolving the previous layer – the colours respond willingly to this approach as long as the first layer is completely dry.
• Activating metallic tones correctly: Gold, Blush Gold and Silver require slightly more moisture than transparent tones. Dampen the brush well, circle briefly on the pan and apply in two thin coats if needed – this distributes metallic particles evenly.
• Brush lettering: The creamy consistency responds well to finely tapered brush tips. For letterforms with ascender-descender contrast, choose a brush with moderate elasticity.
• Mixed media & scrapbooking: Colours can be applied over dried ink layers (such as stamp ink or fine-liner drawings). On water-resistant surfaces, the colour beads slightly – creating interesting textures.
• Pan care: After painting, leave the palette open to air-dry before closing the lid. In very dry conditions, pans may develop surface cracks – this does not affect colour quality.
• Light fastness note: Kuretake Gansai Tambi is designed for sketchbooks, illustration, greeting cards, scrapbooking and digitised artwork. For permanently light-exposed wall art or retail pieces, it is advisable to combine with demonstrably light-fast colours, as Kuretake does not provide pigment numbers or light-fastness ratings.

For Watercolour Enthusiasts

Gansai colours differ from Western watercolours in their binder composition: in addition to gum arabic, the traditional formula contains glycerin, sugar and other additives that give the colour cake its particularly creamy consistency and rapid dissolution. This results in a characteristic semi-gloss drying film visible on opaquely applied layers. Working with the set on rice paper or washi will reveal that colours flow less there than on cotton paper – this is not a flaw but in keeping with traditional use: Gansai was originally developed for controlled brush application on rice paper, where flow effects are controlled by paper choice rather than wet-on-wet technique. The palette provides no pigment codes; those wishing to maintain reproducible mixing formulas for future purchases should keep their own swatches with mixing notes.

Technical Specifications