Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor Palette 18 Colors – Traditional Japanese Quality

The Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor Palette with 18 colors blends the centuries-old tradition of Japanese Gansai paints with modern pigment quality. These solid pans (“Gansai”) are activated with water and allow for brilliant, versatile color application, ideal for sketches, illustrations, sumi-e, cards, and mixed media work.

This palette contains 18 colors: Black (No. 20), Burnt Sienna (No. 46), Cadmium Scarlet (No. 31), Cobalt Violet (No. 139), Indigo (No. 67), Hooker's Green (No. 52), Lemon Yellow (No. 40), Red (No. 32), Rose Madder (No. 34), Rose Madder Deep (No. 36), Sap Green (No. 53), Sap Green Light (No. 51),Turquoise Blue (No. 62), Ultramarine (No. 64), Ultramarine Pale (No. 61), Viridian (No. 55), White (No. 10), and Yellow Ochre (No. 44).

Features & Highlights

• 18 carefully selected, artist-grade colors
• Large pans approx. 45 × 25 mm, perfect for broad brushes and more paint volume
• Palette with removable pans and a swatch chart inside the lid for custom labeling and reference
• Highly pigmented, lightfast, and non-toxic, ideal for professional use
• Versatile consistency: dilute with water for transparent washes or use less water for a gouache-like opacity
• Made in Japan, combining traditional craftsmanship with strict quality control

Usage & Tips

• Activate the paint with a damp brush, the pans dissolve quickly and evenly
• Use more water for transparent washes, or less for vibrant solid fills, the set supports both techniques
• Best results are achieved on heavier watercolor paper or specially treated Japanese paper
• Due to the large size of the pans, secure them during transport to prevent shifting or damage (e.g., with felt padding)
• Use the inside of the lid as a swatch chart by painting each color for easy reference while working
• Perfect as a premium gift for artists, illustrators, and creatives, combining aesthetic appeal with functionality

Why This Set?

The 18-color set offers a wider range of tones than smaller sets, while remaining compact and of high quality. Its versatility makes it an excellent choice for both professionals and ambitious hobbyists who want to work on fine details or larger compositions. The blend of traditional Japanese color aesthetics and modern pigment technology makes this set a reliable tool for creative expression.

Technical Specifications