Kuretake® Gansai Tambi Watercolor Pans

SKU: MC20/24V/NW

Kuretake® Gansai Tambi 12 Watercolor Set II, Muted Colors

Kuretake’s Gansai Tambi paints are no ordinary watercolors. Inspired by natural colors of the landscape, they are traditional Japanese watercolors that stand out due to their unique formulation. Unlike typical Western watercolors bound with gum arabic, Gansai Tambi utilizes a centuries-old method of mixing pigment with alternative binders to create a watercolor with incredible lift and reactivation with water, the versatility of going from an opaque to transparent color, and sheen shift from gloss to flat.

Opacity and Transparency: When applied with minimal water, these paints produce a creamy, opaque layer reminiscent of gouache. The sheen ranges from satin to gloss, depending on the amount of water used to activate the paint. When using more water to create washes or less saturated paint, the color becomes more transparent and luminescent, akin to Western watercolor, with a flat sheen.

Pigmentation and Texture: These paints are known for their rich pigmentation combined with a Japanese binder produce smooth, even coverage on paper with little granulation. To get the best results from these paints, it’s recommended to work a thoroughly wet brush into the dried paint for a minute or so before use. The large pans accommodate various brush sizes. Washes using large amounts of water should be used on a palette outside of the pan in order to maintain the integrity of the panned paint. Excess water left in the pan will cause the paint to crack as it dries. All "cobalt" colors are hues and are certified non-toxic.

Application and Effects: Gansai Tambi paints are excellent for use on rice papers and watercolor papers, and produce interesting effects on synthetic and mineralized papers. These paints have excellent lift, meaning that once dried, they can be rewet to change saturation, blend, or correct mistakes. They are ideal for sumi painting styles, illustration, realistic watercolor renderings, and as underpaintings for other types of watercolor or mixed media works.

Colors Include:
• 011 Natural Beige
• 012 Rose Beige
• 013 Lilac
• 014 Cherry Blossom Pink
• 048 Greenish Yellow
• 059 Lime Green
• 069 Horizon Blue
• 060 Cobalt Blue
• 068 Blue Gray Deep
• 071 Indian Red
• 072 Maroon
• 021 Gray

Made in Japan

Non-toxic, Conforms to ASTM D4236