Kuretake : Gansai Tambi
Traditional Japanese watercolors for professional artists and crafters alike. These extra large pans (4.5 x 2.5cm) of brilliant, luminous, high-performance paints are ideal for sketching, illustration, sumi-e, manga, calligraphy and more. The range includes a good selection of vivid colors with creamy consistencies.
Apply a wet brush to the pans to activate the colors. Gansai pans may exhibit cracking due to extreme dryness or appear rough in texture due to tiny air bubbles, however neither of these traits affect their quality.
CA WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals, which are known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
$3.60
CA WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals, which are known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
$3.60
Gansai Tambi Watercolors: Popular Questions from Artists
Gansai Tambi are traditional Japanese watercolors that differ from Western watercolors in several ways. They have a higher pigment concentration, creating more opaque coverage; have a slightly different binder that gives them unique flow characteristics; and offer colors popular in Japanese art. They can be used similarly to watercolors but provide more coverage and vibrant, saturated color.
Yes, Gansai Tambi paints are beginner-friendly. Their creamy consistency and high pigment load make them easy to activate with water. They provide good coverage, which is forgiving for beginners, and the larger pans are easy to work with.
Gansai Tambi work well on watercolor paper, Japanese papers like Washi or rice paper, and heavier mixed-media paper. Due to their opacity, they're more forgiving on thinner papers than traditional watercolors, but 140lb/300gsm or heavier watercolor paper is still recommended for best results and to prevent buckling.
Yes, Gansai Tambi can be layered effectively. Due to their higher opacity compared to Western watercolors, they layer well without excessive transparency. Allow each layer to dry completely before adding the next. They can be used for both transparent glazing techniques and more opaque layering, making them versatile for various painting styles.
Yes, Gansai Tambi can be used for calligraphy and brush lettering. Their smooth, creamy consistency flows well, making them suitable for both traditional Japanese calligraphy and Western brush lettering. However, for sumi ink calligraphy, dedicated ink sticks or liquid sumi ink are a more traditional medium.
Kuretake Gansai Tambi are watercolors, though they sit between traditional transparent watercolors and gouache in terms of opacity. They're more opaque than Western watercolors due to higher pigment concentration, but more transparent than true gouache. They can be diluted for transparent effects or used more thickly for semi-opaque coverage.