Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor Compact 12-color set

The Kuretake Gansai Tambi compact set with 12 colors is a travel watercolor box in pocket format – filled with traditional Japanese pigment colors that are hand-made in Nara. The color cakes are based on water-soluble synthetic resin instead of gum arabic and respond to water immediately: creamy, rich, without graining. Depending on the water content, the result ranges between transparent watercolor wash and opaque-silky gouache application – both directions from the same pan.

Features

• Pigment colors on synthetic resin base: The binder is water-soluble synthetic resin, not gum arabic as in Western watercolors. The color cakes dissolve quickly and evenly without crumbling – the application remains brilliant and retains its luminosity after drying.
• Variable opacity: With little water, the color appears opaque and can be applied as full coverage; heavily diluted creates a glazing, transparent wash. This range makes the set equally suitable for watercolor and gouache techniques.
• Subtle silk sheen: Gansai Tambi colors dry with a characteristic, subtle shimmer – especially with more opaque application. This gives surfaces a lively depth that differs from matte gouache finish.
• Refillable individual pans: Each color pan sits in its own removable plastic tray and can be replaced separately – the set is designed for long-term use.
• Integrated color swatch palette in lid: The inside of the lid provides a template to fill in with the included colors – practical as a personal color chart directly in the set.
• Lightfast (pigment-based): The colors are pigment-based and lightfast; at very high dilution, lightfastness may decrease depending on the color shade.
• Hand-made in Nara: Each pan is filled by hand at the Kuretake headquarters in Nara – this promotes the creamy, air bubble-free surface and consistent texture.

Application & Tips

• Urban sketching and travel journal: The closed case fits in any jacket pocket. The 12 colors – White, Black, Cadmium Scarlet, Red, Rose Madder, Lemon Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Sap Green, Viridian, Ultramarine and Indigo – form a complete basic spectrum for landscape, architecture and figure.
• Layering: Because the synthetic resin binder reactivates the lower layer more easily when painted over than gum arabic, quick, dry layering works better than slow wet-on-wet reworking. To build layers, let each layer dry completely.
• Paper recommendation: The color performs best on watercolor paper of at least 200 g/m² with slight texture. Smooth, calendered paper intensifies the gloss effect and works well for transparent applications; highly absorbent surfaces can dull the luminosity.
• Gouache technique: For opaque surfaces and sharp edges, pick up color with minimal water directly from the pan. The creamy character also allows fine lines with a slender brush tip.
• Illustration and Etegami: The color palette is classically designed for Japanese picture postcards (Etegami) and Sumi-e – warm earth tones, cool blue tones and neutral transitions complement each other directly from the set.
• Combination with pen: Waterproof ink beneath the color application remains stable; the slightly opaque colors also apply well and with full coverage over dried lines.

For Watercolor Enthusiasts

Gansai Tambi belongs to the Japanese tradition of Gansai colors – a category that differs fundamentally from Western watercolors. The binder is water-soluble synthetic resin instead of gum arabic, which has two noticeable consequences: the color cakes activate faster and creamier, and wet layers reactivate more easily when painted over. Those familiar with classical Western watercolor glazing technique will notice this difference at first reworking. Kuretake's more than hundred years of experience in sumi ink production flows into the pigment formulation – this explains the characteristic soft flow on wet surface and the subtle gloss after drying, which is unusual for pure watercolors.

Technical Specifications