John Blanche Volumes 3 and 4 are arriving on shelves – here’s why they’re worth a look.
If you’re heading out this weekend — maybe to meet friends, run errands, go out to eat — there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself doing what hobbyists and gamers like us do: popping into your Friendly Local Game Store. And while you’re out, there’s something new worth keeping an eye out for.
John Blanche Masterclass Volumes 3 and 4 are landing in stores around the world on February 21, and they mark a new chapter in one of the most influential visual languages miniature painting has ever known.
More Masterclass
Grimdark has never been static. Long before it became a label, it was a feeling, one that legendary artist John Blanche helped define. With his raw, expressive artistry, John Blanche shaped worlds with shadow, decay, and strange beauty. We collaborated with him to capture his legacy in the moody colours in Masterclass Volumes 1 and 2.
And now, with Volumes 3 and 4, that legacy expands.
Also developed with John Blanche, these two sets explore contrast not just in light, but in temperature and emotion. One leans into the cold, spectral side of his imagination — pallid tones, moody blues, ghost-lit highlights that whisper of frost-bitten ruins and eerie stillness. The other burns warm and visceral — ochres, searing oranges, rich reds and unsettling greens that pulse with heat, decay, and intensity.
Together, they form a dual spectrum: fire and frost, warmth and cold, tension and balance. Grimdark, evolving. Remember: you don’t need to chase perfection to enjoy these palettes (or the hobby in general). They’re made for experimentation and pushing colour.
At Your Local Game Store
See these palettes for yourself when you visit your local game store! The colours are bold and atmospheric and once you see them, you’ll envision how to use them with the grey plastic we know you have on your hobby desk. A bonus of visiting the store is that you get to talk about the paints and the hobby with employees and fellow hobbyists. Conversations can spark new projects.
Go ahead, visit the local game store this weekend and take a moment to check the paint rack. Look for the John Blanche Masterclass sets. Have a closer look. Think about what you might do with cold, with heat, or with both together.
And if you’re not sure where your nearest store is – or you’re away from home and would like to check out somewhere new – The Army Painter’s Store Locator can help you find local shops near you that carry our paints and tools. It’s a handy way to discover places you might not have visited yet and communities you didn’t know about.
