“Fire and frost. Light and shadow. Grimdark grows.”
Grimdark has always been about more than darkness alone. From the very beginning, the legendary John Blanche shaped a visual style full of contrast—beauty and decay, shadow and light, existing side by side.
With the John Blanche Masterclass Series, The Army Painter set out to translate that vision into paint. Volumes 1 and 2 introduced painters to John’s core grimdark palette in a new, practical way. Now, with Volumes 3 and 4, the series grows and opens up new moods, new temperatures, and new storytelling possibilities.
This is not a reboot of grimdark. It’s a natural next step.
Two New Palettes, One Shared Vision
John Blanche Masterclass Volume 3 and Volume 4 are designed as companion releases, each exploring a different emotional side of grimdark.
Volume 3 focuses on cold, spectral tones. Think moody blues, pallid highlights, and atmospheric washes that bring eerie depth to miniatures. These colours are ideal for chilling flesh, corroded metal, frost-bitten environments, and quiet, unsettling scenes.
Volume 4, by contrast, leans into warmth and intensity. Rich ochres, deep browns, searing oranges, and unsettling greens bring heat and raw energy to grimdark painting. These colours shine on skin, cloth, rust, and battle-worn armour.
Designed with a Legend, Made for All Painters
Both volumes were developed in close collaboration with John Blanche and carefully engineered by The Army Painter’s design team. Each set contains 10 entirely new Warpaints Fanatic colours—high-performance acrylics designed for smooth application, strong and even coverage, and excellent control.
These paints are made for experienced painters who enjoy layering, glazing, and experimenting with atmosphere. They also complement the earlier Masterclass volumes, making it easy to expand an existing collection without replacing what you already love.
Each set includes exclusive John Blanche artwork.
Continuing a Creative Partnership
Working with John Blanche again on Volumes 3 and 4 has been about continuity. Grimdark is not a static style, and neither is his art. These new palettes reflect decades of influence while pushing into new territory—without losing what made grimdark iconic in the first place.
Pre-Order Now
John Blanche Masterclass Volumes 3 and 4 are available to pre-order now. Every pre-order will receive DipIt’s Magnificent Brush. Whether you’re drawn to the cold atmosphere of Volume 3, the intensity of Volume 4, or the full contrast of both, this release is designed to expand how grimdark can look and feel on the tabletop.
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This is the next chapter in an ongoing collaboration—one built on shared respect for the hobby, the artist, and the painters who bring these worlds to life.
