John Blanche Masterclass: Guide to 40 Army Painter Paints

Who was John Blanche and why his style matters

John Blanche (1948-2026) was one of the most influential artists and art directors at Games Workshop for over 30 years. His work profoundly shaped Warhammer's visual identity, notably through his dense compositions, desaturated colours, and gothic, oppressive universes.

His approach, known as Blanchitsu, mixes ink sketching, gestural painting, and visual storytelling. It has influenced generations of miniature painters and continues to inspire the contemporary grimdark style.

The Masterclass range was developed in collaboration with John Blanche before his passing on 1 June 2026. Subsequent volumes continue the artistic direction established through this collaboration.

The four volumes at a glance

The complete collection covers a wide range of grimdark tones, from the deepest neutrals to organic tints and cool spectral hues. Volumes 3 and 4 consist of Warpaints Fanatic in exclusive colours.

Volume 1: the core grimdark palette

Volume 1 lays the foundations: deep blacks, off-whites, greys, dark greens, and organic browns. It is the most versatile volume for starting a grimdark palette.

Speedpaints and washes: indicative comparison only — final result depends on undercoat and dilution. Metallics and effects: the HEX does not represent transparency, sheen, or particles. See the brand page for details.

Volume 2: reds, earth tones & metallics

Volume 2 expands the collection with deep reds, earthy tones, olive greens, a dark metallic, a rust effect, and a turquoise Speedpaint. It is particularly suited to worn metals, leather, corrosion effects, and orange/turquoise contrasts.

Volume 3: cool & spectral palette

Volume 3 explores cool tones: deep blues, mauves, grey-greens, and icy tints. Suitable for cool, spectral, nocturnal, or supernatural atmospheres, as well as pale skin and blue-grey armour.

Volume 4: warm & organic palette

Volume 4 focuses on reds, ochres, browns, and organic greens. It suits natural scenery, worn fabrics, warm armour, and autumnal palettes.

Which volume should you choose?

• To start a grimdark palette: Volume 1. It contains the essential basics (black, white, grey, dark green, brown) and a versatile wash (Grimdark Shadow).
• For pale or sickly skin tones: Volume 3 (Moonpetal, Iceborn, Ashroot) + Volume 1 (Ivory White, Warm Skin Shade).
• For rust and worn metals: Volume 2 brings together Sunburst Ochre, Ruddy Terra, Grim Rust, Voodoo Shade, and Heavy Metal. Emperor Gold, from Volume 1, can complement this selection for ornaments.
• For a cool atmosphere: Volume 3 (Shadow Thorn, Frostveil, Pine Hollow Shade, Nightroot Shade).
• For a warm atmosphere: Volume 4 (Blood Thorn, Emberveil, Sunpetal, Hearthborn).
• To complement an existing Citadel collection: Volume 1 + Volume 4 — the dark organic tones add shades missing from standard ranges.

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How ChromaStack compares Masterclass paints

The HEX values used by ChromaStack are extracted from official digital swatches. They allow ChromaStack to estimate the visual proximity between several references, but do not replace a physical measurement of dry paint. The actual result may vary depending on undercoat, thickness, dilution, lighting, screen, and paint finish.

For opaque acrylics, the Delta-E comparison provides a useful colour indication. It does not guarantee a perfect match of formulation, opacity, or finish.

Using the range for a Blanchitsu or grimdark finish

The Masterclass range was designed for the grimdark style. Here are some possible combinations inspired by grimdark and Blanchitsu palettes:

• Limited palette: The Darkness (base) + Ironclad Grey (highlight) + Grimdark Shadow (wash). This combination helps build a dark monochrome palette suited to grimdark and Blanchitsu painting styles.
• Warm/cool contrast: Shadow Thorn (armour) + Emberveil (details) + Vineroot Shade (shadows).
• Undercoats: Use a zenithal undercoat (black + grey + white) before applying Bloodmoon Red or Turnbull Turquoise Speedpaints.
• Glazes: Thin the acrylics (Iceborn, Skyshard) to create translucent transitions and soft volumetric highlights on armour.
• Washes: Use Grimdark Shadow, Warm Skin Shade, and Voodoo Shade to flow into recesses and build deep shadows.
• Weathering: Apply Grim Rust on armour edges and Heavy Metal for chipping with a sponge.
• Rust: Layer Sunburst Ochre, Ruddy Terra, and Grim Rust for progressive rust effects.
• Tarnished metals: Heavy Metal + Nuln Oil + Emperor Gold for worn gold.

Remember: A deliberately limited palette helps maintain strong visual coherence and focuses attention on contrasts, textures, and areas of light.

Full sets or individual paints?

Each volume is available as a 10-paint set or as individual paints. Here is how to choose:

• Volume 1: The best starting point for any grimdark palette. Contains universal basics (black, white, grey, dark green, brown, versatile wash).
• Volume 2: Volume 2 is especially suited to projects based on rust, earth tones, worn metals, dark leathers, and turquoise/orange contrasts.
• Volume 3: Volume 3 is suited to cool, spectral, nocturnal, or supernatural atmospheres, as well as pale skin and blue-grey armour.
• Volume 4: Volume 4 favours reds, ochres, browns, and organic greens. It suits natural settings, worn fabrics, warm armour, and autumnal palettes.
• Buying all four volumes: Recommended if you are starting a complete grimdark collection or painting several armies with different styles.
• Individual purchase: Relevant if you already own similar paints and only want to fill specific gaps.
• Based on your existing paints: Use the ChromaStack comparator to check if a Masterclass paint is close to one you already own before buying.

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