Sunpetal is a bright, highly saturated yellow from The Army Painter's Warpaints Fanatic John Blanche Masterclass range. This 18ml. acrylic originally appeared in John Blanche Masterclass Volume 4 and is ideal for fiery highlights, clothing, heraldry, magical effects and small focal points within warm or strongly contrasted grimdark colour schemes.
What is Sunpetal? Sunpetal is a powerful, relatively neutral yellow with high colour intensity. Rather than an ochre or subdued sandy yellow, it is a noticeably bright shade that can quickly introduce light and focus to a miniature. This makes Sunpetal an interesting part of Volume 4, where warm earthy colours sit alongside several much more intense tones designed to create striking contrast.
Sunpetal originally appeared as one of the acrylic colours in John Blanche Masterclass Volume 4. The colours in this set were developed in collaboration with John Blanche and form a warm palette of ochres, browns, oranges, greens and fiery accents. Within such a palette, Sunpetal becomes especially useful whenever a miniature needs a bright point of light among weathered, dark or earthy colours.
Sunpetal is a conventional Warpaints Fanatic acrylic paint, rather than a Speedpaint, wash, metallic or effect paint. The Fanatic formulation is designed for miniature painting and can be applied directly or thinned for different techniques. Because Sunpetal is such a bright saturated yellow, the underlying colour has a significant influence on the result. Over white, ivory or another pale foundation, the yellow remains particularly vivid. Over a dark base, several thin layers will generally be needed to achieve the same intensity and an even finish.
How do you use Sunpetal? Shake the bottle thoroughly and build the colour with thin layers. For a bright yellow result, begin over a light foundation where possible. For a more weathered or grimdark appearance, start with ochre, warm brown or a subdued yellow and restrict Sunpetal to the raised surfaces. This preserves deeper shadows while allowing the most important areas to retain the intensity of the yellow.
For clothing and heraldry, Sunpetal works well across cloaks, tabards, shields, banners, ribbons and uniform details. Start with a brown-yellow or ochre shadow and gradually introduce Sunpetal towards the raised folds. A lighter warm colour can then provide the sharpest highlights. Keeping the brightest yellow selective rather than applying it uniformly helps the material retain depth and readable folds.
Sunpetal is equally useful for fire, glow and object source lighting. Within a warm lighting effect, it can bridge the transition between orange and a pale yellow-white centre. Pair it with Emberveil, for example, to progress from orange-red into an intense yellow. For OSL, keep the light source itself brightest and apply thinned Sunpetal to nearby surfaces facing that source. Controlled transparent layers suggest reflected warm light while preserving the materials underneath.
Magic, energy, lenses and fantasy effects also benefit from the strong contrast of a saturated yellow. Against dark purple, blue, black or deep green, Sunpetal becomes highly visible. This makes it useful for runes, eyes, gemstones, energy effects and other small focal details. On an otherwise subdued miniature, only a small amount may be required to guide attention towards a face, weapon or important narrative element.
For organic subjects, Sunpetal can be used across flowers, feathers, beaks, scales and striking skin markings. It can also be mixed into green to make successive highlights warmer and more yellow. One practical Volume 4 approach is to gradually lighten a green foundation with Sunpetal before introducing a pale warm colour for the final highlights. This creates a lively progression without jumping directly from green to white.
Sunpetal can also contribute to weathered and chipped paint. Establish a bright yellow surface, then introduce dark chips, brown staining and grime. The contrast between saturated yellow and accumulated damage works particularly well on armour, machinery, industrial terrain and warning markings. For individual scratches, interrupt the yellow with a thin dark mark and add a small lighter line along one edge to suggest depth.
Sunpetal is suitable for beginners and advanced miniature painters alike. Beginners get a clear bright yellow for recognisable details and straightforward highlights, while experienced painters can use it for controlled lighting transitions, colour mixing and strong temperature contrasts. Its main advantage is its high saturation: among browns, ochres, dark metals and subdued greens, even a small amount of Sunpetal can create a powerful visual point of light.
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