Painting Dreadfleet Volcano

I’ve been asked several times on how to paint the volcano for Dreadfleet. So here are the steps I used in a recent commission.

Apologies for the photos, there were quickly taken whilst the painting was occurring – due to way this was painted I couldn’t let the paint dry to take properly setup shots.

Read on to follow the step by step instructions.

Before we start with the volcano proper, ensure that the volcano stones are all painted. For a tutorial on this, see the Islands and Wrecks article.

Step 1. The inside of the volcano was painted in GW Dheneb Stone (or another white colour that coves of the black undercoat). Once the base coat was dry, The inside walls of the volcano was dry brushed vigorously with GW Mechrite Red. Try to envisage where the lava may be, and drybrush the walls around the lava – this will be the glow from the lava.

Step1. Red Dry Brushing

Step 2. Once step 1 is dry, Dry brush GW Charadon Granite on the very peaks of the volcano to give the look of burned stone, perhaps where old lava may have gone over or where smoke may bellow over.

Step2. Dark drybrushing on the tips

Step 3. Dry brush with a small drybrush GW Iyanden Darksun yellow where the lava meets the volcano walls. This will be were the reflection of the lava meets the walls and as such will be lighter and more yellow.

Step 3. Yellow drybrusing inside the volcano

The following steps require painting whilst wet, which means you will need to have all the paints at hand and ready to apply quickly.

Step 4. Take some GW Red Gore and apply in to the outer rims of the volcano lava where it meets the walls. Be liberal in the application and perhaps add just a touch of water to it to ensure it is consistent wet for the next step.

Step 4. Red and orange painted inside the volcano

Step 5. Take some GW Macharius Solar Orange which has been a little thinned out with water and apply in further inside the volcano next to the previous (and wet) red. Some mingling of colours will occur between the red and orange which is what we want (not too much though, just at the edges of the colour).

Again, whilst everything is still wet, apply a little diluted GW Blazing Orange further inside the volcano next to the Macharius Solar Orange.

Step 5. More orange painted inside the volcano and glazes applied

Step 6. Take some GW Golden Yellow thinned with a little water and apply it to the remaining unpainted middle. Now the fun part, let all this dry.

Once dry, apply GW Bloodletter Red Glaze to the orange and red parts of the lava lavishly. Let this dry. Then apply Lamentars Yellow glaze to the entire lava area. 

Step 6. Yellow painted inside volcano and more glazes applied

Step 7. Once the glaze is dry, add watered down white paint to the centre of the volcano leaving a little of the yellow exposed. Wait until this dries and then do it again until the white is not transparent.

Once dry, take the Lamentars Yellow glaze and dab it at the borders of the yellow and white paint to create a blend of the two colours.

Step 7. Final glazes applied and white applied inside of volcano

Thats it for painting of the volcano. Of course don’t forget to protect you handy work with matt varnish.