Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

First, if you own this auction, I'm not downing you, but merely ragging on the gross error in its labeling IMHO. I was cruising around eBay this morning when I came across a "Pro Painted Space Marine Army". I personally love to see well painted armies in mass, so I took a look. This is an example of what I saw.



Sadly, this isn't the first time I've seen this kind of thing on eBay. Now, let me say that this may be a perfectly acceptable army for the tabletop, but I don't think Pro Painted would exactly fit. Has the standard of ready painted armies fallen or is the term Pro Painted just being tossed around a lot more than it should be?

He probably meant that he had the models professionally painted. IE, he paid someone to do it for him.

As has been stated by myself and others in various eBay threads, Pro-painted =/= well painted. That's a mistaken assumption everyone makes. All pro-painted means is that it is painted by a professional, IE. someone who does it for a living or to make money off of it.

That's ALL Pro-painted means, it has absolutely no bearing on the quality of paint job. Therefore, the auction is properly labeled as the seller painted it to make money.

I believe 'pro painted' used to be meaningful, but then got tossed around so much on eBay that its definition had to change to something that has no bearing on quality.

oni wrote:I believe 'pro painted' used to be meaningful, but then got tossed around so much on eBay that its definition had to change to something that has no bearing on quality.

The definition never changed.

Professional(adj):
1. 1. Of, relating to, engaged in, or suitable for a profession: lawyers, doctors, and other professional people.
2. Conforming to the standards of a profession: professional behavior.
2. Engaging in a given activity as a source of livelihood or as a career: a professional writer.
3. Performed by persons receiving pay: professional football.
4. Having or showing great skill; expert: a professional repair job.

Most people assume definition 4. However, definition 3 is completely valid and in fact is more relevant to an eBay auction than definition 4.

The implication of saying pro on ebay is very strongly definition 4 from there, not definition 3. Doesn't make it so, but it does imply quality. But the guy did have the photos up there, so buyer beware.

I almost phhhh my hot chocolate when i saw this thread lol. Reminds me or Midgard models >.> on ebay

Pro Painted is one of the Euphonisms of E bay.

It gives the seller the thought thqt they can charge as exhorbinantly as they want to, not nessessarily that a Professional Painted the miniature.

Thats E bay for you.

That's Pro Painted the same way that the Detroit Lions are a Professional Football Team.

For y'all not from the glorious US of A! (and those too geeky to follow a pro sport), the Lions last year were the first team in NFL history to go 0-16 in the season. Other teams had gone 0-something before, but not since they went to a 16 game regular season. I think the most recent team before that to post a 0 in the Win column was Tampa Bay in their first year, 1976-ish.

Platuan4th wrote:As has been stated by myself and others in various eBay threads, Pro-painted =/= well painted. That's a mistaken assumption everyone makes. All pro-painted means is that it is painted by a professional, IE. someone who does it for a living or to make money off of it.

That's ALL Pro-painted means, it has absolutely no bearing on the quality of paint job. Therefore, the auction is properly labeled as the seller painted it to make money.

Correct.

I consider myself a professional because I pay taxes on my painting. I use the title on my ebay auctions though because a lot of people do search "pro painted" or just "painted" whatever, or just by itself.

Well, I think that it's great they posted very good pics of the models. The title mis-represents the product, however. I understand the arguements about the definition of professional; however the use of the word is there to indicate a certain level of quality. Problem with that is that level is pretty subjective. But this is a hysterical mislabel.

Thats why if i see auctios like OMG PRO GOLDEN DEMON PAINTED ARMY on ebay with blurry / lack of photo, you know its scam....

I'd rather buy unpainted and either paint them myself, or get them 'pro' painted myself. To me, a painted Ebay army reduces the utility of the models and therefore the potential number of bidders.

DaBoss wrote:First, if you own this auction, I'm not downing you, but merely ragging on the gross error in its labeling IMHO.

Sadly, this isn't the first time I've seen this kind of thing on eBay. Now, let me say that this may be a perfectly acceptable army for the tabletop, but I don't think Pro Painted would exactly fit. Has the standard of ready painted armies fallen or is the term Pro Painted just being tossed around a lot more than it should be?

No, it's labeled correctly for "Pro Painted".

I mean, look at what a good job he did highlighting the mold lines...

As you noted, this isn't the first time, and it won't be the last. So yeah, the standard for "Pro Painted" is pretty low.

I have found a loophole within a loophole.

If no one buys the Space Marine Army, then it ceases to be professional, as the seller is not getting payed to paint the army.

Now, aren't you just more comfortable with going with definition 4 and saying that the guy's a liar?

OMG thats shocking.

However if you buy that thinking its pro painted, then you must be blind!

Platuan4th wrote:Professional(adj):
3. Performed by persons receiving pay: professional football.

Exactly. If you pay for the models as-is, you're paying for the paintjob, too. Therefore, by tautology, it must be "Pro Painted".

And as the previous poster noted, "professional football" is indeed apt. FWIW, Tampa went 0- as an expansion team when the season was only 14 games long. Detroit is an original NFL teams, there's no excuse.

Excuse or not, they're a laughing stock now. Who ever thought that Detroit would fondly remember the Wayne Fontes era?

also find stuff like this under pro-painted, which IMO isnt bad atall.

Pro-painted is the ebay modeling equivalent of "curvy" in the personal ads...

Ozymandias, King of Kings

Ozymandias wrote:Pro-painted is the ebay modeling equivalent of "curvy" in the personal ads...

Ooh.... that's a good one!

Chrysaor686 wrote:I have found a loophole within a loophole.

If no one buys the Space Marine Army, then it ceases to be professional, as the seller is not getting payed to paint the army.

Now, aren't you just more comfortable with going with definition 4 and saying that the guy's a liar?

Technically if he's EVER sold a painted model, he can claim qualification... on a technicality.

IMO, What GMM's doing is a FAR better representation of "pro painted."
...or, what it SHOULD BE, anyway...


Eric

JD21290 wrote:

also find stuff like this under pro-painted, which IMO isnt bad atall.

Well, it's FAR FAR better than the other crap but, IMO anyone selling "pro" painted should know how to paint flames properly.


Also, I have a problem with large swathes of bleached bone or flesh on top of bestial brown done so... bluntly...

I'd like more shading on a "pro" painted model. IMO, "Pro" should indicate HIGH QUALITY, not just "for money."


Eric

Pfft. Pro is for money.

My 5 year old is going PRO!!!!!1111!!!!!

I'd buy the five year old's stuff. I wouldn't buy the others.

hey those marines are tough to paint with pastel chalks.. Have any of you guys ever tried to paint a model with chalks.. dammit, it's not easy..

/sarcasm off...

Then you're not 'painting' them, you're 'chalking' them. My kids 'chalk' the sidewalk in the summer. Maybe the ad should read 'Pro-Chalked'.

Where's that sarcasm text code that I keep asking for?

Pro Half-painted more like. Would a professional painter forget to do the base? Really?

I never thought I'd hear the word "tautology" used in a discussion regarding what "Pro-painted" means on eBay.

This is some serious stuff. Ozy is right though. Those are some "curvy" Marines.