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So while browsing about Ebay I found various things listed as "pro painted" that looked rather badly painted.
This is no suprise to anyone(I hope),I know people have been doing this for awhile but this got me thinking,When can one accually list themeselves as a "pro painter"?

Is it after many years of experience?
When a comopany contracts you to paint something?

When the sole purpose of painting a model is to sell it on for a profit based on the paintjob I'd say.

So where it once upon a time was an indication of the paintjobs quality, it's now more a statement of intent on behalf of the seller.

Aye what MDG said, although I'd never list anything as pro painted on ebay now as most folks don't even bother looking.

I just note it as well painted, or very good, usually noting its been painted by LViX (my wife's psuedonym for online and painting stuff for ebay.)

I know she can't be too bad, as we've got £54 for ten of the old Battle of McCragge Marines painted as ultras and sold two Blood Bowl teams for over £120 each. Plus single standard based figs for as much as £30. Not a bad little side income really.

Never trust "pro painted" descriptions , unless it has pictures.

If the picture is badly lighted / blurred / tiny tiny pic / just 1 whole zoomed out shot of whole army ,
dont trust the picture either.

Anyone that spent effort to make REAL pro painted minis will get all of the above right.
Anything that doesnt look right is deliberately masking the paint job.

Yes, it's like those "designer" shades you see being sold by street vendors. It's not actually a lie, because everything gets "designed" before it's manufactured.

And so anyone can be a pro anything if you can persuade someone to pay for your services.

Most of the "pro" painted stuff on eBay is far from what I'd call a 'professional' standard. It seems to be used as a term of any model being painted before sale which isn't what the term should mean.

I agree. Most of the "pro painter" stuff I see is around my skill level. Its not bad, some looks pretty good, but not professional. Then the rest Ive seen is just a case of MCS. Or Melted Crayon Syndrome

Yeah, Professional just means they get paid for it.

I've had many professional waitresses that gave lousy service, y'know what I mean.

If those people are professional, that means I'm professional!

Howard A Treesong wrote:Most of the "pro" painted stuff on eBay is far from what I'd call a 'professional' standard. It seems to be used as a term of any model being painted before sale which isn't what the term should mean.

I concur with this statement...

...and smile @ your avatar.

In response to the "Pro-Painted" stigma, moronic, lousy painters have started using the "Master Painted" designation. I file Master painted right where Pro-Painted used to be, the "don't-even-bother-looking-at-it" category.

'Midgard Models' is the worst offender, in my opinion. They have the gall to call themselves "masters" while *I* can churn out better work than the majority of their stuff. When I think "MASTER" painter, I think DaVinci, Monet, Picasso, etc. In miniatures, the Jen Haley's, and other SLAYER SWORD WINNERS. Not this stuff:









Don't get me wrong, these are not BAD paintjobs. But they are certainly not painted by a "MASTER" (all-caps master, no less).
Misrepresentation of skill in order to make a buck.


I hate your species so much sometimes.




Ghidorah

I think it's all to do with marketing ("well duh!"). Not in the sense that it is saying it is pro-painted but in the way people search for pre-painted miniatures. I talk to a few people who just like to play the games and don't have the time to make and paint so they go onto eBay and simply search "pro painted". Nobody goes onto eBay to search for "tabletop quality".

It's all about getting their stuff seen and leaving it up to the buyer to decide.

Also, someone raised a valid point above that if they class themselves as a pro-painter then they should have the knowhow and kit to produce decent pictures of the minis in question.

To be a professional http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/professional

Many Definitions to look through but look at #1 and #9

#1-> If you are paid, you are a professional. Someone tells you to hit TOM over there for a nickel. Bam your a professional fighter and can be charged with 5th degree assault in the same go. Pretty Cool huh?

#9-> Quality-> LOOK, I'm a professional macaroni artist because MOM bought my necklace for a quarter.

I think the usage of the term here is what lends to the problems when dealing with ebay. Just an observation.

Ghidorah wrote:
'Midgard Models' is the worst offender, in my opinion. They have the gall to call themselves "masters" while *I* can churn out better work than the majority of their stuff. When I think "MASTER" painter, I think DaVinci, Monet, Picasso, etc.
Ghidorah

Yes i 100% agree they pretty much started the trend of "master painted minis" but ... such is double edged sword.
I have now completely ignored clicking any of their auctions even if its to browse paint job / color schemes.

Same thing has happened to the word "mint" on eBay. It's supposed to mean unopened or unused, but the uninformed use it to say "very good condition". The most annoying term is "near mint". It either is or isn't. Eh, oh well. Nothing to do about it, might as well just slug though it.

I hate Midgard. I've labeled a few of my auctions as pro painted. I follow the logic that if you're getting paid for it then you're a pro. Now claiming that it's master painted is just ridiculous when it's obviously not. At least they take good enough pictures that it's blatantly obvious that the paintjobs aren't very good, though. Lately I've just been labeling my auctions as well painted, starting the bidding at $.99 and letting it ride.

Anytime I paint something and it ends up on eBay, I put 'Well Painted' or 'Above table top quality' in the title. I then make sure that I have some high res pictures to put up, in order to back up my claim. Works well for me usually, of course, I also haven't had much to put up over the last couple of years.

pro painted on ebay is laughable. i do alot of local commissions but i did recently sell a converted vendetta i made, painted and then put on ebay. i marked it as "well painted", i got 130.00 for it.

studderingdave wrote:pro painted on ebay is laughable. i do alot of local commissions but i did recently sell a converted vendetta i made, painted and then put on ebay. i marked it as "well painted", i got 130.00 for it.

Super ! Modesty is the way to go , especially when the public have pics to see. ( keep the sales up david! )

It doesn't matter if you're modest or not. Just recently I bought a Krell model that was labeled as "pro-painted". One of the hands was backwards and the paintjob was overall horrible. I still managed to get it for $.99 + $4 shipping. As far as I'm concerned $5 is a pretty good deal for a Wight King standard bearer with great weapon. It took me about 5 minutes to find a correct hand and another 20 minutes to paint it to a decent standard. Meanwhile I sold a necromancer that I labeled as "pro-painted" for $10 + shipping and a banshee that went for $13. A well painted fig with a bad pic will always sell for less than a decently painted fig with a phenomenal pic regardless of the label.

artyboy wrote:It doesn't matter if you're modest or not. Just recently I bought a Krell model that was labeled as "pro-painted". One of the hands was backwards and the paintjob was overall horrible. I still managed to get it for $.99 + $4 shipping. As far as I'm concerned $5 is a pretty good deal for a Wight King standard bearer with great weapon. It took me about 5 minutes to find a correct hand and another 20 minutes to paint it to a decent standard. Meanwhile I sold a necromancer that I labeled as "pro-painted" for $10 + shipping and a banshee that went for $13. A well painted fig with a bad pic will always sell for less than a decently painted fig with a phenomenal pic regardless of the label.

They probably repainted it out of spite.

studderingdave wrote:but i did recently sell a converted vendetta i made, painted and then put on ebay. i marked it as "well painted", i got 130.00 for it.

Nothing wrong with it, generic paintjob, and you got paid retail to paint it. Seems like a reasonable result, given that you needed extra bitz to do the conversion.

To be honest, my search for well painted minis starts at www.coolminornot.com, and I follow the listing from there.

The mugs that think they can paint, and actually take pictures of their work are just plebs. Still, thats ebay for you.

My friend told me about this thread the other day but didn't feel I had anything to say until I was browsing eBay for Cadian bits when I came across this:


ProPainted Cadian Weapon Team Auction

I laughed so hard when I saw it. £20 for a single heavy weapon team that has been painted to barely a table-top standard. It still has the mould lines on it! And he has the audacity to label it ProPainted!

I've had a look at his other items and he has actually labelled a few as "Well Painted". Although this is more modest, it's still shy of the mark.

Most eBay items are laughable, some are legit. Either way the term 'pro painted' means absolutely nothing anymore. Pictures tell the story.

As for the ridiculous prices people sometimes pay... It's all a matter of what your time is worth to you. If you don't have the time to paint, but have the money; how much is the 8+ hours of hobby time that you no longer need to spend assembling and painting it yourself worth to you?

I should also mention, and this is pure speculation, that GW retailers would purchase nice models to put into their stores display cases. It entices customers. What's it worth for store owner to spend a little on a well painted model or army for display to boost sales? I'd surely do it.

Delephont wrote:To be honest, my search for well painted minis starts at www.coolminornot.com, and I follow the listing from there.

The mugs that think they can paint, and actually take pictures of their work are just plebs. Still, thats ebay for you.

Not everyone is a pro photagrapher (with pro photography equipment). It's a lot easier to paint a fig to a standard that 99% of the people out there would be happy to pay extra for than it is to take a pic that's good enough to appear in a magazine with a few desk lamps and a $100 camera. Take a pic that's good enough to accurately portray the detail and colors and you're g2g.

You know everyone, all of us are pro painters in our own minds. Shoot, I think I am, our generations Picasso on mini painting! I can pain so well that angels sing in perfect harmony when I stroke my brush. Infact theres another person on here, that with simple wash technique, can turn a terminator mini into a warboss!!! IVE SEEN IT WITH MY OWN EYES!!!!! We are beyond pro! I should sell my junk, er works of art, as such! First one with half a million, can have my whole army! And with this purchase, Ill throw in a free notebook full of "cant lose" army builds lol