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I was browsing the swap shop earlier and saw a few entries with models listed as "pro painted". I've also seen this term thrown around quite a bit on ebay. now, I assume that this phrase is open to very broad interpretation, but is there any sort of consensus (on dakka, at least) as to what level of quality to expect?

Used to mean the quality of the paint job. However due to it's wide spread on fairly crappy examples it means exactly as it appears; professionally painted or, in other words, paid to be painted. There is no longer and real quality to expect from it, though if there were it would be of at least a decent standard due to the fact that it is painted simply to be sold.

Some people like to jump around the line and get technical.

They say... because they paint for money, or profit, it count as "professional".

Then me explanation... which is because they DO paint for profit, or for a living, they should also have some sort of standard that grew with experience.
However, that doesn't apply most of the time it seems.

Pro painted is a meaningless term now as it has no legal definition and has been abused so often by people using it to mean 'painted' and knowing there is no comeback when it turns out that actually meant 'badly painted'.

It should mean painted by someone for whom painting is their paid profession, either wholly or in part. What it generally means though is that you are probably going to be overcharged.

Sadly, reading "Pro Painted" in a description on Ebay or the swap shop has me expecting the worst possible quality level due to the broad definition.

Expect the worst and be positively surprised once you see decent pictures (and if you don´t ask for pictures of the models BEFORE you buy them painted you deserve what you get )

If anything, no "pro" painters say that a model is pro painted. Real professional painters let the work speak for itself.

lucky for me, I'm not in the market for pre-painted models. painting is most of the fun for me, so there'd be no point

I was mostly curious to see if there was any unspoken standard so I could see how my own skills stacked up against it :p not that I think I'm anywhere close to what I'd personally consider pro (e.g., awesomepaintjob.com, for example), but you're always your own harshest critic and sometimes it's nice to have something objective to measure progress against.

can't say I'm surprised to hear that the phrase has been devalued by over-use and exaggeration, though. such is life on the interwebs.

cheers all

Aerethan wrote:If anything, no "pro" painters say that a model is pro painted. Real professional painters let the work speak for itself.

haha This ^

If I were buying painted minis i'd actually welcome seeing 'pro-painted' in the title... It saves time bothering looking at the thread/auction.

Aerethan wrote:If anything, no "pro" painters say that a model is pro painted. Real professional painters let the work speak for itself.

I second that.

(Pro = being paid for, so not quality notion included)

The term means nothing in itself.

In the UK, there are various professions regulated by force of law, such as doctors and accountants. You have to pass exams to join the profession.

The same is not true of people who paint and sell model soldiers.

If you are scanning adverts it is not unreasonable to ask which pro studio actually did the painting. Then you can check their website for an idea of quality.

For example, I have a 6mm Napoleonic army painted by Reinforements By Post. Their website lists various grades of finish at different price levels and gives examples.