Outrage at "pro-painted" minis on ebay

[CarbonCopy]

Hello everyone.

A friend of mine at a local game shop pointed out a vendor on ebay selling "pro-painted" miniatures. What's remarkable about this vendor's "work" is the excessive prices he's charging for extremely poor table-top quality paint jobs.

Normally I would not bother thinking a second thought about it. However, my friend and I are so horrified at how bad the paint jobs are, combined with the excessive prices *AND* how many POSITIVE reviews/transactions he has!

Do most people out there simply not know what a well painted miniature is? Do they not know what reasonable price points are for table-top quality vs. master level quality?

The thing that's really bugging my friend is that the seller really seems to be serious about the prices he's posted all these items at. I've tried telling my friend that this seller has found a niche -- people who simply do not know better.

Are we biased, as we can both paint well over table-top quality if we choose to? Or do we simply have standards and simply cannot stoop low enough to pay prices that high for sub-standard quality?

 

[jdmchaos]

i have to say this and im not trying to be rude at all,buti think that if he's selling them he must have people that like his work.sometimes people look for mini's to game with that some artist wont paint or touch cause its not their thing.and a real master painted mini can range from 100.00 to skies the limit for a real good painter.just ask some of the painters from the top ten and see what they charge.it will be worth it but you better have deep pockets.
i wouldnt let it bother you.just paint some mini's and make yourself some cash.
by the way i looked at your gallery and couldnt find anything,show us your skills

 

[demonelf3]

To say that these paintjobs are horrifyingly bad is an extreme overstatement. Given that, I think that his prices are fair, but I agree that they are perhaps on the high end of fair. When I was starting out, I was a worse painter than that, and I made upwards of 2000 dollars running a commission. Granted, it was a private commission so the circumstances aren't equal. I know that selling lots of figures for a bit more than they were worth definitely helped me be more optimistic about my skills and helped me push myself further. Maybe that's what this guy is doing. Who knows! Either way, I wouldn't let it bother you, just accept it as an enterprising (possibly new and/or in search of reward) painter making some well earned cash. My 2 cents. =D

 

[Hendarion]

Well, from what I see at ebay, all people generally call their stuff 'pro painted' although here they would score something between 4 and 6. Barely you see a 7. All called 'pro painted', all with like double price of what the mini costs itself. The only thing I could imagine of doing with these minis is to drop them into a can of alcohol to strip them blank.
If there would be a comment-field on ebay items, they all would receive really bad comments from me.
But hey, it seams that it takes maybe 1-6 months to sell such an item, but it will get sold in the end. Crazy people who charge money for that while a professional commission painter would charge less for a better result: CLEAN table top standard, for the better stuff you pay more.

 

[jahminis]

this guy's prices are fair, especially since they're in Canadian Dollars...
the quality is clean, and better than most "pro-painted" stuff i see on ebay...
then again, i start bids in the $100's so i make this guy look very reasonable...

believe me, there are much worse sellers out there...

cheers
jah

 

[DXM]

Do most people out there simply not know what a well painted miniature is?

You are correct!issed-off:

 

[Dragonsreach]

Outrage at "pro-painted" minis on ebay.
Several points to raise here:
1: If he is earning money by painting miniatures then Yes he is painting PROfessionally.

A friend of mine at a local game shop pointed out a vendor on ebay selling "pro-painted" miniatures. What's remarkable about this vendor's "work" is the excessive prices he's charging for extremely poor table-top quality paint jobs.
2: OK "High-ish prices" but having looked at the items on the link, they are reasonable paint jobs, better that most of the production line "pro-painted" items that's been pointed out on here before. If people pay those prices then good for him/her. Ebay is and always will be a case of buyer beware but here I think people are paying for better end/character level table top minis.

Normally I would not bother thinking a second thought about it. However, my friend and I are so horrified at how bad the paint jobs are, combined with the excessive prices *AND* how many POSITIVE reviews/transactions he has!
See point 2

Do most people out there simply not know what a well painted miniature is? Do they not know what reasonable price points are for table-top quality vs. master level quality?
The thing that's really bugging my friend is that the seller really seems to be serious about the prices he's posted all these items at. I've tried telling my friend that this seller has found a niche -- people who simply do not know better.
Are we biased, as we can both paint well over table-top quality if we choose to? Or do we simply have standards and simply cannot stoop low enough to pay prices that high for sub-standard quality?
3: To be honest here; since you have nothing in your gallery to prove your, or your friends, point about your own capability, I'm regarding this whole rant as seeming like a touch of "Sour Grapes" against someone who paints reasonably well having hit upon a market that seems to have paid off for him.

4 I find this whole thread somewhat unpleasant, as you are vilifying someone who probably does not have an account on Coolminiornot and is therefore unable to respond and or defend themselves.

 

[atacam]

I have to say I agree with Mike here. If there are people willing to pay his/her prices then so be it, good luck to them. I have never myself had any luck on ebay, I actually ended up sleeing a mini that cost £15 to buy for £8 and it was painted too, haven't done it since. issed-off:

Ok I think the paint jobs are not good, but that is only my opinion.

The only thing I can add about the painter, is that he/she was the reason that I banned ebay sales on the UKCORD, as he offered nothing to the community other than to peddle his wares, and that was not the UKCORD or the Dragon Painting forums were created for.

Its not like you havent been able to see the product before you have bought it.

Are you a disgruntled buyer?

 

[laurence]

Mini painters getting decent coin for their work is a good thing. I've always thought that most minis sell for too little. Maybe this will start a trend, and the guys producing the top notch works will start making good money for their hard work and time. Let's face it, even when considering works sold by Haley and the 'Master' painter Arjay that sometimes fetch $400/600 US dollars, this is really too little when you weigh up all of the time etc that goes into the prep/painting. It'd be great if all artists could earn a good living for their hard labor. Rant out.....

 

[freakinacage]

normally i would agree, but that guys stuff is amazing compared to some of the pro painted stuff i have seen in the past. anyone who uses that as a search modifier still is a tit, it has long since lost it's original meaning

 

[nels0nmac]

In accord with most of the above the qualtiy of the minis he is selling is pretty good, ok it's not got the wow factor but they're clean painted and nicely ( if basic) based. The price does seem a little on the high side but people will pay for painted minis if they can't / can't be bothered to paint them themselves.

 

[Shawn R. L.]

I've seen FAR worse 'pro painted' stuff. Whatever the market will bear, go for it!!

 

[EArkham]

They're not the greatest paintjobs, but to call them horrifying isn't at all fair. They're solid and straightforward, and as others have said, better than a lot of other "pro painted" stuff.

Canadian dollar isn't all THAT bad compared to the US, really. But if he's selling, good for him. Most painters sell at a massive loss anyway, taking into account the time it takes to finish a miniature.

Kep

 

[generulpoleaxe]

@carboncopy, paint for a living mate and see how little you can charge on ebay when commisions are slow.
it will change your mind on what a reasonable price is.

 

[dogfacedboy uk1]

I don't see what the problem is, the paintjobs are not really "horrific", the couple i looked at were distinctly average but neatly done to tabletop standard. At the end of the day if his customers are happy and he can make some money, its good for him and no ones elses concern. I have seen far worse work, people have their own eyes and can easily judge a "pro" standard. I mean I think Van Gough is a shit painter and yet his stuff seems to be worth a bit of money. I also echo generalpoleaxes statement up there. I dont paint on commission but i can see and understand how true that comment is. Leave the guy alone basically, you dont have to buy any of it.

dfb

PS - here's hoping for you....... http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Forgeworld-Un...em&pt=UK_Toys_Wargames_RL&hash=item27b232bc77

 

[ZaPhOd]

Yeah I would NEVER buy something painted like that for those prices and it DOES irk me that I could put up minis that blow them out of the water (in my not so humble opinion) and get less with auctions but as Mike has said, the guy has a good shop going and obviously people are happy with the product he is selling. I say good for him! It's not easy to stay motivated to pump out so much stuff like that and sell it off so leave the dude alone. There ar ea million "Pro" painters out there on ebay and this guy is better than most. After all, it's just a tag line to get more hits on the auction...

 

[supervike]

It's all about WHAT he is painting as opposed to HOW they are painted.


Lots of gamers just want a decent looking army/unit/mini to field.

More power to this guy. Call yourself a professional, it behooves him.

 

[CarbonCopy]

Thanks for the input guys, and a fair bit of a reality check.

A couple of my other local gaming friends chimed in with a couple comments (both self-admitted non-painters) over a beer or three last night quasi-celebrating Father's day here in the US (we're all Dads). These are paraphrased, but I thought they provided important details about my buddy Dave and I.

Chris: "You're just embarrassed because you guys can't paint more than three models PER YEAR between the both of you... and this guy can!"

Michael: "And he's getting reasonable money for it, when you babysit a printer all day, Dan (my real name)."

Michael had commented on my job current employer, whom I loath. I don't hate the job, it's the working conditions that suck. He has a point, especially since I had to bow out of consideration for a job over at Privateer Press that I really wanted. My Wife would have killed me over the pay difference.

And I'll be posting photos in the next 48 hours of my two most recently completed minis (other than tanks). I've completed maybe five models in the last two years (which Chris had touched on). I'm no GD level painter, but I'd probably rank a solid 7 on most of my best work.

Dave's maybe completed six models in that same time period, but I'd need to ask first. He also admitted that was likely why he was so bitter about it.

 

[Dragonsreach]

Thanks for the input guys, and a fair bit of a reality check.

A couple of my other local gaming friends chimed in with a couple comments (both self-admitted non-painters) over a beer or three last night quasi-celebrating Father's day here in the US (we're all Dads). These are paraphrased, but I thought they provided important details about my buddy Dave and I.

Chris: "You're just embarrassed because you guys can't paint more than three models PER YEAR between the both of you... and this guy can!"

Michael: "And he's getting reasonable money for it, when you babysit a printer all day, Dan (my real name)."

Michael had commented on my job current employer, whom I loath. I don't hate the job, it's the working conditions that suck. He has a point, especially since I had to bow out of consideration for a job over at Privateer Press that I really wanted. My Wife would have killed me over the pay difference.

And I'll be posting photos in the next 48 hours of my two most recently completed minis (other than tanks). I've completed maybe five models in the last two years (which Chris had touched on). I'm no GD level painter, but I'd probably rank a solid 7 on most of my best work.

Dave's maybe completed six models in that same time period, but I'd need to ask first. He also admitted that was likely why he was so bitter about it.

What an excellent and adult response.
Kudos Dan.

 

[Shawn R. L.]

Thomas Kinkade has made a FREAKIN' FORTUNE selling what in my opinion is sappy post card art. I'd say ride that horse till it drops, fortune has smiled on him so go for it!