"Hire a Better Painter" Topic

Which manufacturer would most improve their sales by hiring someone else to paint their display figures for new-release announcements?

Old Glory. Dipping bare metal does nothing for me.

They don't need "someone else". they just need "someone". And also "someone to take pictures".

(Closely followed by "But, John. You just don't understand…" )

Black Cat Bases.
Black Scorpion
Black Orc Miniatures

Wait… I see a trend here…

JTM Enterprises

Rusted Heroes. While the owner who is the painter is a really good painter skill wise his color choices always to me make his minis look not nearly as good as they could if someone else painted them.

Will work for minis…

Studio berstrom The picks on the site are ….not good and make is product look second rate . in person the stuff is very nice . Somtimes its the photo not the paint job .

Rebel Miniatures

Generally speaking Old Glory figures look better unpainted. To bring out their best qualities you need to tie them to a length of fishing line, with a hook attached and cast them into a body of water containing quantities of fish.

I'm gonna have to agree with Rebel Minis… while they look nice I think they could be a lot better…and it would really show off the miniatures.

I have to agree with richarDISNEY…Black Orc Miniatures leads the pack in my mind for bad paint jobs.
Black Scorpion on the other hand doesn't need it. They have a few very nice paint jobs on their site, but the images they have of their unpainted miniatures are fair sized, crisp and detailed…good enough.

Rebel Miniatures

um…Doesn't Jeff/BWS paint at least some of these? I think he posted the 15mm Supers were his some time back.

I always feel so loved!! In total honesty -- it is very satisfying to hear the extreme responses either way about our product -- for real.
It indicates that in one way or another we have stirred the pot.
Regards
Russ Dunaway

odiaboloiro…
I was working on some OG pirates this week, and I could not figure out if they were barefoot or had boots on…

Stirred the pot or deposited something in the bowl. You say tomatoe, I say tomato.

Tastes and budgets differ. Whilst many aspire to owning a German engineered car, not everyone has the means for Mercedes or a BMW, some have to settle for a Trabant. You meet the needs of the market perfectly in this respect.

In fairness there is the occasional gem from OG, some of the guns are very good.

I once had a Jag JR6 -- a absolute piece of crap-- my wife drove a Ford Granada -- The Ford lasted 8 more years and had a much smoother ride. I imagine some people are just more susceptible to pretty pictures and clever marketing as I cannot imagine why some spend the ridulous prices on figures and once painted and on the table they all look pretty much the same.
As far as the OG pirates? I, as well as thousands of other gamers (I really don't think we should regard them as all being fools) seem to like them and are capable of seeing the distiguishing features? I quite love them and would own no other pirates other then them and the wonderful Foundry pirates.
Regards
Russ Dunaway

I don't want to slam any painters since beauty is in the eye of the beholder and no one on the manufacturer sites is holding out photos painted of their figures for praise concerning their painting talents. That said….

I think a nice grey primer would be best. Black wash usually looks horrid. Have a 'gallery' section for painted figures if you feel you must, and then you really want 'Golden Demon' quality painting to 'sell' the figs--or at least really good paint jobs.

I'd like to see close up photos of each figure if possible. Several figs in a line is fine. Then make sure the photos are large so we can see the detail on our large 22"+ monitors, which are becoming the standard.

um…Doesn't Jeff/BWS paint at least some of these? I think he posted the 15mm Supers were his some time back.

Don't know, but it's either the paint jobs or the pictures that aren't doing the minis justice.

I was working on some OG pirates this week, and I could not figure out if they were barefoot or had boots on

ROTFL

If you don't see the toes, the feet are probably stuck in the sand?

Essex Miniatures.

I've been buying their figures (15mm)for years and years. While their online catalogue has lots of pictures not many are painted and those that are don't do them any favours.

It's a pity because I think the sculpting style is great and a professional painter would remind people what a huge excellent range they have.

Cool pics!

You want everything done professionally, by some professional.
A professional photographer, a professional painter, a professional web designer with the latest tricks of the trade, but then you bitch about the price that is passed on to the miniatures for getting all that professionalism. You complain about Foundry, Games Workshop, Flames of War, etc.

If you want parity across the board in terms of images and web design, then let the manufacturers form a union where all miniatures are price the same as the highest price miniature available. No sales, No army card, no discounts. Then there will be no complaints.

And John, it is easy to point out "but" when you have most the day to communicate on a forum like this.

Black Cat Bases could present their excellent figures better.

If you want parity across the board in terms of images and web design

I don't remember anyone saying that, actually.

Old Glory. Dipping bare metal does nothing for me.

They don't need "someone else". they just need "someone". And also "someone to take pictures".

(Closely followed by "But, John. You just don't understand…" )

"You're missing the point!"

:-D

"… I cannot imagine why some spend the ridulous prices on figures and once painted and on the table they all look pretty much the same.

Excuse me, but they all pretty much do not look the same, to many, many people, including myself, and my eyes are less than half what they used to be.

There is nothing wrong with fielding forces of less detail in sculpt or paint, if the customer is happy with what they have. But to many gamers, the trees cannot be hidden by the forest, and their desires for high detail sculpts and color are a part of their criteria ofr enjoying the hobby.

Neither segment of the hobby, on either side of the producer/consumer line, has any right to knock the other for their marketing or their preferences.