"Ever use Miniaturelovers.com/Frenando Enterprises" Topic

Has anyones sent off their miniatures to be painted at;

miniaturelovers.com

which is also named Fernando Enterprises Miniature Painting Service based out of Sri Lanka.

I'm seriously considering sending my Reaper lot when it comes in in March. I'm looking for someone who can give me feedback on fantasy miniature paint jobs (examples of minis would be elves, dwarves, halflings, dragons, orcs, etc.) from this company.

I can't speak for fantasy, but Fernando did 300 28mm AWI Hessians for me and they were painted exactly as I asked.
The trick is to provide as much info/painting guides as possible.
I would absolutely use his service again.

I used them for 10mm Napoleonics. Really good work (moustaches on Cuirassiers). I got wargamer standard which was excellent value for the scale. The higher standard is very good but an overkill on 10mm. I did a magic wash over the top to protect them and shade.

There packaging is very good to protect the minis, takes a while to unpack. Speed is ok, but I was not in a rush. They sent pics of painted samples to check before finishing the rest of the unit. Very professional to deal with overall. I will use them many times again.

I have seen samples of their bigger scale work at a convention and was impressed.

More pics and a review can be seen here on my blog – link

I sent detailed pictures of the uniforms so they could make the correct units. Not sure how you would go with fantasy with many individual pictures, styles. Email Sanarth and see what he says.

Worth looking in to

Ironlegs
10mmnapoleonics.blogspot.com

The key is to send good reference. I have heard, for example, stories like the following:

Sent an Osprey and got back 300 sergeants (because the plat had chevrons, they all got chevrons)

Sent a picture. It came back with bits of paint all along the edges as they matched the color perfectly. BUT it was an old water color Osprey type and the colors in the picture were very muted. "Forward the Muted Brigade!"

I have used them myself and been very happy with the results.

Doesn't apply to you but sending a painted sample is the best route.

they can easily do minor changes if you spell it out: for my cavalry i specified 20% black horses, 20% chestnut, 20% light brown etc. Ditto for things like minor colors of blanket rolls: 20% light gray, 30% dark gray, 30% dark blue, 10% light blue, 10% pale green.

I had some 28mm SYW stuff done by them a while back and was *extremely* pleased with them – I went with the bog standard "collector" quality and frankly thought the end result was well above and beyond the call of duty – the Prussian "black" hussars in particular were blooming lovely.

I have used both, albeit some years ago. I found both were good, but preferred Fernando. The comments above are right. Send good reference and leave nothing to chance.

I packaged each lot of figs together with exact reference. So 20 infantry with pink facings were in a plastic bag with their reference, and 20 near identical with green facings were in another bag with their reference.

Since then I have been using Reinforcements by Post, but unfortunately they are closing down so I will be going back to Fernando.

I appreciate the good references as this makes me feel more comfortable when parting with several hundred dollars! This information is helpful, however is there anyone who had FANTASY painting done? I'm thinking painting fantasy figures, like I mention above, seems to me to be a much different style of painting and coloring? I'm brand new to painting miniatures because all the ones I own are pre-painted DDMs and I don't paint minis myself.

I have heard, for example, stories like the following:

But since they send you a photo of the painted figure for approval, it is easy to have them fix any errors.

I have used both, albeit some years ago. I found both were good, but preferred Fernando.

Two names, same company

I have done two large orders with Fernando, 28mm AWI. Very high quality painting; just be sure to tell them exactly what you want.

Good company with lots of individuals-some are better than others. They are better for uniformed troops as it is hard to send a barbarian army of 300 with 300 pictures attached as a reference.

They send lots of pics and there is god communication so some things can be changed. I think if you send them ACW with a sample figure, it is no problem.

Shipping seems to cost about $100 USD-$125 round trip at least. It takes much longer to get to Sri Lanka than to get back. Be ready to wait. Can take 4 months to get stuff back. No rush , no problem.

They serve a purpose and fill it dutifully I must say. I would recommend them with no problem. Figure that 100 models at 28mm will cost you 160.00 and $100 USD shipping Total $260 USD and the wait plus the cost of the miniatures at collector quality which is their cartooney style. I personally like it so I guess I am subjective.

'I have used both, albeit some years ago. I found both were good, but preferred Fernando.'

Quite right. I was getting confused with another Sri Lankan company I tried. Can't remember the name offhand.

I think you mean Philgreg. I would add the following to the list of painters I have used and recommend:

Bob Bowling @ RLBPS
Philgreg (also out of Sri Lanka)
Evil Bob
Dragon Painting Service out of China

You may find this of some use:

link

If your not in a tremendous hurry I can do them for you. Im also located in the US so I should save you some shipping cost. Leave an email and I can send you some pics of my work.

Yes Philgreg. Thanks EC.

DPS has a track record with the gw crowd, though never used them for such.

I have sent Fernando seven orders, the last 5 in excess of $1,000.00 USD each. The first order had some glitches as I did not yet know the level of detail needed for the instructions. All the rest, with extensive detail or pictures or painted samples supplied have been good. The fifth order was spectacularly good. I trust them.

Friends and I have used them for Seven Years War French, Indians, Prussians, British, Austrians and Russians, all very nice. Likewise ACW Union and Confederate, all in 15mm.

I echo the comments above, be precise with directions. As stated, they email photos these days and that identifies any problems before the whole batch is done.

I did have to touch up some of the Indians. White loin cloths made some look rather more like Gandhi type Indians, but a few touches of the brush and they looked like Shawnee.

I have used Fernando's service and they were great. Like Extra Crispy says, they will paint your figs EXACTLY like your example. So sending a painted figure is best, if all of them are going to look the same. They do not use their imagination or try to use intuition to get what you want.

I have been sending figures to Fernando's for ten years and love everything the company had done. Here are some.

Some gangsters I had painted in armed and unarmed versions..

These comments are helpful but I sure would like someone to posts pictures of fantasy miniature paint jobs by Fernando! Soldiers seem to be an all together different color scheme?

visit these links to see fantasy mini pictures;
link
link
link

look forward to receive your painting enquiry.
Sanath