Painting services: What's the going rate nowadays?

[Dukewilliam]

Men,

Getting back to gaming after a little while.

What are the going rates to have stuff painted, 28 and 15mm? I don't want to get robbed, money is tight as it is.

Any help, opinions, gladly accepted,

Thanks,
Steve

[Ranthony]

It depends on what you're after really.

I provide and paint 28mm at between 10 -18 pounds for foot and 4 -7 for 15mm.
It would make sense for me to paint for less and to a more basic standard, if I was doing it for the money.

I think it would be no trouble at all to find a good painter willing to knock 28's out for 5 a piece, especially if bulk painting.

Some lucky buggers are achieving hundreds per figure....

[modelwarrior]

Wow, the price of that one figure is crazy.

Depending on what you want painted I can recommend somebody for Bolt Action or 28mm. Jason Buffin at Bulldog Studios did some excellent work for me couple of years ago at an excellent price.

[tomrommel1]

I would say it depends on what you want. If you want wargaming figures which look good on the table I woulkd say 5€ per foot figure and 7€ per cavalry figure would be the price I would ask. If you want something more fancy, like that additional highlight or NMM on a leader figure it wouzld go up depending on the amount of additional work that is to do.

[tin shed gamer]

The forum has several very good commercial painters on here. I'm not just referring to the quality of their paint work. But their approach and work ethics.
In fact the only things that's going to be hard to do on here is find an unreliable one.
Personally I've work from several members ( and work I'd like done by several more.) I'm also reasonably confident I can find the right end of a brush on my own.
It may be worth while experimenting with paint yourself. With things like contrast paints , dips, and transfers.For a complete novice a reasonable DIY table top army is a lot accessible than 20 years ago .
Plus you've joined a forum where you can post your progress without judgment and get advice and tips, and problem solving from the Hive mind.
It'd make your budget a little more flexible, and allow you to cherry pick key pieces to have painted by  commercial painters as well

 

[Major_Gilbear]

If you're after "tabletop" standard (main colours blocked in neatly, a few details picked out in 1-2 colours, simple shade, 1-2 highlights), a decent rule of thumb to get a basic minimum rate would be to estimate what it would take in time to paint and multiply that by minimum wage. Mass-painting can be faster, but most painters don't really want to do units bigger than 10-15 models because it's quite tiring.

For example, if you're doing units which will largely be one colour (e.g., armoured dwarves, space marines, skeletons, etc.), you'd start with one base colour all over. Add in some details in 1-2 colours, plus a metal for weapons. Shade all over with 1-2 washes/ Highlight key areas with 1-2 highlights. Paint base, varnish the model, and then flock/tufts. To do a unit of 10 models like that might take you the better part of a day. Minimum wage in the UK is just under £9, and you probably want to add on a bit for materials. So that might be 8hrs x £9 = 72, plus say £3 for materials = £75 (or £7.50 per figure).

If you're doing a really high quality paintjob on a single figure that will take you all day, then that would be £75 for just the one figure (and it could be more if it has fancy basing with expensive materials).

I'll be honest; I personally think that's an extremely tight price, especially as minimum wage is normally for unskilled labour, whereas painting reasonably well is fairly skilled work (and especially so if you're painting a single figure to display standard!).

As an example of "tabletop" standard and achievable unit sizes, this is is probably a good benchmark, although I would expect at least a single highlighting pass in addition: http://nstarmagazine.com/OATHMARK_EXPRESS_2.htm

Of course, that's all without assembly or prep, which if you want doing would add to the time and cost...

Honestly, unless you literally have no time or space, and/or you just cannot paint for whatever reason, I don't see that getting models to the tabletop standard above yourself is unreasonable. Not to mention that if you're on a tight budget, this is undoubtedly the most economical option (provided you don't go mad on buying paints, brushes, tools, etc). Of course, if you're after something more high-end, or your chosen scheme is in colours you find difficult, then I can understand wanting to get it done professionally.

[Dukewilliam]

Thanks men.

[Moriarty]

What type of figures, and how many?

I have some time atm, and nothing pressing on the paint queue. Happy to send a sample figure.

[has.been]

As a possible alternative have you considered
buying 2nd hand figures?  Even 'tatty' ones
can be rendered useful. A 'wash' with coloured
wood stain, nice (commercially available) flag &
tarting up the bases.

Lots more examples on my thread
https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=119096.0

[Elbows]

The low end here in the U.S. for someone who is competent but not award winning tends to be around "the cost of the box".  So a $50 box...$50 to paint it.  That's on the low end.  It would also depend massively on the type of figures.  A simple Space Marine is a world of difference from a Napoleonic soldier or a zombie.

[julius1880]

I don't know if this is proper for this thread, but I'm looking for someone to paint my 28mm historicals. They are WWII, Pulp Era, WWI and some misc. Please PM me if you can point me in the right direction. Thanks,

Dave

[tin shed gamer]

Dag's
Top bloke I've somewhere between 50+ ( probably nearer 70 if not more without counting) painted figures by him. Mainly Pulp themed.
Just Drop him a P.M.

[nonsuch]

 £271

[Ranthony]

That is unbelievable, £271 for that figure, some folk have more money than sense!

I'm watching the guy's ebay page and believe it or not he's selling multiples per week, multiple bidders are seeing his figures go for 1-200 every time.

His work is good (footsore had him paint their whole range) but I know of better painters struggling to hit 50 per figure.

I'd like to think he has a millionaire clientele but the cynic in me thinks it could be a laundering op.

Who knows?

[nonsuch]

I'm watching the guy's ebay page and believe it or not he's selling multiples per week, multiple bidders are seeing his figures go for 1-200 every time.

His work is good (footsore had him paint their whole range) but I know of better painters struggling to hit 50 per figure.

I'd like to think he has a millionaire clientele but the cynic in me thinks it could be a laundering op.

Who knows?

!