Are GW Retail Employees Lacking in Paint and Model Skills?

[Beppo1234]

I'm writing this, because I remember going into GW back in the early 90s, and being blown away by the ace paint jobs I'd see, displayed at the stores. But lately (well up to a year ago atleast) I noticed that the quality of paint jobs at my local GW to be a far lower level, than when I first started in the hobby. It was those amazing paint jobs that really inspired me to take up and stay in the hobby... and I'm still working slowly towards such a level, though I lack the patience. Part of the reason I'd go to GW is to get inspired by the work on display there... but now I usually come here, or a couple of other sites to get a good looksie at some pimp miniatures. But nothing beats seeing a nicely painted miniature in person.

Now I'm sure every GW store is different, and I'm sure that some have some really awesome painters on staff. But I was wondering, do you share this sentiment. Is there a lack of a master painters on staff at your local GW?

[Lord Inquisitor]

I don't know if this is a general trend or not but I can give you a couple of hypotheses:

- what seemed awesome to us back in the nineties might not look so great now
- GW have cut back on staff. Less staff per store, less chance of one good painter making the store look good

[Hendarion]

There is only one thing they surely lack: Time.
I've seen employees painting like masters if you gave them that time.
I've also seen employees paint like starters. So what? Nobody ever said they have to be good at it. They aren't paid for being superb painters, that's the job of the 'Eavy Metal team.

Also (and thats kinda going hand in hand with what Lord Inquisitor said): The better your own skills turn, the worse the store-minis seam to become.

[Beppo1234]

trust me, the minis from the 90s were on par with eavy metal... at least at my local gw.

[Drasanil]

I've also seen employees paint like starters. So what? Nobody ever said they have to be good at it. They aren't paid for being superb painters, that's the job of the 'Eavy Metal team.

Been a few years since I last went to a GW store, but painting and modeling well were part of the job description back then. The intro games don't play themselves, just like the starter sets and store armies don't paint themselves. Lack luster paint jobs don't move models like good ones after all.

[DYoung]

Now that you mention it, I think you're right. On the other hand, they probably seemed more impressive because I was pretty rubbish and my memory is likely distorted since I was under 10.

I do however get the impression that GW employees these days (perhaps always, I don't know) are hired more for their sales skills than anything else. Can anyone that works at GW confirm whether a background in Warhammer is even a necessity to work there?

[Corvus Corone]

The recruitment policy has changed. Back in the day, having a great knowledge of the games rules and/or excellent painting skills was pretty high on the list of things that might get you a job. Nowadays, they look for other features, such as a warm and enthusiastic personality, because they know that if you hire the right people, you can teach the skills later, whereas if you hire someone who's got good painting skills but won't engender people to the hobby, then you're not growing the hobby.

From the horses mouth, more or less, since I was working there fairly recently.

[VendableFall]

i applied for a part time job at a GW store, (which i was grossly overqualified to do, having a double major degree in mgmt/mgmt science, several computing certs and experience in hospitality), because i loved the hobby and wanted to share my passion, i presented my C.V with all of my Hobby experience dating back to 2nd edition, and across all GW gaming systems bar Necromunda, and a few photos of my best painted models (far better than what they had on display instore) i didnt get an interview because i had no sales experience -_-, worked out for the best n the end as i now work for the Govt in IT, earning far more than i would at GW, but i was a little shocked that generic sales experience trumped genuine passion and experience with GW stuff and a proven ability to preform...

[Beppo1234]

I do however get the impression that GW employees these days (perhaps always, I don't know) are hired more for their sales skills than anything else. Can anyone that works at GW confirm whether a background in Warhammer is even a necessity to work there?

Logan Lubera was the manager was the manager at GW Toronto when I was growing up, and his minis were breath taking. When he had his falling out with GW he was replaced with better sales pitchers, with lower skills in the painting department. So I can agree with this point. But that initial attraction, the thing that draws you to the store, is beautifully painted minis.

[Akkaryn]

I have to agree with the time comment,

The manager (and only employee) of my local GW is a great painter, some of the stuff is crazy good, but the sheer amount of stuff he needs to paint for a new release is somewhat harsh when there are often 6-8 people gaming/painting, one or two people in actually buying stuff. It's no wonder they take shortcuts sometimes.

Hell for the flyer release one person building all 3 flyers takes enough time.

[Shamutanti]

Can anyone that works at GW confirm whether a background in Warhammer is even a necessity to work there?

You dont need warhammer knowledge (be it painting, gaming, whatever) to be a staff member of GW.

Amusingly some of the best staff I know (as actual people who do their job, hit target, etc.) weren't involved in the hobby initially.

[gunmnky]

My GW is open from 2pm to 8pm and closed for 30 minutes for lunch. It's run by one guy (yes, that means the same person works every day of every month for the year by himself). I've watched the store policy go from experienced employees, painted models required to play, and a thriving gaming community to inept employees that don't know any of the rules or the back ground, can't paint, and rig tournaments so their friends can win stuff. Now it's just one guy and the place is almost never open. The player base completely dried out. If you can get a game in, it's against a half built, heavily proxied (by proxy I mean just a base or a painted cereal box). Then you have to put up with people whining about your list When their bargain "I copied the picture in the back of the codex" army falls apart.

It's kind of depressing to look back on 1997 - 2001 and see a lot of fun campaigns like Armageddon and the thriving specialist games like Mordheim, where you could always find a willing opponent for a fun game. Now it's run more like a day care.

[Yodhrin]

I don't see why this comes as a shock to people, GW was a "hobby" company while it built its brand, it followed the Evangelical model; get the core into the store and fired up, and they'll go out and rope in their friends. These days they're a highstreet retailer, their IP has been the basis for some of the decade's most popular computer games, and they have an entirely different corporate attitude; it's only natural that attitude would filter down to the stores.

It is a bit depressing though. Seeing Mordheim mentioned brings back memories of the time my local store built a huge multi-level table just to run the demo games on, and we got to use it for our campaigns, these days you're lucky if you get more than a flocked Realm of Battle board and a couple of ludicrously expensive GW-official trees.

[Aegius]

I worked for GW retail from 2004 - 2007. Back then it was a requirement to play at least 2 of the 3 game systems and bring in some of your painted models for your interview. I don't know whether this is still the case.

My models were only of a very average standard when I attended my interview, but as my manager was something of a master painter, my standard went up exponentially over the following few months. With the new 1 man stores, the range of modelling/painting experience has very little chance to filter through to different staff members. Add the fact that you've got 1 person painting up ALL of the models for a new release along with intro models for all of the demo games, and all for what is only just over minimum wage, are you suprised that the standard of modelling/painting isn't what it used to be years ago?

[williamsond]

I remember back it the 80's when GW started and it was as you say a hobby company now it's just a business, like you say it's a shame. I found that the local independant retailers (if you can find one) seem to be a much better place to enjoy the hobby. I'm sick of the hard sell to be honest.

As you say the fantastic miniture paint jobs were one of the things that inspired me when I started gaming. It's seems to me that the standard in white dwarf (while normally very high) is also starting to flag a bit, one of my ex GW buddies said that they have had a lot of turn around of late within the Evy Metal team (not suprising when you see how much the guys get paid) and don't get me started on the use of blue tac in WD these days its getting criminal.

[yabbadabba]

Its a totally different situation. Its like saying that you thought the British Army looked great in their redcoats and its a shame you don't see them anymore on the battlefield and does this mean the British soldier is no longer proud of his role.

I am sure there are bound to be plenty of moans and rose-tinted trips down memory lane now.

[t-tauri]

Moved to GW general.

[yabbadabba]

Moved to GW general.

You can't do that! I hate GW General, being there will ruin my reputation

[Goatlust]

I was talking with a Games Workshop employee who was creating some new and exciting terrain for one of their boards for demo games. He said that they had been told by the people directing things on a large scale that they would be trying to 'wow' people now with great looking models and terrain for the demo games. He said that previously the direction they were told to take with store models and terrain had been to do minimal converting and to paint them to a decent standard that would be easy for someone to replicate. So it was more of a case of 'if you put in some effort, you can make your miniatures look just like this without learning advanced techniques' as opposed to 'this is an amazing model of a standard which is going to be difficult to replicate for most people'. This might just be Australia only but it's something to keep in mind.

[Marshal_Loss]

It used to shock me but yeah so long as they can run the introductory tutorials I don't think it matters to GW