Game art and animation are different facets of game creation, but they have more in common than you may think. Before you can create any game, whether it’s an RPG or FPS, there needs to be art and animation involved in some way. Good art and animation is the first thing players notice when they open up a new game, so you don’t want to get this process wrong. Luckily, there are many great tools for artists and animators to make their jobs as easy as possible when working on a video game project. This article will give you a complete guide to game art outsourcing.
What is game art outsourcing?
Game art outsourcing is when a company hires an artist from anywhere in the world to help with their project. This can be done for any part of the game, from creating textures for 3D models to designing characters by animating them. It’s possible to hire a single freelancer or multiple freelancers, depending on your needs. Freelancers are generally paid by the hour, and finding someone who will work within your budget is essential. You should also take into consideration the time difference if you’re not in the same country as they are.
What is the difference between game development outsourcing and game art outsourcing?
The difference between the two is that when you outsource your game development, the company hiring will have a team of people working on your project. If you outsource your art, the company will assign an artist to work on your project. The benefits of hiring an external game art outsource or development is that they can provide diverse skills and usually charge less than hiring in-house employees. However, there are drawbacks to both approaches. When you outsource development, it’s difficult to know how long your project will take as different people with their schedules complete all tasks.
Outsourcing of gaming art price
The price will depend on the job’s complexity, the turnaround time needed, your budget, and the type of assets being made. For example, if you want a 3D model for a high-quality character for an indie RPG, it may cost around $5-$10k, depending on the detail level. If you need 2D sprites or animations for an 8-bit platformer, you might only be looking at about $2k. Remember that these are only ballpark prices, so always ask for quotes from multiple studios before deciding. Plus, keep in mind that this is just one aspect of game development costs. You’ll also need programmers, designers, writers, audio engineers, composers, and others working with you to make a game successful.
How does a game art studio differ from a game art outsourcing studio?
- The team size at a typical Game Arts Studio is much larger than an outsourcing studio.
- Game Art Studios work on a single product, while an outsourcing studio might work on multiple games with different studios or clients.
- Outsourcing studios are always looking for new talent. At the same time, Game Art Studios typically have more established artists and designers looking for a specific skill set they need to fill in their team.
- An outsourcing studio provides only one type of service, while Game Art Studios usually provide many services, such as modeling, texturing, rigging, animating, programming and design.
- An outsourcer can do your entire project, whereas Game Art Studios are often too specialized to be able to handle the entire project themselves.
- An outsource provider can help you grow your internal staff, but a Game Art Studio cannot help you do this because they offer only temporary employment services via contracts.
- If a Game Art Studio is the right fit for your project, it’s best to use them early in development so they can start contributing ideas early on rather than later when it might be difficult to change direction.
Various types of game art
There are several types of games that exist; including:
- Pixel Art
This type of art requires a lot of patience, but it is well worth it because the final product will be unique and attractive. The artist can choose any colors they want, which means there are no limitations when it comes to creativity. Pixel art also has a retro style that looks great on any screen.
- Raster Art
This is an inexpensive technique that uses shapes, lines, and fills. The art can be created digitally or on paper and scanned into a computer for editing. Creating high-quality vector graphics with this technique is easy, but it takes a lot of practice. Outsourced animation services often turn to this method if they don’t have access to more expensive programs like Adobe Illustrator. Another advantage is that artists don’t need other design skills besides drawing skills to make raster art.
- Concept Art
Before a video game is created, an artist must create concept art. Concept art can be used in many different ways, but it typically serves as a guide for what will be seen on-screen. It may be used as promotional artwork to help sell the idea of a game before production begins, or it may help animation outsource work out their ideas visually. Once the game is released, concept art helps players who might not be familiar with the world understand where they should go and what dangers lurk ahead.
Why consider Game Art
- The steady growth of the gaming industry
With the steady growth of the gaming industry, there is no better time than now for those who wish to join in on this lucrative market. It is expected that by 2022, revenues from the video games market will reach $128 billion annually. People will always want to play video games. This has been proven time and time again as new gaming consoles are released every decade or so.
- Great salary opportunities.
As with any other creative industry, salaries are based on experience. The average annual salary of a 3D animator or video editor is $56,260, while those in upper management can earn six-figure salaries. An artist with five years of experience earns an average of $72,000 per year which would increase to about $105,000 after ten years.
- Room to grow within the company
Working within the gaming industry offers people room to grow personally and professionally. Many job positions are available, not just in programming, design, and marketing. You have all it takes to succeed in the industry if you have good ideas, a strong work ethic, and good communication skills. In addition, there is room to specialize within the industry, making it easy for employees to find their perfect niche.
- You get to be your boss
Many companies provide benefits packages such as health insurance, 401Ks, and more. However, before anyone jumps into Game Art, they should consider some downsides to the industry. For example, freelance rates are low in comparison to other industries. Freelancers often do not get benefits like health insurance and pension plans offered by full-time jobs.
Conclusion
If you’re interested in exploring the world of Game Art and Animation, look at our A Complete Guide to Game Art and Animation. You’ll learn what you need to know before deciding if Game Art is right for you and how much money you can make.
Bio:
Yuriy Denisyuk is Game Production Lead at Pingle Studio. He’s responsible for successfully managing the Game Production pipeline. Yuriy is this lucky person who plays the best games for work in order to keep up with trends and create new ones. He likes writing, reading Manga, fantasy, and professional literature in his free time.
