A Cost vs. Value Analysis of What to Expect When Contracting Out Concept Art and 2D Game Art

Many game studios now use outsourcing as their go-to tactic when trying to increase production, cut costs, or find specialized personnel throughout the world. Making educated hiring decisions—especially when you plan to hire concept artists or 2D game artists—requires understanding the cost vs. value trade-off. Whether you’re a mid-sized company managing several projects or an independent team creating your first mobile game, this analysis is crucial.

This document outlines the costs, advantages, dangers, and long-term return on investment of hiring concept artists or 2D game artists from outside your core team.

The Distinction Between 2D Game Art and Concept Art

It’s critical to comprehend the roles before delving into the outsourcing model:

• The first visual blueprints are made by concept artists. Characters, settings, props, and the overall aesthetic are all visualized. Their creative and experimental work is frequently utilized to direct production teams or present ideas to stakeholders.

• These ideas are transformed by 2D game artists into production-ready assets, including backdrops, UI components, animation-ready art, and sprites, which may then be added straight into the game engine. If you plan to hire 2D game artist professionals, these specialists play a vital role in turning concepts into polished in-game visuals.

Depending on your project’s stage, budget, and internal resources, you may choose to outsource one or both.

Cost Considerations When You Hire Concept Artists or 2D Game Artists

1. Project and hourly rates

Concept artists: Hourly rates vary from $25 to $150 based on location, level of skill, and style complexity.

2D game artists often charge between $20 and $100 per hour, depending on the engine requirements, revision cycles, and asset type.

Additionally, project-based pricing is typical, particularly for full-level asset production, environment mockups, and character design packs.

2. Pricing Based on Location

Compared to hiring in North America or Western Europe, hiring from places like Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, or Latin America can save expenditures by 30 to 60%.

This makes it easier for studios with limited funds to recruit concept artists or 2D game artists without sacrificing the caliber of the talent.

3. Unstated Expenses

• Changes brought about by ambiguous briefs

• Overhead in communication, particularly between time zones

• Misalignment in art style that has to be fixed

• Clarification of IP/legal contracts and royalties

• Language or cultural hurdles causing delays

You may prevent underestimating your outsourcing budget by being aware of these hidden expenses.

Value Analysis: The Benefits of Contracting Out

1. Availability of Skilled Talent

Concept artists that specialize in specialized genres, such as cyberpunk, pixel graphics, or stylized fantasy, can be hired through outsourcing without having to commit to a full-time pay. These experts frequently contribute distinct storytelling depth and vision that improve your game’s artistic approach.

Employing 2D game artist teams with expertise in asset optimization for Unity, Unreal, or mobile platforms is another option. This guarantees that the artwork is not only visually appealing but also technically sound and prepared for performance.

2. Quicker Manufacturing

Because freelancers and art vendors frequently have defined workflows, you can swiftly scale up or down in response to deadlines. Without increasing your long-term workforce, hiring more workers for short-term sprints or asset packs helps you stay on track with your project.

3. Scalability Without Expense

You may increase your asset output without having to pay for full-time employee benefits, onboarding, and training. This flexibility is especially helpful for independent developers and businesses that have to carefully control burn rates.

4. Diversity in Creativity

Outsourcing can improve the visual appeal of your game and bring in fresh creative viewpoints. Working together with artists from various locales and backgrounds can inspire creative design concepts and styles.

5. Pre-production Risk Mitigation

Before spending money on full-time personnel, it’s frequently more cost-effective to outsource exploratory sketches and style guides if your game is still in the exploratory stage. You can choose whether to create an internal team after your vision is clear.

Key Factors to Maximize ROI

1. Clearly defined briefs and art direction

Technical specifications, well-defined deliverables, and unambiguous visual references are the foundation of any successful outsourcing collaboration. This includes wireframes that eliminate guesswork, mood boards, and inspiration libraries.

2. Evaluation of the Portfolio

Employ concept artists or 2D game artists only whose work fits the tone and intended platform of your game. Check for familiarity with related genres and stylistic fit.

3. Trial Assignments

To assess communication, turnaround time, and quality, begin with a brief test task. This is particularly crucial when collaborating for the first time with a new artist or studio.

4. Terms of Ownership and Licensing

Make sure your contracts are flawless and make it clear who owns the intellectual property. Take into account NDAs, usage rights, and provisions pertaining to reselling or future changes.

5. Regular Feedback Loops

To ensure quality and alignment, schedule frequent reviews and touchpoints. Early feedback facilitates course correction before excessive time is spent.

First Risk: Vision Misalignment

Solution: Make use of comprehensive style manuals, color schemes, and reference materials up front.

Second Risk: Missed Due Dates

Solution: Establish distinct benchmarks with built-in buffer time and feedback windows.

Third Risk: Language or time zone barriers pose a third risk.

Solution: Employ artists with a lot of experience working remotely and use collaboration platforms like Trello, Slack, or Notion.

Fourth Risk: Variability in Quality

Solution: Collaborate with musicians who provide postpartum assistance or establish enduring connections with carefully selected talent.

When Is It Time to Outsource?

• Visual prototypes for a pitch or demo must be created quickly.

• A certain genre or visual style is unfamiliar to your internal staff.

• The goal is to create a polished vertical slice or MVP.

• You have a set budget and are unable to hire full-time employees.

Final Thoughts

When done carefully, outsourcing concept art and 2D game art can yield enormous benefits. Although it may be tempting to concentrate only on hourly rates, the real return on investment is found in obtaining high-quality, engine-ready assets that complement the vision and performance objectives of your game.

You may unlock a potent combination of freedom, quality, and innovation when you work with concept artists and 2D game artists who are professionals who understand your creative vision, development restrictions, and production timeframes.

Consider outsourcing as more than simply a transactional handoff; consider it an extension of your team. Outsourcing can become a key component of your game development strategy if you have clear communication, reasonable expectations, and trustworthy personnel. This will enable you to produce visually appealing, player-ready experiences more quickly and effectively.