Gaming News
How to Find Game Artists for Hire? HR Tips [Updated 2023]
How can you find game artists for hire today? It is as easy as one-two-three – just go where there are a lot of specialists! There are hundreds of talented and skilled game artists out there waiting for your job offer. The only thing is to find the best ones and start collaborating with them for the benefit of your business project. No idea where the artists hang out?
Let’s figure it out together.
3 Common Ways to Hire Game Artists Today
1. Freelancing Platforms Like Upwork or Freelancer
Many professionals are ready to connect and collaborate remotely. Affordability, flexible schedule, freedom, and independence are just several advantages of hiring freelancers. On top of all that, you have the chance to shortlist specialists based on your own needs – all you need to do is to try your luck. Don’t hope that the first available freelancer is your dream worker.
Finding freelancers is easy – in addition to well-known platforms, they often hang out on social networks, bulletin boards, thematic forums, and job search channels in messengers.
Pros of Freelance Employees
Huge
selection of specialists
UpWork, Freelancer, Fiverr, Toptal and other platforms are filled
with experts from different fields with different backgrounds and skills. So
here you will probably find the one you need
Free
hire
There is no need to sign contracts and provide the employee with
equipment and software. You pay for the work on a specific project, you can
interrupt cooperation at any time and decide for yourself whether to
cooperate with this expert again
Fast
adaptation
Freelancers are constantly working on different projects, so they are
especially good at adapting to new conditions and features without the
downtime and unnecessary questions
Cost-effectiveness
Freelance collaborations are more affordable than hiring in-house
employees, because you only pay for the deliverables, avoiding overheads,
insurance and sick leave. In addition, there is a wide range of specialist
rates, and you can always choose an option within your budget
Flexibility
Employees hired through freelance platforms are usually very flexible
in collaboration. You can contact them at any time when an unforeseen urgent
task appears and agree on its completion at the time you need. If one
specialist cannot take on the task, you can easily choose another
Cons of Freelance Employees
One
at a time hiring
UpWork, Freelancer, Fiverr, Toptal and other platforms are filled
with experts from different fields with different backgrounds and skills. So
here you will probably find the one you need
No
quality guarantees
There is no need to sign contracts and provide the employee with
equipment and software. You pay for the work on a specific project, you can
interrupt cooperation at any time and decide for yourself whether to
cooperate with this expert again
Communication
problems
If employees are located in a different time zone, then they will not
be able to provide you with an instant answer to your question, request or
message. This can greatly delay the work on the project
Style
inconsistency
Every freelancer has a different drawing style, which may not match
the company’s overall artistic approach to work. This can result in
inconsistent projects that do not fit each other in style
Privacy
concerns
If you need to hand over confidential materials, drawings, or models
to freelancers to work on an assignment, you have no guarantee that they will
not use them for their personal purposes for other projects
When is hiring a freelancer a good option? Working with a freelancer can pay off if you need to complete one specific task that is unlikely to be repeated in the future and does not require the involvement of a large team or hiring an in-house employee.
2. In-House Employees Working on the Company Premises
In this case, take into account the expenses of this employment – the price of hiring each specialist (there should be a recruiter who you need to pay for searching the necessary worker quickly), the cost of office services, including rentals (if the office premises aren’t bought out) and many others. You or your accountants will only find time to settle accounts for everything in brick-and-mortar offices and outside (various team-building activities and parties). But there is another side of the story – you’re guaranteed that your team will be physically present in a company. The constant face-to-face communication will contribute to the final results enormously.
You can find in-house employees on LinkedIn, on job boards, in recruiting agencies, in thematic groups of social networks and messenger channels, on hiring marketplaces, etc. Remember that recruiting, onboarding, and training employees will take time, so don’t expect them to be immediately useful.
Pros of In-House Employees
Live
communication
Working in the office, you have the opportunity to communicate
face-to-face with each employee, ensuring the fast transmission of the
necessary information and instant feedback
High
motivation
Some workers find it difficult to adjust to remote work and establish
the necessary discipline. The business atmosphere of the office encourages
many to work much better, positively affecting efficiency
Deep
understanding
In-house employees work on a project from the moment the idea appears
so that they understand its ins and outs best of all. They do not need
additional time to delve into it
Professional
development
In-house hiring allows you to grow talents from junior to senior
levels and instill in them the skills you need. Career growth will increase
employee loyalty, and the company will have a unique customized specialist
Fast
problem solving
Offline work mode and the presence of all employees in one place
allows solving any technical or project issue much faster than if the team
worked remotely
Cons of In-House Employees
Additional
expenses
Office maintenance will cost you a pretty penny: you have to think
about renting, equipping workers and buying software, office supplies,
products, onboarding and training of new specialists and so on
Location
limitation
You can recruit employees only from your city or offer additional
relocation bonuses for those who are ready to relocate: this significantly
narrows the range of search for specialists
Time
spent
Finding specialists, interviewing and hiring takes a lot of time.
After that, a certain period is required for onboarding and adaptation, only
after which employees can fully immerse themselves in projects
Dependence
on employees
If one of the experts falls ill or goes on vacation, this can
negatively affect the project or slow down the work on specific tasks. You
will also have to think about the replacement and familiarization of the new
expert with the tasks and spend additional resources on it
Unstable
retention rate
Other companies often try to lure qualified specialists with more
favorable conditions and higher salaries. There is always a risk that your
lead specialist will decide to change jobs at the most inopportune moment
When is hiring an in-house team a good option? Working with an in-house team and all the associated costs are relevant if you want to start developing a complex and resource-intensive product that requires high concentration and increased attention. Then the team at your side will provide a much better understanding of the nuances and a quick response to changes.
3. Outsourcing Services
This is a rapidly growing trend, and it is not surprising – a professional team of workers is gathered and ready to work on the tasks they specialize in. Many large organizations of various activities from around the world appreciated the convenience of this hiring method: Kevuru Games has all the necessary specialists of all levels and skills to deal with gaming projects. You as a client can hire us to help with your specific needs. All the requirements, terms and conditions, guarantees of cooperation are put in a contract so that you and we can be sure of the effective work later on down the line. Contact us anytime.
If you are looking for an outsourcing company, pay attention to authoritative ratings and reviews of platforms like DesignRush, Clutch or GoodFirms: qualified studios must have accounts there. There you can also read customer reviews and see a portfolio, a more detailed version of which can be found on the studio’s website.
Pros of Outsourcing Employees
Flexible
cooperation models
An outsourcing company forms a team depending on your needs and can
easily change its composition during the work on a project if someone’s
services are no longer needed
High
qualifications and QA
The staff of such studios consists of highly qualified experts with extensive
experience who can immediately take on the most complex projects. Also, the
team adheres to clear quality criteria, which guarantees an excellent result
Affordability
You save resources on interviews, training, workplace equipment and
other nuances inevitable when hiring in-house
employees. The budget is agreed upon, and the work on the project is
adjusted to it based on your financial capabilities and expectations
A
large pool of experts
Outsourcing companies have many departments including specialists in
art, animation, programming, testing and more. You get instant access to all
of them without the need for an additional search of the necessary experts
High
speed of work
Employees of outsourcing companies are experienced professionals who
have faced tasks of varying complexity and who know how to work under tight
deadlines without affecting quality. A large number of employees allows
assigning them several tasks at the same time
Cons of Outsourcing Employees
The
difficulty of choice
There are many outsourcing companies and it is often difficult to
choose the optimal option. We encourage you to read our guide on this topic,
which will help shed light on the nuances of choosing a partner
Remote
communication
Some may consider this a disadvantage, it is difficult for someone to
cooperate without even seeing their partner in person. However, modern
realities rather speak in favor of this type of work
Management
issues
There is a possibility that the project management on the outsourcing
company’s side is far from perfect, and the team needs your constant control
Hidden
costs
It is necessary to thoroughly agree on all financial issues before
proceeding to cooperation. Sometimes testing, management or marketing services
are not included in the price and are calculated separately, which results in
unplanned expenses
Privacy
disclosure
Outsourcing tasks often require coverage of IP details and secret
nuances of the project. To avoid problems of possible leakage of valuable
information, it is necessary to take care of a non-disclosure agreement drawn
up in accordance with the legislation of the country where the outsourcing
studio is located
When is hiring an outsourcing company a good option? This is almost always a good option. The outsourcing model of team building is very flexible: the studio can select either one or dozens of experts to complete your tasks. Moreover, they are all highly qualified and ready to start work immediately. You can cooperate both one-time and permanently, depending on your satisfaction with the results of the studio.
Average Salaries of Game Artists
If you’ve never hired a game artist before or have no slightest idea about the cost of their work, the next information is for you.
According to ZipRecruiter offers some numbers for consideration.
Average Rates Per Hour for Specialists Engaged in Game Art
Art Services US UK Germany Eastern Europe 2D artist $30 $25 $20 $10 3D artist $33 $28 $23 $13 2D animator $30 $25 $20 $10 3D animator $36 $30 $36 $16 Concept artist $40 $30 $30 $16 Game designer $54 $31 $46 $17
The data on rates per hour is calculated based on the average salaries of game specialists per year, taken from the PayScale and Indeed platforms.
Key Requirements for Game Artists
To be a well-paid game artist, a person must fulfill certain requirements set by the customer or employer. Having experience in creating games and art is usually enough to be hired as a game artist, especially if a candidate has an impressive portfolio with artworks. Most employers prefer those with experience and excellent work samples over those with advanced degrees. Well, what is required to get a job offer?
2D Art
Completed course in 2D artists to hire? Read more information about it in the article. Just for the record – we provide full-cycle services in 2D art. You can see 3D art creative baggage by yourself. If you have a great project idea but experience troubles with implementation, be sure our skilled professionals will select the most optimal solution in each case.
2D Animation
Completion of the animation training program.Good drawing and sculpting skills backed by extensive experience in the field.Ability to create 2D animation and graphics using programs (Spine, After Effects, Moho (Anime Studio), Toon Boom, Adobe Animate).
Work experience plays a crucial role in an animator’s career. Our experts in 3D animation services to many projects.
Concept Art
Education in visual arts or game arts.Proficiency in drawing, painting, and 3D modeling demonstrated in a portfolio acknowledging these skills.Ability to work with Maya, 3DsMax, Painter, ZBrush, etc.
Talent, creativity and exceptional taste are the primary job requirements for concept artists. But most employers look for original art with a unique style. When you come to selecting the right concept artist for your project, strive to find the right balance of soft and hard skills. We have a