Outsourcing Studios
Studios that produce art for other game companies
Also known as: Art outsourcing · Co-development studio · External art studio · Outsource game art · Outsourcing artist job
Definition
Outsourcing studios, also called co-development or external art studios, produce assets, characters, environments, animation and effects for other game companies under contract. They work to the client's style guide, technical limits and schedule, and deliver finished, engine-ready content, which lets game developers scale their teams for a project. For artists they are a common entry point, with a wide variety of projects, a fast pace and strong pipelines, and a good place to learn production skills.
In production
Expect to follow a strict art bible, naming rules and checklists, and to adapt to different art styles from project to project. Speed, consistency and communication with the client are valued, together with clean, optimized assets. Experience in an outsourcing studio is respected by game studios. Many studios hire juniors through art tests, so keep your portfolio flexible, with work in several styles.
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See also
Game Art Roles
The main jobs in a game art team
Art Test
The practical assignment in a studio hiring process
Game-Ready Asset
Asset prepared to run in a real-time engine
Design Language
The shared rules that make a world feel consistent
Freelancing in Game Art
Working for studios and clients on a project basis
Junior, Mid and Senior Artist Levels
What studios expect at each stage