What are the main differences between hiring freelancers and 3D art studios?
When you begin a 3D art game project, one of your first decisions will likely be whether you want to work with freelancers or outsource to a 3D game art studio.
Freelancers generally work on their own with more flexibility and often provide more focused attention to an individual project or task.
They might have unique strengths and weaknesses, like great skill in a specific area of the 3D art workflow (modeling or texturing for example), with more limited capacity and involvement with larger projects.
3D art studios will typically provide an entire team, including designers, animators, and technical experts, and can often work on multiple aspects of the 3D art outsourcing at the same time.
Studios often use organized workflows, process control, and project management with a team that can suit larger or more complex projects. The differences between these two options are important to identify in finding a good fit for your game.
How do freelancers’ and studios’ prices compare?
Freelancers tend to charge lower hourly rates than 3D art companies, which can be enticing when there is a small budget or only a short-term job.
Yet, you may end up incurring additional costs if you source multiple freelancers for different tasks, or end up needing to manage the project as well as the time spent on revisions.
3D art studios are generally more expensive, but provide a full-service 3D art service under a single contract, which will typically roll out a project manager, quality assurance, and increased speed of delivery.
For larger projects or ongoing projects, working with a studio can ultimately save costs if there is depth of work with many tasks, as a studio can turn around multiple tasks versus a freelancer, who will typically be focused on their specific module or task.
Which option ensures high quality in 3D art projects?
Freelancer quality can differ significantly based on experience and skill sets. Many freely available artists have proven they can do great work, but incredible quality from one freelancer may not equate to another freelancer being able to replicate it across multiple assets or for larger-scale assets.
3D game art studios typically have processes, quality checks, and an ongoing team of experienced 3D designers to provide a more reliable and consistent quality of work for each individual asset. Studios are especially beneficial for larger AAA projects or games that require multiple assets with an overall coherent visual style.
How do project completion times differ between freelancers and studios?
Freelancers, for the most part, only concentrate on one task at a time. This can make them fast for 1 or 2 assets, but can take a long time for larger projects that require multiple assets.
Sometimes a freelancer can’t complete a full project because something happens to them and they can’t continue or don’t have the quality or number of other people to continue work.
3D art studios have the benefit of multiple people completing a project in parallel. This ability to delegate workload means that studio workloads are able to finish larger projects faster, while also being held to deadlines. Studios can complete projects faster when time is sensitive to game launches or larger-scale projects of 3D art games.
Who is better at handling large or long-term projects?
For lengthy or expansive projects, 3D art studios will usually best freelancers for many reasons. Studios can assign teams to the project, adjust resources to match project scope, and continue to work on a project even if team members leave.
Freelancers can be effective for shorter, one-off projects, or for more niche work, but once you start working with multiple freelancers for a longer project, it can become difficult to juggle and may introduce unnecessary risk for consistency of quality with all your 3D art services.
How do communication and workflows differ between freelancers and studios?
Freelancers tend to offer direct, personal contact that tends to aid in fast-tracking conversation and providing direct feedback. But without clear workflows, coordinating many freelancers can become difficult.
In 3D art studios, workflows, project management systems, and account managers help facilitate communication. Studios provide clear milestones, updates, and workflows, which makes a smoother experience for larger teams or complicated projects requiring 3D art outsourcing.
When should you choose a freelancer, and when is a studio the better choice?
- Choose a freelancer when:
- Your project is small or requires a specific skill set.
- Budget constraints are significant.
- You need quick, short-term tasks or one-off assets.
- Your project is small or requires a specific skill set.
- Choose a 3D art studio when:
- Your project is large, long-term, or requires multiple assets.
- Consistency and high-quality output are critical.
- You need project management, structured workflows, and scalability.
- You want access to a full range of 3D art services under one roof.
- Your project is large, long-term, or requires multiple assets.
Conclusions
Choosing to work with a 3D game art studio, or a freelancer, depends on the scope of your project, funding, and level of quality you need. 3D art freelancers can be your best option for smaller projects, specialized projects, or projects with limited budgets — as they’re very flexible and you work directly with them.
Game art studios, however, provide you with a strong level of synchronicity and assurance of consistency, infinite scalability of services and have been creating content for the last 30 years! Hiring a 3D art studio (rather than a freelancer) is ideal for complex or AAA projects.
In the end, if you understand the differences between the two options and your specific project’s needs, you’ll find the right partner to execute and realize your vision for a 3D art game with quality and efficiency.
