How long does it take most artists to draw images?

DrGlickertDrGlickert Member Posts: 1,135
edited November -1 in Working with GS (Mac)
I know this is a fairly loaded and difficult question to answer. I asked a guy to draw a couple of images for me.

He drew 14 block-type characters (128x64 each image) for me. He says it's taken him 23 hours to complete this project. I was thinking about paying him $20 an hour, which puts me at over $400 for these few images.

Does this seem like it's excessive for the time? I'm not an artist so I don't know how long it takes to draw things. I know that for some it takes longer and for some it can be really quick, I was just trying to figure out what would be average?

Seems like a lot of money for a game that I don't even know is worth anything...

Thanks all.

Comments

  • DreamLabDreamLab Member Posts: 2,127
    Yah it would depend on what the images look like. Some art takes longer than others if its detailed.
  • tenrdrmertenrdrmer Member, Sous Chef, Senior Sous-Chef Posts: 9,934
    Skill probably plays a big role in that too.
    Warning There was an error rendering this rich post.
  • DrGlickertDrGlickert Member Posts: 1,135
    I don't think it's that detailed. As I learn more about this artist, I don't think he's that skilled at speed. His work is good. But I don't think it's worth 23 hours.
  • DrGlickertDrGlickert Member Posts: 1,135
    I'm wondering if maybe he's charging me for "prep" time. Like when we sat down and I gave him the ideas of what I was looking for.

    Do artists charge for that time?

    He did a few rough draft sketches in a sketch book, do artists typically charge for that too? Or do they just charge for actual work at a computer?

    Thanks for all you're help guys!
  • kapserkapser Member Posts: 458
    I once took 8 hours to make one tree, and I'm probably never doing that kind of art again XD. It really depens of what he's doing. The best artists work incredibly fast, and if he's slow he probably shouldn't be asking 20$ per hour.

    It took him about 1,5 hour per sprites. If we're talking about very detailed pixelart of a talented artist, at a 128x64 resolution it's not THAT bad. If he is making vector-type images, you are probably getting ripped off. You should probably ask him first an estimate or make a deal to pay per-sprite.

    In a real company, they charge for pretty much everything they do, but for this kind of small contract, they should probably be nice and round it up a bit. If he's charging for the time brainstorming, I wouldn't work with this guy.

    I'm a bit curious, are these sprites looking good at least? If it's so-so, some people would probably sprite a whole game for that price.
  • JoeMeisterJoeMeister Member Posts: 602
    DrGlickert said:
    I know this is a fairly loaded and difficult question to answer. I asked a guy to draw a couple of images for me.

    He drew 14 block-type characters (128x64 each image) for me. He says it's taken him 23 hours to complete this project. I was thinking about paying him $20 an hour, which puts me at over $400 for these few images.

    Does this seem like it's excessive for the time? I'm not an artist so I don't know how long it takes to draw

    things. I know that for some it takes longer and for some it can be really quick, I was just trying to figure out what would be average?

    Seems like a lot of money for a game that I don't even know is worth anything...

    Thanks all.

    I don't have to see the images like Teeshirt says cause that means nothing. Art is a tricky thing. I just worked on a Mermaid and it took me two days so far.
    If you have to pay for it you should come to some kind of agreement before.
    Art has no fixed cost. It could be anywhere from $1 to $10,000,000,000,000 or more.
  • DrGlickertDrGlickert Member Posts: 1,135
    I mean, they look good. They're exactly what I wanted. So I'm not complaining about the look of the block-actors. I'm more upset that it took him 23 hours to finish it. And at over $400 bucks for the 14 pictures I'm a little worried because I still have a lot of things that I need drawn. If this project costs me over $1,000 and I don't even know if it's going to sell a lot or a little. (I mean, I'm sure it'll sell a lot. But I just don't know for sure.)...
  • gamedivisiongamedivision Member Posts: 807
    my 1 characters animation cost nearly £400 and yes they charge for conceptual drawings too,i kinda of feel the same as you at the moment,i think from now on im going to ask how many hours are you gona charge me for,because how are you meant to sort your finances if you dont know how long its gona take them,and if i was paying by the hour i wouldnt let him go to the toilet or drink,he'd be chained to the computer ha ha
  • TheGamerTheGamer Member Posts: 94
    Why don't you pay him a flat rate, I'm pretty sure you could come to some form of agreement. Also, he puts the burden on you to cover his hours and he probably didn't even calculate how long it would take him to do the art. On the other hand, if he is working for a flat rate he would be forced to calculate his hours. I personally would never pay by the hour, it's too risky at this stage.
  • LykkeLykke Member Posts: 174
    You should have made a bulk deal with him and get a discount ;)

    But yes, it takes time to make something unique and perfect. Most artists are very detailed and perfectionists - they want every line to be exact.

    When I get an idea I have to draw a lot of things in free hand first until my character has the expression I want it to have. Then I scan it in and finish it up in illustrator / photoshop. That process alone takes time.

    So, it depends on how this guy works and as others pointed out, how experienced he is. Making one small image in 23 hours sounds like a lot of time to me though - but as others ALSO said; haven't seen the uniqueness of the images either.

    Good luck :)

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  • LumpAppsLumpApps Member Posts: 2,881
    Sorry to say but if you feel $400 is to much then you should have made a different agreement.
    Its not nice when you complain about the money after the work is done.
    Next time ask for a package price like Lykke said.

    I dont think $400 is much unless you are not satisfied with the endresult. But then again you hired him for his specific skills.

    I hope I don't sound to harsh.

    Lump Apps and My Assets

  • DhondonDhondon Member Posts: 717
    When I get an project, I give the buyer an estimate for the whole project. Then if there is too many revisions (usually happens when the buyer don't know what he/she wants, an good design doc can help you keep the price down) I'll do the rest of the changes on pay per hours.

    The price doesn't sound unrealistic for an freelancer (rent, food, loans, taxes).If you hire and less experienced for 20$/h who uses 23hours or an experienced for 40$/h who uses 6, doesn't really matter as long as the result is what you wanted.
  • old_kipperold_kipper Member Posts: 1,420
    Every case is different and without seeing the art I have no clue if this is a deal or not. 23 hours seems slow, but 20 dollars an hour seems low.

    Dlondon is absolutely right about revisions, they are the biggest pain in the 'arts', and I generally reckon if there are more than 2 changes to anything I am on for a nightmare job. Final artwork is not the place to approve ideas but the inexperienced have not learnt the process and sometimes expect changes after they have approved something.

    p.s Are you getting the right to the characters as well as the art? And to use them in more than one game?
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