Hey, I've spoken to and seen too many posts that repeat the same issues.
- If you are paying an artist LESS than minimum wage for their job, you can't get mad at them when you don't receive the same exact quality as the work made by someone who got paid an actual living wage. You need to be realistic with your expectations.
- If you're a game Dev, DO RESEARCH beforehand on what you want. Artstyle, vibe, theme, etc. Being vague wastes your and the artists's time.
- If you are the one hiring it is your responsibility to provide references, inspirations, bases, tools, etc. unless you're also paying the artist for the time they've spent having to do it themselves.
- If you're hiring an artist so they can work in a team, replicating the other artist's style, then you need to provide: any custom brushes used for textures, elements (trees, bushes, buildings, etc.), file specifications (format, size, DPI, etc.), and the like. This is just standard practice. YOU, the employer, should provide this.
- FEEDBACK is important. If you're shown a WIP, that is your moment to make any criticism. Approving every single WIP but then changing your mind at the final product is, to be blunt, disrespectful and a waste of time for everyone involved.
- If you have an art team, then the art leader or director should constantly communicate with the team and direct it. These titles are not just so you can pat yourself in the back over being an art director, it comes with real responsibilities.
So many of you here set up unrealistic deadlines with terrible pay, and then act surprised when called out. Just because there's so many artists here willing to work for pennies it doesn't mean you get to exploit their work.
Being an indie team does NOT excuse these behaviors and it's shameful so many of you act this way.
Do better!!