Hey everyone!

I am an independent developer and would love some expert advice and opinions on hiring an artist so I'm pretty sure I've come to the right place!

I am in the middle of programming my first game (that i wish to take to full release) and I know that down the track, I am going to need to commission an artist so I thought it better to plan sooner rather than later.

Basically, having never hired a pixel artist (or any artist for that matter) I would love an honest estimation of how much i should budget.

The look I am going for is something similar to the Kairosoft games, in isometric view (pictured below).



So I guess, to start with, I would love to know how an artist's rates usually work. I know it will vary from artist to artist but an estimation or range on someone with skill level like the art pictured would be great.

Should I be thinking in frames? If i plan for my character animations to have 8 frames per animation, how much should each frame cost me?

Also what should I budget for non animated, single frame environment pieces. Does the rate change because they are not animated?

Thank-you in advance and apologies if this is a "how long is a piece of string" style question but like I said, first time planning for outsourced art and would love all the help I can get!

All projects and all artists are unique so there is no set formula.
You should write up a spec sheet for the artist with as much scope and specs as you can get. This includes turnaround times, asset list, animation breakdowns, GUI assets, etc. This will help an artist give you a quote. Being vague is any project's biggest killer.
As this is your first hired project I suggest you have a set and stated budget for a list of assets that include the specs to give you everything you need and have in your mind that this initial set is a placeholder set which will hopefully contain lots of usable items. For example floors, walls, trees, furniture and stuff like that should be fine and not require any revisions. On assets like the sprites consider having just the template for a boy and girl with perhaps 3 to 5 (or no animation at all) frames on animated ones. You can program and work with these dummies. After this initial commission you see what is needed and which assets require a round of revision and how many outfits, hair, recoloring not to mention what other assets you think you'll need. For example after this Phase 1 you may discover that you need chickens, or a horse, or some fruit, etc. Once you have that Phase 2 list of assets and specs you go back to your artist with that whole new job/commission and this time you can show what you have put together and so Phase 2 moves faster. If needed go to Phase 3, Phase 4 until you're done.
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Personal take from an artist:
If a project is proposed to me that is written and has a scope with a start and finish clearly defined then I'm more likely to work on this project and can better gauge the required involvement and thus can feel comfortable with either a project budget or a piece work arrangement. For example, you list a car asset (4 static directions and animated 3 frame wheels. That's clear to both you and the artist. If you later on decide this car needs to have doors open and edit the car to be a clown car with 8 directions with some clown sprites then that's not a revision. That's a whole new item and treating it like a revision will leave you without an artist and then finding a new artist will both hold you up and your options will be more limited. Projects where an artist is no longer involved is always a danger sign.

If a project comes unwritten, unplanned and I get a lot of vague ideas and just a general project direction I WILL always quote or agree to DOUBLE/TRIPLE what it should be at minimum. This is because I know from experience that the 'cool idea' that started with 'just a car', for example, will somehow end up as a Clown Car with 24 animated clowns (12 frames each)which need to run in all four isometric directions and the car is somehow a transformer to boot.

Focus on specs and scope and written lists and then work within your budget or negotiate. To limit your costs consider a lesser skilled or young artist looking to develop and gain gaming experience with you willing to deal with the expected mishaps and slower turnarounds. Or work with a pro and get things faster and polished. You get what you pay for.

I've ranted enough but...regarding pay...be honest and prompt and write this up as well.