So, I'm about to take up my first freelance pixel art commission.

Here's the situation:
An indie developer (one man team I assume) contacted me about doing the pixel art for his 2D platformer, which is going to be his first major game project in the style of SNES era games. He's seen my first sprite concept for his character and likes it. He wishes to pay me $50 upfront and $150-$200 after the game is done.

My dilemma is do I agree to this, or do I go about it differently such as creating a freelance contract? Also, is this a good payment method, or should I ask for pay per sheet/sprite/tile/etc?

Any help is appreciated.

How you determine payment for your art and time is hard to just say. Many things have to be taken onto account. If this is your first ever commission then you can do this cheaper than your time costs as it serves as experience and future commissions come easier once you have made others. So this can be an investment in your future work.

Clients can AND will rob you often and is a fact of life. You work out a cost/price. Write it all down (email is cool). Number of sprites, tiles, FX, whatever. Each asset has a frame count along with it. 1 frame, means no animation and a number indicates frames, etc. This way any changes or modifications to the 'contract' can easily be identified.

Figuring out what you are worth is a tough thing to do. If you already have a job (whatever job you do) take your hourly rate there...say $5 an hour. This is your current worth. Therefore you can estimate pixelart at $5 an hour. If you are a Doctor that makes $300 an hour then you won't charge that, ya noes.

My advice is to figure a game asset sheet with all the needed variables. List and price all that out (contract/invoice #1). Then ask for 50% of that total up front (if you get screwed by the client this will most likely be all you get, so know that and pixel for yourself and fun and NOT the money).

If/when the client makes revisions or additions (those which stray too far from invoice #1- For example, minor changes and corrections won't count but a game asset that starts as 3 frames and turns to 8 frames IS extra and goes in invoice #2) then you make a running invoice for these extras. If this invoice gets too long, the client is already being a prick or whatever, then demand 50%-100% of that invoice (contract/invoice #2).

Send final art to client slowly to get a feel. Watermarking of jpeg versions can help too.

This whole thing is all a gray area so you have to be vigilant and business-like and suppress the artistic urge 'to show the work'.

Final advice, take only paid commissions where you feel challenged, will learn from the experience and feel like a fun thing to do. This way when a client screws you over (eventually one will) you don't feel too bad about it. I have personally been screwed on commissions but I always have had the 50% on my side before it happened. When you get invited, experienced or extra well-known then you always quote 200% of real job >>> if you get screwed then you get your 100%  >>> if you don't and the client was totally cool and the project fun then before billing for the "other 50%" you can waive that They will love you and you get your 100%

Note: that this does take time to get too and really only works when a client seeks you out personally.


Edited by jalonso - 23 August 2011 at 8:17am

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"I'll need
a few different terrain tilesheets
items,
and
sprites for enemies
and
a few bosses."

Which seems alright for the amount he is willing to pay me (Then get 100% up front no other option…I can read between those lines)

NO!!!! that reads as:
"I'm not sure what I need yet,
probably a few different terrain and tilesheets. If you get ideas just make them and we'll see what happens.
items are things I'll need too but as I don't yet have a story I'm unsure what these are. I guess you can make a sword and some potions. If you get any ideas or wanna make stuff and show me then do so...BTW, can you write?
Oh, before I forget...every game needs sprites for enemies...ya noes, real simple like 2-3 frames is cool. Maybe a Wizard and a Bear, yeas make those two. No need to animate a lot, just a magic wand and a bear walk…I can do a lot with programming and I'll FX the f**k out of it…its simple and easy…Can't wait to see these, I swear :D
...If you could keep in mind some kickass bosses then just go for it. If I can't stick you with helping with the story in order to justify your time on my project (which I own, will always own...don't even think commissions is gonna happen, sucka!)
These few bosses don't need to be OTT, like 4 -5 frames...maybe 2, dunno yet. You know that awesome game (LINK TO SOME GAME) see that kind of stuff...like that.

Then...after you work your ass off and get all excited that same copy will become:
"Ok, forget that...last night I was choking a Monkey and thought the game should take place in the Wintertime so we need snow tiles. Like animated snow-falling and stormy and windy. Will you also animate those you already made just in case? You're awesome :)
Hey you know those items you made... they are sweet but you know what? I just learned a new programming trick and think we need to make the whole inventory 24x24 instead of those 32x32. They are smaller so it should be less work...please send these real quick, k...you rock!
and that player sprite sure looks good but don't you think he should kick smoother.., you think 5-7 frames will work? hey, how about a spin-kick-punch-fart-drop ani...that would be great. Dude, you make that good and your name will be the first on the top of the credits ;)
The sprites are good as they are but maybe we need more of these. Some of those will need more frames the animations look weird. The enemies look great but I don't think this game is about Orcs after all, we need Amazon Warriors instead…Sorry dude. That's it for now except I do want to let you know that a buddy of mine looked at the game project so far and thinks the Bosses are too few and not Bossy enough. I guess 4 frames for Bosses is not a good thing. We'll need to make those animations more complex, k. Oh yeah…remember those programmed FX I told you about. We'll they look like crap so we need to make some FX for all game assets…
"Well need
a few different FX, real simple, just 1 or 2 frames each for...
items,
and
sprites and for the enemies
and as mentioned
the few bosses."
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This is what you'd like to see from the client to prevent the pixelart loop:

"I'll need
a few different terrain - How many, what type, what is animated what is not.
tilesheets - of what exactly and what if anything is animated. For example houses, waterfalls, forest, etc.
items, - detailed list of item, size, animation
and
sprites for - which type, how many actions, how many frames per each desired action
enemies - which type, how many actions, how many frames per each desired action
and
a few bosses."- which type, how many actions, how many frames per each desired action

DEMAND!!! an itemized list up front to decide the work to be done so its clear WHEN the client changes things.


Sample Item: X Boss | 84x96 pixels | Actions - Idle (3frames), punch (6frames), kick (8 frames), die (3 frames), recoil (6frames) Boss portrait 100x100 pixels no animation.

Any changes made to that that go too far is a new game asset and is added to list. You are only responsible for quoted list and all its variations or whatever.

Art is a business too so unless you have an agent to handle this crap for you then you better do it.

_______
I am not jaded or bitter...just experienced, k.


Edited by jalonso - 23 August 2011 at 4:05pm

I understand what you are saying jalonso, and if I was smart I'd realize it to be a very likely possibility. I don't want to be taken advantage of.

Thing is, my client says he is not sure how much needs to be done. But I think I should handle that just like you said, huh? Maybe I can tell him "Ok, this will be 3 frames and that 2 and.." etc. I need to get a more solid view of the whole situation.

So you suggest making a basic contract as well? Could they really be held accountable to it?

I agree so much with jalonso, his is a very professional attitude and really worth listening to.

8bigGinno you really should get to see paying jobs as paid practice. Even if you don't actually get the cash, you still earn the fun and practice out of it.

A contract is such a good idea. I've never been screwed so far, but the most reliable and professional clients have always tended to be the ones who suggest a contract on their own.