How can I find an Artist for a partner?

[indiemaker]

Have any programmers thought about partnering with an artist? to complement each other's skill sets?

I would like to find an artist to partner with. Is that a good idea? Has anyone tried doing this? What were your experiences?

[zoombapup]

Yes, Yes, Couldnt find anyone.

[rmedtx]

Yes, I think it's a pretty good idea. That's how we are developing our project;
I'm an artist and I'm working with a programmer as a project partner.

[Bad Sector]

To partner with an artist you need two things:
a) an artist living near your place.
b) the same artist loving to work with your projects.

I know a few artists and some are friends of mine, we go out for coffee, beer, etc. So i have plenty of "a"s. The problem is that they don't really like what i want to make so although having these "a"s, there are no "b"s :-P.

[EnigmaCEO]

"b) the same artist loving to work with your projects."

Why not come up with a game concept together rather than trying to get them to buy into your vision? Would make it easier if you both were excited about the game and had some ownership over the concepts.

[TimS]

Enigma's point is key.

You really don't want an artist partner... what you want is a partner -- someone who wants to make games with you -- who happens to be an artist and can therefore take care of the art end of things among other things. I've got just such a partner, and it's a good arrangement if you can get it.

I guess finding such a person is a matter of having known one already. It's not extremely likely that you'll meet someone fresh and new that will fit the bill on this one (although it is possible I suppose.)

If you want to make new friends that are all passionate about making games I suggest attending one of those 'game schools'... Well I guess that's an expensive way to meet people, but hey... it works!

Best of luck in the search.

-Tim

[woo]

I cheated. When I decided to create a game company I knew I needed an artist as a partner who would enjoy making the same kind of games as I did. So I partnered with my brother, who is infinitely more artistic than I ever will be, but as we grew up playing the same types of games, we certainly have very similar interests. In a lot of ways we are two sides of the same coin, which really has worked well. In fact, our first video game is based on the ruleset of a tabletop game that he created and I helped test well over 10 years ago.

Now, just go ask your parents for a talented artist sibling and you'll be all set :)

-Andrew Douglas
http://theoreticalgames.com

[Scharlo]

Also, if you are a hot girl your chances are much better. If you are not (girl or hot), you can always pretend to be one. Finding suitable pictures on the internet should be no problem. Just make sure your artist never suggest to meet you in person.

[papillon]

.... I'm not quite sure where THAT idea comes from, artists have never cared about my gender or the other way around (and considering the communities I often pick people up in, neither of us KNOWS the other's gender until we get to the contract stage and bring in real names...) If you know a location where male artists are lining up looking for a female developer to boss them around, please let me know. :)

I managed to get two artist in-laws but neither is really appropriate for most of what I do, though I try to squeeze work out of one of them occasionally.

[Nikster]

I'm a hot girl, sizzling infact, all my pictures can be found on google images, now, I await all artists to queue up to form a partnership ;)

[AJirenius]

:) problem is that it might not be the parthership YOU are looking for :rolleyes:

[rmedtx]

"b) the same artist loving to work with your projects."

Why not come up with a game concept together rather than trying to get them to buy into your vision? Would make it easier if you both were excited about the game and had some ownership over the concepts.

I agree 100%; That's the only way it will work.

[indiemaker]

Enigma's point is key.

You really don't want an artist partner... what you want is a partner -- someone who wants to make games with you -- who happens to be an artist and can therefore take care of the art end of things among other things. I've got just such a partner, and it's a good arrangement if you can get it.

I guess finding such a person is a matter of having known one already. It's not extremely likely that you'll meet someone fresh and new that will fit the bill on this one (although it is possible I suppose.)

If you want to make new friends that are all passionate about making games I suggest attending one of those 'game schools'... Well I guess that's an expensive way to meet people, but hey... it works!

Best of luck in the search.

-Tim


Yes, of course. That is what I meant. It doesn't do any good to find just an Artist with skills without regard to the personality, and character of the person. Otherwise, the search would be pretty simple, wouldn't it?

I need to find a, what's the word? compatible? or someone who matches the vision and goal for the company I'd like to make. Unfortunately, I don't have any siblings to who can draw (must be in our genes :) ).

What I can see is, we have several options with regard to artwork.

1> Find a suitable compatible Artist partner. Most ideal I think.

2> Hire FreeLance partners. The problem with this is, it's difficult to find a reliable artist, unless you can afford to pay really well.

3> Do it yourself, even if the art sucks.

[indiemaker]

Also, if you are a hot girl your chances are much better. If you are not (girl or hot), you can always pretend to be one. Finding suitable pictures on the internet should be no problem. Just make sure your artist never suggest to meet you in person.

Either that was a weak attempt at a lame joke, OR you must be one of those online pedophiles... I'm hoping it was the former. :D

[fmsoftware]

I've almost completed a game project with a partner. I did the coding and he did the design, art and testing and some of the businessy bits.
It worked out very well and I was always excited to show him the new features I had added.

The only piece of advice I would offer is choose someone who shares your passion. Also find someone who is committed for the long term - not just for fun part at the begining of the project ("Lets add this, this and this"). If they're prepared to work for free until the project is finished all the better.

You could try doing one week prototypes with a few different people. If that works out ok, start a larger project.

[electronicStar]

I've almost completed a game project with a partner. I did the coding and he did the design, art and testing and some of the businessy bits.
It worked out very well and I was always excited to show him the new features I had added.

The only piece of advice I would offer is choose someone who shares your passion. Also find someone who is committed for the long term - not just for fun part at the begining of the project ("Lets add this, this and this"). If they're prepared to work for free until the project is finished all the better.

You could try doing one week prototypes with a few different people. If that works out ok, start a larger project.
So I assume you are sharing the revenues 50-50 right?
I think there lies the real problem, you can't have a real partnership if one is paid as the CEO and the other is paid as an employee.

[fmsoftware]

Yes it is a 50-50 split partnership.

Without the design and art there would be no game - so I think the split is fair.
We're both on a games couse at uni so finding a buddy was made easier. The key was having meet ups to playtest and balance. Adding a system where game values could be tweaked without rebuilding was very helpful too.

I agree electronicStar if you don't have 50-50 its more like outsourcing.

[Bad Sector]

Why not come up with a game concept together rather than trying to get them to buy into your vision?

That's what i mean with that "b" above, perhaps i used the wrong words.

I started some projects with others at the past with me doing programming and the others doing art and design, but always the situation came to be that i was writing the code and others we doing nothing or very few. My first finished game, Nico Tuvla (http://www.slashstone.com/files/NicoTuvlaSetup.exe) took me three years to make - not because it was difficult to create, but because i was *always* waiting for others to create graphics/sound/music/levels, etc for it. I changed artist around 4-5 times and musicians around 2-3. At some point i decided that i had enough, so i wrapped whatever i had and released it as it was, for free.

I decided to learn art myself - and i learned. I made Nikwi (http://www.slashstone.com/more/nikwi), but for several reasons and because art is not enough (although i'm proud for the 90% in graphics, at Bytten's review :-) and it lacked sound (bleeps didn't cut it), i need to learn music composing too.

But at the end, every time i decided to partner with someone, nothing came out - except frustration for me.

[whisperstorm]

I'd be willing to do the dev/programming for an artist if they'd do the artwork for my project.. Perhaps you might not have to share a vision but have equivalent needs :)