I'm looking for a digital 2D character sprite artist for a cyberpunk-themed visual novel set in a near-future dystopian world, built with Ren'Py. The story involves a slum-dwelling street kid bothered by strange dreams who falls in with a group of mercenaries, inadvertently triggering a series of events that could have significant consequences for their world.
I have major studio narrative design experience, but this is my first indie project. I’m writing the script and coding but can barely draw a stickman. Hence why I’m looking to hire talented artists such as yourselves!
There is a rough proof-of-concept demo of the project available for free - https://studiongf.itch.io/codebreach-demo - which you can take a look at to get a feel for the game. The demo is chock full of AI stuff I threw together as placeholder, and now I’d like to pay artists to replace it all.
Work Needed
12 main characters:
- Need detailed sprites with 6-7 different expressions (happy, sad, angry, etc.) and some pose adjustments. A handful of equipment ‘toggle’ variants (such as a character holding a gun / wearing an earpiece / using a visible contact lens etc) will be needed.
10 minor characters:
- Simpler sprites with 1-2 expressions/poses.
Some characters already have placeholder art in the demo, but these are just references—not strict guidelines. I'm open to your creative interpretation! There's a chance I might need a few additional characters as development progresses, but I don't expect it to be many. These will be paid for accordingly.
The art style was originally conceived as anime, but I’m not locked into this. Good art is good art, so if something different catches my eye I’m open to pivoting.
Must be comfortable drawing both male and female human characters! There is no sexual content planned, so character clothing will be stylish but functional rather than alluring (in most cases).
Deliverables will be spread across several months (see payment structure below). Every aspect of the above will be discussed, and all characters will have a profile to read.
Compensation
- $200 per major character sprite, $150 for minor characters. Flat rate regardless of experience or location. All payments will be made via PayPal.
- $30 for each pose adjustment.
- $20 for each extra expression.
- A very wild estimate based on preliminary requirements is somewhere between $5,000-$7,000 total across the project (see payment structure below). Obviously subject to change!
- This includes commercial rights only. Copyright would remain with the artist.
- Depending on how the game sells in its first year, there might be an additional bonus payment/royalty scheme (TBD).
- If any art-related media releases are created (like a digital art book), 90% of that revenue will be split among all contributing artists.
Payment Structure
Payments will be made across four milestones, scheduled for 6–8 week gaps. Each milestone will be around 5-7 characters each. Milestone payments are as follows:
- 40% upfront after a few basic sketches to ensure compatibility.
- 15% at the second milestone.
- 15% at the third milestone.
- 30% upon project completion.
A simple contract will be drawn up to cover both our asses, and we’ll discuss everything beforehand to make sure everyone’s happy.
Additional Information
Familiarity with cyberpunk themes and tropes, or previous experience with visual novel art, is a bonus but not required. Your artwork will be the primary factor in assessing applications.
We'll be using Discord for communication. Reference materials and documentation will be available.
I'm looking for someone who can commit to a multi-month project and meet the agreed milestones. If you're confident in maintaining consistency and communicating openly, that’s a huge plus!
No AI-generated artwork. If I was gonna go down that route, I’d have done it myself.
How to apply
- Send your portfolio and a bit about yourself to codebreachgame@gmail.com. Email is preferred so I can track applications. You can leave comments here but apologies in advance if I miss a post. Have your contact info available somewhere in your links!
- The application window is open for two weeks, ending December 1st.
I also need other art types (background, custom CGs and custom UI), but I’ll post more about these separately.
Thanks for reading (cripes this was long), and I'm looking forward to hearing from you.
