A portfolio tells you what a studio has done. A paid art test tells you whether they can do it for you. Most studios know they should run a test before committing to a large outsourcing engagement. Far fewer know how to structure one that actually surfaces the right information. This post walks through when a paid test is worth running, how to brief it properly, and what the results are really telling you.
You signed the contract. But what happens next? The first 30 days with a new game art outsourcing studio are the most critical, and the least talked about. This article walks through what actually happens during the onboarding phase: from brief alignment and technical setup to test assets, feedback calibration, and communication cadence. Understand what to expect, what to prepare, and how to get the relationship off on the right foot.
Most production delays don’t happen during the work. They happen at the handoff points between stages, when expectations aren’t aligned and approval is assumed rather than confirmed. This post walks through every stage of a healthy game art pipeline, from the first concept pass to final delivery, and shows exactly what you as a client should see, review, and approve at each gate. If you work with an external art team or are planning to, this is the process overview you need before production begins.
One unclear comment can cost a week of rework. Structured feedback isn’t a nice-to-have in game art production, it’s how you protect timelines, budgets, and working relationships.
This blog breaks down how to run art approval rounds that stay focused and scoped, including what good feedback looks like, when to give it, how many rounds are normal, and what causes revision spirals.
Choosing the wrong game art outsourcing studio can create problems when your team has the least time to fix them.
For art directors, producers, outsource managers, and studio leads, the right questions can reveal how a partner really works before production begins. This blog explains what to ask about capacity, team size, pipelines, milestones, revisions, communication, technical delivery, IP, and test projects, so you can choose a partner with more confidence.
Should your studio hire more artists, or outsource the work? The wrong decision can increase costs, strain production capacity, and put milestones at risk.
This article helps game developers, art directors, producers, and outsource managers compare in-house and external art production through the factors that matter most: project length, style, scaling, cost, risk, and hybrid team models.
Most costly game art outsourcing mistakes happen before production even begins: at the brief stage.
A clear brief can reduce revisions, protect budgets, and keep external production aligned with the intended style and pipeline.
In this article, learn what a strong outsourcing brief should include, why the components matter, and how to keep projects on track.
After ten years of supporting game studios with external art production, we put ourselves in our clients’ shoes and started building our own game. Space Tales gives us first-hand experience with the pressure, decisions, and trade-offs that shape every game project. This made us a sharper, more practical outsourcing partner.
The gaming industry is changing rapidly. Before starting your next project, it helps to know where the market is moving.
This article looks at why Vietnam is gaining attention, what recent industry conversations reveal about console work, pricing, talent, AI, and risk diversification, and what producers should check before choosing an external art partner.
Saigon Dragon Studios regularly shares game art production updates, behind-the-scenes work, and studio news on LinkedIn. Follow Saigon Dragon Studios on LinkedIn to stay up to date with our latest projects and team milestones.
For industry perspectives on game art outsourcing services, and what it's like to work in a creative studio in Vietnam, follow Alexandre Alleaume on LinkedIn — Business Development Manager at Saigon Dragon Studios.
