That's why you hire a student - students who are really good will often take on a project just because it, say, hones a skill they're looking to improve, or because it fits in nicely with a class assignment they need to do anyway. Or maybe your game project is part of how they'll get that full-time job they're seeking out at Blizzard?

They say in tech recruiting that "the best people will almost never be looking for jobs" - it's true in creative fields too. In terms of trading off cost and talent, I can't think of a resource as undertapped as art and design students.