[castiiian]

i've been linking new users the oekaki guide so they can yk get a head start and learn the program, but the original guide is so old.. it's not exactly accurate anymore, so i thought it was time to make a new guide! :3c
this thread is very much a wip, but i hope to have it fully up to date and full of info + even some techniques! as soon as i reserve a couple of posts, feel free to ask questions here! everyone is welcome to chip in with techniques or answer questions!! let's support our fellow artists and share our knowledge! >:3c
reference image/original meme

what's this guide for?

this thread breaks down oekaki, chickenpaint, the fundamentals and some techniques!
it's also a space for users to ask questions and share techniques and tips!

this thread is big, so if you have a specific question, i recommend hitting ctrl f and searching a keyword!

thread index:

• oekaki breakdown
  
  learn how to use the forums!
• chickenpaint breakdown
  
  learn how to use the program!
• fundamentals
  
  the most important tips for using oekaki!
• techniques
  
  some fun techniques or brushes to try!
• frequently asked questions
  
  might answer some of your questions
• art tutorials
  
  browse user-made oekaki tutorials!

important links: (these are all off thread!)

• original guide (made in 2011/updated throughout 2014)
  
  check out the old guide! it was originally made by misnake and later maintained by swiftalu!
• chickensmoothie oekaki wiki
  
  this guide provides a super in-depth break down of oekaki; but some parts might be a little outdated!
• oekaki frequently asked questions
  
  this frequently asked questions sheet might answer some of your basic questions!
• oekaki/java problems and solutions
  
  have a problem with oekaki? check out this thread for some help! if your problem isn't solved by the thread, chances are you've encountered a bug, and you should check out the help forums!
• oekaki settings page
  
  switch between the different versions of oekaki here! please note that "chibipaint" requires java; java support has been discontinued by many modern browsers! i suggest you use "chickenpaint 2.0", as it's the most updated version, and should give you the least amount of trouble!
• chickensmoothie's code of conduct
  
  this gives you a rundown of what you can and can't draw; a good rule of thumb is to keep your content child-friendly!
  and if you have to ask if it is or isn't safe to post... it probably isn't okay.
• oekaki rules
  
  here are the general rules of oekaki; the most commonly broken rule is...
  your artwork should show intention and effort, we don't allow random scribbles, blank canvases, simple shapes
  covered artworks break this rule the most; here's a quick cover guide!
• oekaki art competition rules
  
  tldr, the most commonly broken rules are...
  oekaki art competitions must either provide a lineart or a proper background
  if the prize is a pet, you must individually link to each pet's page

[castiiian]

all oekakis made on chickensmoothie are organized into one of the above topics!
topics that have two flowers as their icon have a second topic stored within the main one,
for example, the topic 'adoptables 1: independent/one-off' has another topic inside called 'adoptables 1: pets'
please note that the icons will be different depending on your forum style/appearance!

click on any topic to enter that area, and then from there, you can create a new drawing!
this "new drawing" button is also how you find oekakis you saved and wanted to finish later.

this "new drawing" button is underneath the title, forum rules notice, and oekaki rules post!
when you click on this button, you're brought to this page next...



from here, you can select your canvas size, and make a new drawing!
otherwise, you can select from the thumbnails underneath, and return to an unfinished drawing.

underneath any opened workspace, you'll find a small area of settings and other information...



this is where you can see your time spent on an oekaki, drawing sessions (how many times you've opened that particular oekaki), and even delete your oekaki. you can also find the oekaki settings page here, if you need to change programs.

when you're done working on your oekaki, hit the save button or press ctrl s to bring up the save menu!



here you can... save and keep drawing, save and finish drawing later, or post now!
remember, if you choose to finish your drawing later, you can find it in the thumbnails underneath the create a new canvas page!
when you click post now, you'll be redirected to a new page...

here you can find your finished drawing!



if you want to save your artwork to your device, and not post it, now is the time to do so!!
just right click and save 'save image as' to save to it as is; the default file type will be a jpg
if you want to save it as a png instead, right click the image and open it in a new tab;
from there, you'll notice the link is something like... /image.php?id=1234&size=large&format=auto&rev=123
you can change the "size=large" to "medium" "small" or "gallery" to save it as a different size
you can change the "format=auto" to "format=png" to save it as a png

if you want to make the background of a drawing transparent, make sure to save it as a png!
additionally, you'll have to have a clear/invisible background (it'll appear as checkers in oekaki!)

now, if you're looking to post your drawing, let's continue!!
you'll notice a drop menu, click this to select where to post your drawing
enter in a title and make your post like you'd make any other post on chickensmoothie, and you're good to go!

underneath your now posted drawing, you'll find a few options unique to the oekaki boards!



"post reply" is where you make replies to the post of course, but there is also "edit picture" and "color me in":
click "edit picture" to make changes to your oekaki!
click "color me in" to make a copy of your oekaki!

[castiiian]

when you open up a new drawing, this is what it looks like!
you can freely drag around the panels, resize, and close them to customize your work space
oekaki will not remember your work space, each time you open a drawing, it'll return to the default arrangement!

menu

the options are...
file >
save oekaki (shortcut: ctrl s)
edit >
undo (shortcut: ctrl z)
redo (shortcut: ctrl shift z)
clear history
---
cut (shortcut: ctrl x)
copy (shortcut: ctrl c)
copy merged (shortcut: ctrl shift c)
paste (shortcut: ctrl v)
---
select all (shortcut: ctrl a)
deselect (shortcut: ctrl d)
---
transform (shortcut: ctrl y)

tools


these are the tools available to you in chickenpaint!
i will be explaining them left to right, so...

1. selection box

this lets you select an area of your layer to use your edit tools on, or move around!
2. move tool

click and drag to move around your layer or your selection
3. fill bucket

click to fill in an area!
if the lines aren't pixelated, the lines of the fill will come out fuzzy
4. gradient

create a gradient by clicking on your canvas and adjusting the points
5. eye dropper

click an area to use that color
6. water
7. pencil
8. pen
9. airbrush
10. watercolor
11. hard eraser
12. soft eraser
13. smudge
14. blur
15. dodge
16. burn
17. rotate canvas

click and drag to spin your canvas around
if you want your canvas to be vertical, then just rotate it that way and save
18. move canvas

lets you click and drag your canvas around
helpful for if you're super zoomed in, or using oekaki on your mobile device
shortcut: hold space

misc

this contains a few important, commonly used oekaki options!
1. zoom in
2. zoom out
3. zoom 100% (resets your zoom)
4. undo
5. redo
6. save oekaki

stroke

this changes how your stroke is drawn!
1. free draw

click and drag to draw freely!
2. straight lines only

click and drag to draw a straight line!
3. curves only (similar to photoshop)

create lines and curves by clicking and dragging!

texture


color


use the large box at the left to select your color's saturation and tint
the long box at the right lets you pick your hue
the bottom box shows your currently selected color

clicking the currently selected color opens a hex code input box,
this hex code is the "color code" of your current color;
you can select a new color by typing in a new hex code.

xxx
xxx
xxx

color swatches


this is how you save your colors between drawing sessions!
each swatch is bound to the oekaki you created it on, so you'll need to remake your color swatches whenever you make a new oekaki, or, you can save and load your swatches to your computer to use it again.

right click an existing color to access a small menu: you can remove the selected color or replace it with your current color.
press the "gear" button to save or load a saved swatch from your computer; this won't delete colors not already on your swatch, so clear your colors first if you don't want to get confused with your old colors!
press the "+" button to add your current color to the color swatch

tool options


this menu lets you customize your tool!
it works for all major tools: pencil, pen, watercolor, eraser, etc...

1. dropdown menu
this is how you change the shape of your tool.
there are five available shapes, click here to see a comparison!

2. little dot cursor
this is actually the example of your tool size
you can directly click and drag on it to change the size of your tool

3. toggle button and brush size
this changes the size of your tool, from 1 to 200
the toggle button allows your pen pressure to alter this property
basically making it so that the harder you press, the bigger your stroke

4. toggle button and opacity
this tool changes the opacity of your tool, from 0 to 255
the less the number, the more transparent/clear the tool is
the toggle button allows your pen pressure to alter this property
basically making it so that the harder you press, the darker your stroke

5. color
this scale changes how much "color" is put down in your stroke, from 0% to 100%
the higher the number the more color is used, and the less blending occurs
a lower number is sort of like diluting your watercolors with water
if it's at 0%, it will only pick up colors already placed down
this option only effects the watercolor tool

6. blend
this changes how far "color" is dragged in your stroke, from 0% to 100%
making it 0% makes it not blend at all, or pick up other colors, while 100% makes it drag color for a while
this option only effects the watercolor tool

7. spacing
this changes how far each of your individual strokes are placed, from 0% to 100%
making the number low will give you smooth lines, while making the number high will make your strokes "spray"
this option effects "scattering" the most, it changes how far each scatter is from one another
however, if you use it with "scattering" off, you'll notice it makes a nice string of your brush shape

8. toggle button and scattering
this turns your stroke into a spray, it scales from 0% to 1000%
the higher the number the more scattered each individual stroke is, which also means a bigger area will be sprayed
having a high "spacing" will make your spray less dense, or more spaced out
the toggle button allows your pen pressure to alter this property
basically making it so that the harder you press, the more scattered your stroke will be

9. smoothing
this changes how quickly your stoke is placed down, from 0% to 100%
0% makes your stroke place down exactly as is, while a higher number will make your stroke lag behind
slowing down how fast your lines are placed makes your strokes appear more smooth

layers


layers are like sheets of glass, you can work on them one at a time, without effecting the other layers! layers organized at the top will appear above the layers lower in the list.

1. layer mode dropdown

2. opacity
this adjusts the transparency of the selected layer, scaling from 0% to 100%
a lower number means the layer is less visible
this is useful for adjusting sketches or making effects

3. sample all layers
this checkbox lets you "use all layers" when using certain tools
having this toggled on lets you "use" all visible layers, even if you aren't currently selecting those layers; this means you can make a brand new layer and work on it, blending and blurring without changing or damaging any of the other layers.
only watercolor, smudge, and blur tools will "use all layers", unfortunately you can't use the fill bucket or selection tools with it

4. lock transparency
this checkbox "locks" your layer
you won't be able to draw new strokes on a locked layer,
but you will be able to color over whatever already exists on the layer

5. your layers
click and drag your layers to change their order
click the "eye" icon at the left to make the layer invisible.
right click a layer to open a menu, this menu lets you...
rename layer
delete layer
clip to the layer below
add mask

6. icon menu (paper, folder, window, arrow, trashcan)
paper - creates a new layer
folder - creates a folder to organize your layers, drag a layer to place it into the folder
window - makes a layer mask on the selected layer
arrow - clips the selected layer to the one below
trashcan - deletes the selected layer

[castiiian]

pencil vs pen

pencil is a bit "harder" than pen, meaning more pixels and less "fuzziness" around each line
experiment to find out which you prefer, and which works best for different brushes!

tool options
using a different combination of the available settings lets you create interesting brushes!
you can even add texture to your brush for more effect.



lock transparency ( also known as lock alpha! )

turning on lock transparency lets you color over existing colors,
this is great for recoloring lines or making a base layer and coloring it in
you can tell a layer is locked by the lock icon at the right of the layer name

clipping layers

this is sort of like having multiple lock alpha layers!
clipping a layer makes it draw only over the same area that the layer under it has
if you have multiple clipping layers a row, they will still all clip to the last layer under them that isn't clipped
you can have as many clipping layers as you want, so this is great for layering many different patterns
you can tell a layer is clipped by the arrow to the right of the layer visibility icon (the eye)

layer masks

layer masks are useful for painting in transparency!
this is used most commonly for shading or lighting
whatever is drawn on the layer will appear transparent when the layer mask is drawn on
transparency scales from white to black, with white being completely visible and black completely invisible
you can right click a layer mask to... apply it (merges it to the layer), disable it (turns its visibility off), or delete it

layer modes

using a layer mode besides "normal" will change how that layer interacts with your artwork
this is great for creating effects, shading, highlighting, and changing the overall colors of your art

saving oekakis
just right click and save 'save image as' to save to it as is; the default file type will be a jpg
please note that jpgs have reduced image quality, so be wary of that!

to save different file types and sizes, right click your artwork and open it in a new tab;
from there, you'll notice the link is something like... "/image.php?id=1234&size=large&format=auto&rev=123"
you can change the "size=large" to "size=medium" "size=small" or "size=gallery" to view and save it as a different size!
you can change the "format=auto" to "format=png" to view and save it as a png!
pngs have higher image quality, and transparency!

if you want to make the background of a drawing transparent, make sure to save it as a png!
additionally, you'll have to have a clear/invisible background (it'll appear as checkers in oekaki)

[castiiian]

pixel brush ( pencil )
set your shape to round pixelated, drag your opacity all the way up and put your brush size to 1 to make pixels!
remember to zoom in for more accuracy, and turn off the pen pressure toggles to keep things uniform
you can do the exact same with the eraser tool to erase your pixels
ps. you can use the fill tool with pixels without too much trouble!

standard pixels get boring sometimes... play with your settings to make something unique and fun!
the top example is just a regular size 1, the bottom is a larger size with pen pressure,
and the other ones are just size 1 with various scattering and spacing!
these scattering ones would be great for quickly shading your pixel art...


glitter brush ( pencil or pen )
using a round brush shape with heavy scattering and varied spacing and size is great for making glitter...
or leaves, petals, or whatever other texture you can think of! try using layer modes like "add" or "dodge" to really make it shine!!




comb brush ( pencil or pen )
a round soft shape with a bit of scattering makes some unique honeycomb shapes!
this can be further changed by transforming it and and squishing it down... it sort of looks like dried mud!


leaf brush ( pencil or pen )
use a square hard edge with scattering and varied size to make leaves!
this is a good texture for natural objects, like rocks and dirt.


marker brush ( pencil or pen )
this simple brush is so soft and fun for unique sketches and lines.
you can even make it larger and color in with it, playing with the opacity setting to try and replicate a real life marker or watercolor! toss a layer on top of this one, fill it with noise, turning clipping on and set the layer mode to "overlay", and you can turn this brush into a crayon!


chalk brush ( pencil or pen )
a square hard edge and texture make a fun brush to imitate chalk!
try using this rough brush to make interesting sketches or color natural surfaces, like rocks and trees.
lower the spacing, and you can turn this chalk brush into something more like a rough pencil or graphite!


fill brush fuzzy lines be gone ( bucket tool and pencil )
want to use the bucket tool to color in your lines but hate the fuzzy area it leaves?
make a pixel brush and in a new layer outline your coloring area, and then grab the bucket and fill it in!
drag that new coloring layer down under your lines, and color away!

[castiiian]

what is pen sensitivity or pen pressure?

• if you have a drawing tablet, a stylus, or something similar, you'll have the ability to use pen pressure! pen pressure just means that when you touch the screen harder, the device recognizes that and makes your stroke darker/larger/etc. it's like pressing down on a pencil harder for a darker line. you cannot get pen pressure with a mouse or trackpad.

what is a...

• oc/original character - an original, unique design for a creature (human, animal, closed species, or etc) that you own. these are often developed into "characters" and used for stories or artworks. you can create your own oc, someone else can create one for you, or you can even purchase one.
  xxx
  
• sona - it can stand for fursona, persona, or whatever else creature-sona! it might share some traits with you, like hair or freckles, or it might just match your vibes and personality. your sona doesn't have to match you exactly, it's just a character that you own that represents you!
  xxx
• closed species - closed species are usually unique, imaginary creatures that were made and developed by a user! closed species usually revolve around community. oekaki has a board just for closed species communities, click here to check it out.
  xxx
• uma - this stands for "user-made adoptable". this is the off-oekaki version of oekaki's closed species boards. you can find chickensmoothie's uma board here.

oh no, i posted my oekaki in the wrong topic!

• easy fix! click the "report" button by the edit button of your post, and in the report write where you'd like your topic moved! a mod will move it for you as soon as possible.

i want to delete my oekaki... can i do that?

• yep! if no one has posted yet, you can delete it yourself by pressing the "x" button besides the edit button. if someone has posted, then you won't see the "x" button anymore! instead, you can report your post and ask a mod to delete it for you. if you want to delete multiple oekakis, then please send in a help ticket instead! that way you can link all the oekakis you want deleted in one single ticket, it makes it easier for both you and the mods.

how do i bump my drawing?

• scroll all the way down, underneath the reply buttons, on the bottom menu you'll find a button that says "bump topic". click this to bump your topic without making a new reply! can't find it? here's what it looks like!
  please remember that chickensmoothie's rules state you can only bump your thread after it's fallen off the main page!

[castiiian]

click on a thumbnail to go to the oekaki!
have a tutorial for me to add to this list? post it in this thread!
note: i'll only be adding tutorials that were made on oekaki + have multiple steps
if you have to "color-in" a tutorial to see all the steps, i won't be including it



feel free to post now;
ask questions, share techniques/tips, etc!
hope you all enjoy this new thread! :3c

[minknip]

MARKING UUGUGHGHG THANK YOU

[Fishkin]

This is so funny thank you!!

[Buzz Aesthetic]

Heres a bunch that i'd like to suggest being mentioned! they're very nice!
Crayon-style brushes
pixelart brush (pencil round pixelated & eraser round pixelated)
Making neat borders/outlines/silhouettes by using the box blur tool once, then duplicating and merging the layer.
The brush you can get by taking the Round Soft style Pencil with ~400+% Scattering and 15+% Spacing, if you transform it flatter its great for ground texture!
clicking the color bar under the Colors Palette lets you input color-specific 6-diget codes called Hex codes
The Color Swatches Palette can be saved to your computer & uploaded into another oekaki painting! they can also be edited in Photoshops Palette Widget as well!
When coloring in your lineart, you can outline under the line layer with a pixel brush and then you'll be able to use the paintbucket tool without blurry edges!
The Gradient tool wont let you input hex codes, but you can modify the opacity of the gradient to use for cool lighting or use with a clipping layer to add a smooth gradient to linearts. (just be sure to make the second color in your gradient close in color as the first one, otherwise you'll still be able to see the original color it was!)
Alternatively you can get a smooth gradient by making a line with the airbrush tool and Transforming it HUGE!
There are two options for the transform tool, smooth and sharp- sharp is perfect for resizing pixelart!
Sample all layers for watercolors, finger, and blender.
saving an oekaki as a png, but without posting the actual image (saving it from that mid-step "POST A NEW TOPIC")
deleting images in your unfinished oekaki drawings/about this saved drawing


i love the use of the box blur tool (great for glowing or making perfect borders) and the grid (perfect checking if you're moving something along a straight line, and awesome for writing with)!! they are super helpful but i find a lot of people who forget or dont know about them! lmao
instead of the watercolor or the airbrush tool, i use the pencil tool with no brush size penpressure, yes opacity pen pressure- and i press rather lightly with many brush strokes. it can give a cool painting-style to your gradients.
I'd love to recommend linking some of Qwertyo's art tutorials!!
like these ones!
Forum/viewtopic.php?t=4700741
Forum/viewtopic.php?t=4674360
Forum/viewtopic.php?t=4226228
Forum/viewtopic.php?t=4178562
i hope this helped!! i hope i learn some new stuff from this guide too!