All rules regarding forum conduct, child-friendly content, and art use/creation also apply to the Oekaki, but there are also some specific rules that apply only to the Oekaki forums.

Oekaki Rules

• Keep comments polite, helpful, and relevant to the artwork. Do not start discussions or debates. Critique is allowed if requested by the artist but insults are not welcome.
  
  
• Make an effort to post your drawing in the correct board. Continued intentional misuse of the forum categories may result in disciplinary action. You can view descriptions of what each board is for in the forum index.
  
  
• Don't spam the Oekaki. Your drawing should show intention and a modest amount of effort. We do not allow random scribbles, simple shapes, or empty/solid color canvases, nor should you post advertisements for trades, streams, or other threads. Covered drawings must still follow the oekaki rules and have art visible, even if they are WIPs.
  
  
• Don't create Oekaki topics just to share art you've created elsewhere. Art drawn in another program should be posted in the appropriate board (example: non-Oekaki adoptable characters go in User-made Adoptables).
  
  
• Don't make Oekaki drawings with just words or puzzles written on them. The Oekaki is for sharing artwork, not for displaying a written message or playing a forum game.
  
  
• If using an editable you must follow the artist's rules. This may include leaving a signature/watermark layer on the final image, or may prevent you from selling colored-in versions as adoptables.
  
  
• Don't post blank canvases in the contests board. Contests may be posted there only if you provide a recognizable lineart or relevant background for contestants to use in their entries. If you don't need people to edit something in particular, go to the Regular Art Competitions Board to create your topic. You can still make a rule that your contestants make their entries in the Oekaki boards if you prefer it that way. For more specific rules about contests please view this thread.
  
  
• Specific rules apply to the the Adoptable boards on the Oekaki:
  
  
  • The Oekaki is for making and sharing art in the Oekaki program. If you’d like to use another program to create your adoptables, please post them in user-made adopts or character design shops. “Cover adoptables” are not permitted, except for “milestone” adoptables in which case the cover must still follow Oekaki rules.
    
    
  • You may sell Oekaki art/adoptables for CS pets/items/C$, allowed offsite currency, and dA points/real currency. Keep in mind that CS staff are unable to assist with transactions gone wrong involving other site currency or real currency.
    
    • Any real currency discussion must occur offsite; please link to where you can be contacted. Do not discuss real currency transactions on CS.
  • Post your adoptables in the correct board. If you want to create just a few adopts, use the Adoptables 1: Independent/One-Off board. If you want to create a closed species, community, and intend to make many adoptables, use the Adoptables 2: Closed Species/Communities board.
    
    
  • Follow the rules outlined by the adopt creator(s). Many species owners have their own rules that you must follow in order to successfully participate in their species, so be sure to read their rules before posting. CS staff may enforce a thread owner’s rules if necessary. Note that species rules may not circumvent our official site rules.
    
    
  • All Adoptable Oekaki submissions must be judged no later than 1 month after their end date. Staff may intervene if the user fails to select a winner after 1 month. Failure to judge a contest after being reminded may result in a board warning.
    
    
  • Users are bound to the species rules published at the time that the user receives the adopt. If a species owner adds a new rule, they cannot punish players for breaking the rule before it was added. This includes revoking or rehoming adopts. Updated adoptable rules apply only to adopts made after the rule was published.
    
    
  • Paid-entry raffles are not permitted. You may not charge users for the chance to win something.
    
    
  • Competitions with entries requiring artistic/creative effort must end with a winner. The promised prize (in this case the character design) must be awarded at the end of the contest to an entrant, so be sure you want to give the character away. You may only change your mind if there are no forms that meet the competition requirement.
    
    
  • If you want to transfer your species to another player, then you will need to notify CS staff beforehand. More information on transferring thread ownership can be found here.

Selecting a different version of ChickenPaint:
We have 3 versions of the Oekaki program to choose from. The newest version (ChickenPaint v2.0) allows you to use extra features like layer clipping, layer groups, and layer masks.


• You can choose "ChickenPaint v2.0" on your Oekaki settings page here:
  oekaki/settings.php

Help:
If you don't know how to get started, go to the Beginner Oekaki. When you create a 'New Topic' it will load ChickenPaint for you.
You need Java to view it, and once you create and send a picture it will feature at the top of your new topic.


• Try these guides before asking questions:
  Basic Oekaki Help
  Very detailed Oekaki guide.