The rules appear so we can make sure that you are fully aware of the rules before posting. Click the hidden link on the rules page to activate the "Paint" button.

If you are using a Mac, please use Internet Explorer 5 or higher. Older versions have problems saving and displaying images. If you are using Windows and have trouble with colors, try setting colors from True Color to High Color. You may also try using Netscape instead of Explorer.

If you can't post images or comments, and receive a message about an access error, then you have been banned. First, review any recent changes you made in your browser's firewall settings to see if that's actually the problem. If it's not your browser, and it appears as though you've been banned, see the question on getting banned and unbanned.

You must continue your image with the same applet you started it with. At the bottom of the continue page, you will find the name of the applet you started the image with.

Your browser needs to be able to display Japanese characters for your editted post to show up correctly.

If you need to download the Japanese character set (in IE):
In the IE toolbar, press Tools/Internet Options/Languages/Add/Japanese.

If you have already downloaded the Japanese character set:
Change "view / encoding / japanese auto select".

You are brought to that page because you haven't read the rules. Read the rules careftully, and you will see your mistake.

The correct instructions for how to proceed are HIDDEN IN THE RULES.

You need Java and Javascript turned on in your web browser. Please ask someone for help if you don't know how to turn these features on.

You cannot continue an image in PNG format. Convert your image to JPG or GIF, and then upload it using the "Write" function.

When you upload an image, you will only have one chance to modify it before the "Continue" button disappears. This is a safety precaution, so finish the work on your uploaded pic the first time.

To continue:
Save the image to your hard drive, and upload it using the "Write" function. The entire image will be on one layer.

If your "Continue" button is gone, see one of the above two questions.

If your continue button is still there, just ask one of the mods to reset your password.

You must continue your image with the same applet you started it with. At the bottom of the continue page, you will find the name of the applet you started the image with.

First Method:

• Click on the mask button until it says Div.
• Pick a light color.
• Run over the outline with it.
• Click on the Mask button until it says Remask.
• Right-click in the colored box in the center of the Remask button.
• Choose black.
• Run over the entire picture with black.
• Click on the Mask button until it says Mask.
• Right-click in the colored box in the center of the Mask button.
• Start coloring.

Second Method:

• Switch to Layer 1.
• Select the Lay-Uniform tool.
• Click and drag the Lay-Uniform tool over the entire image.
• Choose a white area in the image and right-click on it.
• Right click in the colored box in the center of the Mask button.
• Click on the Mask button until is says Remask.
• Select the WhiteRectangle tool.
• Click and drag the WhiteRectangle over the entire image.
• Switch to Layer 0, and color.

First, try reloading the page. Your browser may have stored an earlier version of the page. If that is unsuccessful, first check the other boards. Your image may have been moved to another board if it did not meet the guidelines for the board it was posted on. If you can't find it anywhere, your image was deleted.

'Oekaki' is Japanese for 'doodle'. An oekaki program is an interactive applet that lets you draw pictures and post them on the web for others to see and comment on. Most oekaki are created in Japanese and translated into English. This website's oekaki has three painting programs. They are Shii Painter, Shii Painter Pro, and ShiiPaint BBS.

First Method:

• Click on the mask button until it says Div.
• Pick a light color.
• Run over the outline with it.
• Click on the Mask button until it says Remask.
• Right-click in the colored box in the center of the Remask button.
• Choose black.
• Run over the entire picture with black.
• Click on the Mask button until it says Mask.
• Right-click in the colored box in the center of the Mask button.
• Start coloring.

Second Method:

• Switch to Layer 1.
• Select the Lay-Uniform tool.
• Click and drag the Lay-Uniform tool over the entire image.
• Choose a white area in the image and right-click on it.
• Right click in the colored box in the center of the Mask button.
• Click on the Mask button until is says Remask.
• Select the WhiteRectangle tool.
• Click and drag the WhiteRectangle over the entire image.
• Switch to Layer 0, and color.

Use the "Delete" from the menu options at the top. Select the entry you want, and enter in the password to delete the entry.

Just before you submit a drawing or comment, click on "Add an Icon" near the submit button.You will be taken to a screen where you can choose the icon to upload. Hit the checkbox marked "Reserved" if you want the icon to be for you only. The password you enter will be the password for the icon.

The instructions for getting to choose a new theme are at the bottom of this page.

Take a screenshot. Look at the next question to see how.

Press the "PrintScrn" key (next to F12). This will copy a screenshot. Open a paint program such as Photoshop or Paintshop Pro, and paste your image there.

Press "Write"from the menu at the top. Please don't abuse the "Write" function.

There's no standard procedure for becoming a moderator. Just display responsibility and maturity, and watch the Forums for any moderator announcements. Artistic skill is not a criteria for becoming a moderator.

Yes. Please post them on the Upload Board. Make sure you are fully aware of all the board's rules before uploading. (If there is no upload board, just post on the General Board.)

Yes. Please post them on the General Board. If you want to post it on any other board, you will have to spend as much time working on it online as it took for you to draw it. Hand-drawn art that is low-quality or badly scanned will not meet the standards of the boards, and will be deleted.

Be respectful of differences in age, artistic skill, race, and religion.

Leave lots of comments, and criticism if it's requested. Everyone loves comments.

Rarely leave pictures unfinished, and always return to finish them.

Don't cover up your unfinished pics with a blank color.

Delete your unfinished pics using the delete buttons. Delete your double-posts.

Post messages and discussions in the Forums instead of the oekaki boards. Please use email for private discussion and disputes.

If you upload or trace your images, spend as much effort personalizing them as the original artist took to create them.

Use the "Write" button as rarely as possible.

Help newbies learn what's going on.

Remember your password. It's easier if you use the same one or two passwords all the time.

Voice your opinions in a mature fashion. Your opinions are always welcome, but fighting-words are not.

Respect the integrity of the boards. Without integrity, there would be no need for rules :).

Your image will be removed for graphic nudity whether it is artistic or not.

Taking credit for someone else's artwork is plagarism. Posting plagarism more than once will be considered spamming and it might get you banned.

It it ok to use references for your drawings. If you use a reference, please post credit or the link where the reference could be found.

A link to the artist must also be included if you upload a doll-base.

Any image is ok, as long as it does not have graphic nudity and it avoids tastelessness. Your pic may be considered tasteless if it has gratuitous obscenity, or if it advocates hatred towards a specific group of people. It may also be considered tasteless if it shows or implies a sexual act in an offensive manner. Your image will be deleted if it has these things.

If your image is only a little offensive, you might get some complaints from it. Even if your image is not removed, prepare for negative responses. It is your right to post whatever content you want on the boards, and it is other peoples' right to discuss their negative feelings about it. The other members have to put up with your questionable drawings, and you have to put up with their unfavorable replies. If the unhappiness you receive from their replies outweighs the happiness you gained from posting your art, we strongly suggest that you refrain from posting.

Any amount of violence is ok, as long as your image does not advocate violence against a particular group of people.

To see the size and data limits for pictures, just click where it says "Help" or "Settings" in the menu at the top. Some boards have slightly different settings.

Your browser needs to be able to display Japanese characters for your editted post to show up correctly.

If you need to download the Japanese character set (in IE):
In the IE toolbar, press Tools/Internet Options/Languages/Add/Japanese.

If you have already downloaded the Japanese character set:
Change "view / encoding / japanese auto select".

Experienced artists generally want constructive criticism, and inexperienced new artists generally don't want constructive criticism. For leaving crits, consider the artist's experience, use your best judgment, and remember the following:

• Crits are generally unwanted on the General Board.
• Crits are always ok on the Advanced Board and Vets Board.

Some artists don't want to draw with all the pressure and criticism of the higher boards, even if they are really good. Veteran and advanced artists can draw on the General Board without setting out to create a masterpiece. Also please remember that as you continue to draw, your eyes will mature. Budding artists and new artists, in particular, are most impressed with art technique- that is, the realism and detail that goes into a drawing. However a lot of different factors go into the Advanced/Vets standards- including composition, background, perspective and consistent lighting. Instead of dwelling on the problem, look on the brighter side. Don't let other's art scare you, and instead see it as an example of what you can achieve.

First, try reloading the page. Your browser may have stored an earlier version of the page. If that is unsuccessful, first check the other boards. Your image may have been moved to another board if it did not meet the guidelines for the board it was posted on. If you can't find it anywhere, your image was deleted.

There are several possible reasons.

1) Your image may have offensive content. Nudity and general tastelessness are not allowed.

2) Your image may have been left unfinished for too long. Return to work on your unfinished pic within 24 hours.

3) Unfinished work must be nontrivial. If it's just a sketch of a head, or a stick figure, it's not going to stay. Don't leave your work unfinished unless you absolutely need to!

4) Your image may have been under the time-limit or otherwise below standards. Read the main page and the Rules page to understand the standards for every board.

If you believe your image was deleted in error, either email all the moderators of the board, or email Chibi-Mars.

Use the "Delete" from the menu options at the top. Select the entry you want, and enter in the password to delete the entry.

Spamming involved flooding the boards with images or comments, or leaving comments that make no sense or are otherwise unwanted. Posting too may images in one day will usually result in a warning from the moderators, and may eventually result in the user getting banned.

Flaming is the harrassment or abuse of other artists or commenters. Flamers insult and degrade their people instead of art, and they do it to get attention, or to make themselves feel better. Flamers may be banned from the oekaki boards on the first offense.

There are several possible reasons.

1) Your image may have offensive content. Nudity and general tastelessness are not allowed.

2) Your image may have been left unfinished for too long. Return to work on your unfinished pic within 24 hours.

3) Unfinished work must be nontrivial. If it's just a sketch of a head, or a stick figure, it's not going to stay. Don't leave your work unfinished unless you absolutely need to!

4) Your image may have been under the time-limit or otherwise below standards. Read the main page and the Rules page to understand the standards for every board.

If you believe your image was deleted in error, either email all the moderators of the board, or email Chibi-Mars.

If you see someone spamming, they most likely do not understand their offense. You can help them understand why their behaviour is harmful to the boards.

But, if you see someone posting flaming or posting nudity, the best thing to do is to ignore it. The people who post such things do so out of lack of respect- they only want attention, but probably won't respond to your comments even if you post them. Email the moderators immediately, and they'll delete the offensive post.

Email Chibi-Mars with the person's username and the time of the incident. There are backlogs saved of all the Paintchat text, so the incident will be reviewed and that person will probably get banned. A person who is banned from Paintchat might be banned from the drawing boards also, so don't try anything funny!

If you have a serious disagreement with a moderator's decision, first consider whether the conflict may be in communication. The moderators are willing to listen if you have good reasons for your disagreements. In turn, you have to do your part and respect the reasons why all of the boards have certain guidelines. If you feel that a moderator's actions are harmful or discriminating, contact Chibi-Mars. For any serious problems, you can always contact Chibi-Mars privately.

There's no standard procedure for becoming a moderator. Just display responsibility and maturity, and watch the Forums for any moderator announcements. Artistic skill is not a criteria for becoming a moderator.

You may get banned for flaming, spamming, posting graphic nudity, and impersonating others. You may also be banned for ignoring or disobeying the moderators' requests. And you can also get banned for disrespecting other artists in Paintchat.

There is the possibility that you were banned in error. If you have done none of these things, someone else with access to your computer may have done them.

To get unbanned, you must email Chibi-Mars.

The only way is to email Chibi-Mars.