Oekaki Boards

In my previous post, I mentioned a public drawing board where people can go and draw online and instantly upload and share the image with others on the board. This is by no means a independant, or unique occurance. These public drawing boards, also known as oekaki boards, are the perfect place to go to kill some time and share some art. They are very addicting, and if a good board is found, can be frequented for years.

There are countless of these boards on the internet, catering to all kinds of styles, subjects, and skill levels.

Things to consider when you're picking a board:
a) Activity - there is no way around this one. Either the board is hopping, or its dead. I prefer a more active board, where at least 2 oekakis are completed a day. Anything less than this leads to absolute boredom (at least for me). There is nothing wrong with a slow board, but don't expect much feedback on them. Also beware boards that move too fast. Some are so fast that your image is off the front page in a matter of minutes after being completed. Find a good balance.

b) Skill Level - pay attention to this! You don't want to accidently post on a board that is way above your personal skill level. Not only will your art be removed in a flash, you'll become the target for being absolutely shredded. Also, you don't want to end up posting on a board thats far below your skill level either. You'll never get any constructive feedback, and you run the risk of being flamed to death. Take this will a grain of salt. If you want to post with the heavy hitters and give it a shot, go ahead. You might just stumble on a board that has friendly people who will help you grow. If you want to post with the newer users, that's cool too. Help them learn, or just feed your ego for a while. Just realize the context of it all yea?

c) Theme - most oekaki boards have a specific theme. Some are fanart boards, while others cater to a specific subculture. Always check the theme before you post. Most themed boards are pretty strict about content, so unless you want your art removed and your account deleted, read the rules.

d) The Rules - Seriously, just read them. Every board has its own set, and usually they're there for a reason. Unless you're a troll, then you deserve all the negative consequences.

e) Personal Preference - Keep in mind, oekaki boards were originally meant to be fun and a place to draw/doodle. Try a board out, and if the community is too uptight for you, just leave and vise versa. With the amount of boards out there, you'll be able to find the right board for you. So even if your first choice wasn't a great one, keep looking until you find that perfect match.

Popular Boards:
- 2draw
= Great place to draw. Features Lascaux Sketch, one of the best online drawing tools out there.

- Oekaki Central
= Great for all skill levels. Good community, though has a high turnover rate.

- NeonDragonArt Boards
= Great for most, though its users tend to be younger with a lower skill level. Also a very high turnover rate.

- Suta-Ratio Oekaki
= Great community, has different boards for different skill levels and a friendly staff.

- Bakaneko's Oekaki Boards
= Good community, just very anime centered.

- Endless Oekaki
= Another great communtiy. Also anime centered.