What is an Oekaki?
Oekaki is a Japanese word that means "to doodle or scribble." This word is used most often in the English language as an internet term. On the internet, an Oekaki (oh-eh-kah-kee) is a message board system. The first impression of an Oekaki is a long page of posted computer art, mainly doodles that are saved to a server, with messages or posts next to or under the pictures.
Oekaki's mainly use the three most popular java applets: OekakiBBS, PaintBBS, and ShiPainter. They are each browser based programs that require no downloads (other than Java). They are used like any other art program and are usually much simpler than high end programs but more powerful than Microsoft Paint. Any device that moves the cursor (mouse, tablet, touch tablet, etc.) can be used to draw in an Oekaki, just like any other art program.
One of the neat things about Oekaki is the animation feature. When using an Oekaki, it is possible to choose the animation feature that allows other users to view the process of the drawing. There's also the ability to save a drawing without others seeing it and to be able to continue the drawing later.
Oekaki's can be used for any type of art, though the most popular style used is Anime, a Japanese style of animation. I have seen many different pictures ranging from fully realistic photo renderings to Anime styles to original styles. There is no limit to the quality of the images by using Oekaki, thus many artists like to also submit their works to other websites, such as deviantArt.com.
Some Pros About Oekaki
A list of great things about Oekaki.
Every art program on the computer has its pros and cons, but how does Oekaki compare to something like Photoshop or Microsoft Paint?
- Oekaki is free, for one.
- Oekaki is easy to use.
- Oekaki is easy to learn.
- Oekaki has a nice quality that a program like MSPaint can't really achieve.
- Oekaki allows immediate feedback on your artwork.
- Oekaki is ready to use, meaning it doesn't need to be downloaded.
- Did I mention that it's free?
- Oekaki is used in a browser, so it doesn't hog computer power.
Now for the Cons
Oekaki may be great, but there are some warnings to know about.
- Oekaki sometimes crashes the browser.
- It's important to take screen shots (prt sc key) to really save the artwork.
- Sometimes the browser bugs and won't save a picture.
- Sometimes when a picture is saved, it isn't saved correctly.
- Sometimes a picture is posted to the message board instead of "savety saved," or saved without actually posting.
- The differences between the three and more java applets have enough of a learning curve, so an artist has to choose the best suited one.
- If a user is new to computer art in general, there is still a learning curve.
- Sometimes the community won't be so welcoming to newcomers, depending on the average skill of the current users.
Oekaki Boards
Where to Draw on Oekaki?
This is a working list of actively used Oekaki boards. Links will be added to new boards as I find them.
- Oekaki Central
- One of the main Oekaki boards on the internet. Sometimes the process of signing up isn't working as best as it could, but this is an excellent place to learn how to draw in Oekaki.
- Sutaro Sketcher
- This is a great place to get the hang of the java applets. This is where I started, and it is possible to "try out" for the Intermediate and Advanced boards after practicing.
- NeonDragonArt
- This is also a good place to start out.
- Pallid Oekaki
- This Oekaki requires 60 minute long works, which is much higher than the usual 10 minutes. This makes the site's pictures much higher quality than the usual 10 minute doodles. Great for inspiration for longer projects, too.
- Anime oekaki drawing board
- This is a great place to learn how to draw Anime and Manga without feeling pressured. It's generally for fanart.
Walkthrough to Get Started
It might seem overwhelming when first learning how to draw in Oekaki, nevermind learning how to draw with a mouse or a tablet pen. Here is a list of steps you can follow to getting started with drawing on Oekaki.
- Choose one of the boards listed to sign up with a username.
- Pick one of the java applets (if more than one is available) to open in your browser. I suggest either PaintBBS (if you've never drawn on the computer before or are still beginning) or Shi Painter (if you've used a higher end computer program such as Paint Shop Pro, Photoshop, or something similar to draw.)
- Choose a tutorial listed below to follow along to learn the basics of the tools.
- Play with the tools! Splash color, cut and paste, erase, throw some textures, etc.
- When you're finished with your drawing, click the upload button. Most Oekaki's give instructions on how to 'upload' or 'save' a picture to the message boards.
- Learn how to safety save. This is where you save your picture without uploading it for others to see. Usually the process is saving the picture without a title, but some Oekaki's have different preferences.
- When saving your picture, give it a title, maybe leave a comment about it, and press save!
- Now you can either check out what others have drawn on the message board, leave some nice comments about the art, or draw again!
Oekaki Basics
Here is a list of tutorials about the tools of Oekaki.
There are already many tutorials out for the consumption, but there will eventually be one for Squidoo, as well.
- Tutorials
- Has a screenshot for ShiPainter and explains each tool. There are links to the side of the page for more tutorials and articles about Oekaki and comics.
- Dragon Paint Art - Oekaki Painter
- Tutorial walkthrough about PaintBBS. I love this website and artist for her wonderful dragons and fantasy artwork. There are also many other tutorials on the site about drawing.
- Oekaki Central - List of Tutorials Available
- I love this website for the efficient methods of improvement. I suggest looking through the tutorials as well as the rest of the site. This would be an excellent site to begin an Oekaki journey.
- Oh! Ekaki! Art Tutorials
- Lots of links and tutorials about the basics. And the artist's gallery is nice, too.
Anime
The Japanese style of animation - not cartoons.
Anime has a strong presence in the adolescent world in the U.S. as well as much of the world. It's no wonder that it's also popular with the Oekaki world because of all of the younger users.Anime has such a distinct style that is so different than the usual American cartoons. Most teens that become interested in Anime also become interested in art, and thus draw in the Oekaki boards.
Realism
Professional Grade in Oekaki
By no means is Oekaki only for the Anime fans. Shi Painter is enough of a powerful program to create fully realistic drawings and paintings like those coming from Paint Shop Pro, or even Photoshop.It takes much more skill and practice to pull off the realistic style, but the reward is worth the effort.
Many realists begin by choosing a photograph online that they wish to draw. They begin the drawing by having the photograph open in another browser beside the Oekaki applet. This allows for comparison between the photo and the drawing itself.
Different Styles
There are as many styles as there are people on earth.
- Oekaki Realism Tutorial by Yayster
- This is an excellent tutorial on how this artist draws and paints realistically from photographs. This can be used for any subject of photograph.
- Oekaki Realism Tutorial by Zehful
- Here's another way to draw using a photograph as a reference.
I believe that if an artist can draw realistically, whether from life or photographs, first, then the other styles will make so much more sense with the basics of realism underneath his or her belt. - Manga Tutorials
- I loved reading through the author's experiences of living in Japan. It helps with writing and drawing Japan-based graphic novel spreads in Oekaki.
There are plenty of tutorials about how to draw in the Manga style. Lots of things to explore and practice, for sure. Don't pass this site up if you love the style and wish to learn, or even if you want to learn Anime. It's extremely helpful. - Polykarbon: Tutorials!
- The basics are here, even though it's mostly for paper and photoshop.
- HOW TO DRAW MANGA
- Another great place to learn the basics of Manga.
- BakaNeko
- These tutorials are older, but they are great for a beginner to Anime and Manga.
- Manga and Anime tutorials | Manga Punk
- She has some really nice tutorials, basic.
Portfolio?
Where can all those drawings go?
I love the idea of having an online portfolio filled with drawings that had sweat and tears poured into them. Why not take a look at some sites and find a favorite one?
- DeviantArt
- This is one of my favorites, if only because I've used it since 2004.
This allows unlimited uploads, meaning an unlimited amount of pictures in a gallery! There are also many other features, like News and Favoriting, and the community is extremely active. There is also the Daily Deviations page where admin and moderator favorites are posted each day; these are usually very high quality art pieces in a range of styles and materials. - Sheezy Art
- I've found that this gallery site is mainly for the Anime fans. It's a lot similar to dA above.
- Fanart Central
- A lot of Oekaki pictures that I've seen are fan art, so this is a site geared towards that, though they do encourage originals as well.
- Epilogue
- I've seen some excellent Fantasy art pieces here, and that kind of quality can be done through Oekaki after practice and hard work. This place is also filled with inspiration.
- Elfwood
- This is also a Fantasy based gallery, but it isn't so overbearing on the skill. This is great for boosting ego when looking through all of the galleries because it always made me think, "I could do that, too!"
Drawing from Life
The real art
The best way to improve any art on the computer is by improving your art off of the computer.
Go out and draw in your sketchbook!
What do you love to draw in Oekaki? If you draw characters, then draw people walking around. If you draw animals, then draw your pets. If you draw scenery, then go outside and draw your backyard.
If at all possible, take a life drawing class. This will vastly improve the skills in Oekaki. Also learn about the color wheel and how different colors affect the mood. Learn about composition, how to place things in your picture to make a mood or idea or anything appear stronger within the piece.
Just because most people doodle on Oekaki doesn't mean that you have to forgo the basics of art! Learning the basics will only make your art that much stronger.
Go out and draw in your sketchbook!
What do you love to draw in Oekaki? If you draw characters, then draw people walking around. If you draw animals, then draw your pets. If you draw scenery, then go outside and draw your backyard.
If at all possible, take a life drawing class. This will vastly improve the skills in Oekaki. Also learn about the color wheel and how different colors affect the mood. Learn about composition, how to place things in your picture to make a mood or idea or anything appear stronger within the piece.
Just because most people doodle on Oekaki doesn't mean that you have to forgo the basics of art! Learning the basics will only make your art that much stronger.
Books for Art Basics
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
This REALLY teaches you how to draw.
Amazon Price: (as of 12/31/2009) 
Color by Betty Edwards: A Course in Mastering the Art of Mixing Colors
Amazon Price: $12.32 (as of 12/31/2009)
Perspective Made Easy
Amazon Price: $8.95 (as of 12/31/2009)
Animal Anatomy for Artists: The Elements of Form
For those who like to draw animals, this is a godsend, along with a few other animal anatomy books from Amazon.
Amazon Price: $31.50 (as of 12/31/2009)
Dynamic Anatomy: Revised and Expanded Edition
Drawing each of the muscles and learning where they all go is important to anyone wanting to make their characters believable. Not just realistic, but believable.
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 12/31/2009)
Tablets
When the Mouse isn't Enough
Sometimes it's hard to draw on the computer using only a mouse. That's where the Wacom tablet comes in. A tablet is much like a touch tablet on a laptop, but instead it is a separate piece that can use a pen or a mouse on the flat surface. It takes some getting used to, but the pen is excellent for getting great quality drawings on the computer.
When first starting out with the hobby of drawing on the computer, especially in Oekaki, a Graphire is smaller and cheaper and is best to experiment with. After lots of practice and you still want a higher end tablet, an Intuos is the best tablet out there. Sizes vary in both brands, but the smallest is a 4" X 5", which is actually bigger in real life.
When first starting out with the hobby of drawing on the computer, especially in Oekaki, a Graphire is smaller and cheaper and is best to experiment with. After lots of practice and you still want a higher end tablet, an Intuos is the best tablet out there. Sizes vary in both brands, but the smallest is a 4" X 5", which is actually bigger in real life.
Wacom Graphire 4 X 5 USB Tablet with Cordless Mouse & Pen (Strawberry)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/31/2009)
Wacom Graphire3 4X5 USB Tablet -Sapphire Blue
Amazon Price: (as of 12/31/2009)
Wacom Graphire3 4 x 5 USB Tablet - Pearl White
Amazon Price: (as of 12/31/2009)
Wacom Graphire3 6X8 USB Tablet -Sapphire (CTE630SA)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/31/2009)
Wacom Intuos3 6 x 8-Inch Pen Tablet
Amazon Price: $327.95 (as of 12/31/2009)
Feedback
Feel free to post feedback and whatever else.
I appreciate every tidbit for improvement. Please feel free to comment or leave a link to something relevant for the link lists. Thank you so much!
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by hmahines
Oekaki-ing is a great way to spend time on the computer while simultaneously getting better at drawing, art in general, and releasing pent-up emotions... (more)
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