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If you don't know what art fight is click here.
If you don't take away anything else, at least know this: I've been on AF since 2017. I can say that what you put into the event is what you'll get out of it.
The more you draw, the more you'll get in return.
The official Discord has off season mini games.
Please bump this thread to help spread this info!
Art Fight Logo Credit
Icon Background Credit

Art Fight Call Outs

This post documents a variety of circumstances where both the moderation and moderators of Art Fight have been problematic.

Important Rules

Rules Page | Attack Points Guide | Maturity Rating Guide
Attacks can ONLY be drawn during the event itself!!
DO NOT farm points, such as posting a lot of sketches. This is against the rules!
You can host OCs belonging to your friends/loved ones as long as you have permission. Make sure to credit them in the post.
I asked Art Fight in an email about drawing your OC with someone else's in an attack. They said you can tag your character and get points for them.

Use These Shortcuts When The Site Is Slow

https://artfight.net/~*type-the-name-here*
https://artfight.net/~*type-the-name-here*/characters
Settings | Bookmarks | New Attacks Recieved | Comment pings | Art/OCs from who you're following

Making Sure Your OCs Are Ready

This video has some helpful ideas on drawing references faster. The pinned comment has some tips on using the website itself.
Try to commit to the OCs you have uploaded during the event. Pick which ones to have up ahead of time. It's hard for others to make plans to draw your character if they draw them, only to upload and find your OC is deleted.
Make sure the universal permissions for your characters are up to date. Say if you're ok or not ok with nsfw themes, gore, and bright colors (eye strain).
Tag your OCs because it really helps when people are looking for certain kinds of OCs!! I recommend tagging things like: colors, fandoms, and species.
Skim all of your OC descriptions to make sure they're clear and up to date.
Here is a description template you can copy/paste.

Improve Your OC's Permissions Section

Is the character's design detailed? Saying so can help people see that it's important.
Are design changes ok? Genderbends?
Can they be drawn with other people's OCs?
Can they be drawn with your other OCs? If so, which ones?
Do they have props?
What themes should be included in art of them?
Do they have background references you can link to?
Do they have more outfits you can link to?
What are their pronouns?
Encourage drawing them with specific ocs or kinds of ocs
Give specific drawing ideas!
If gore, NSFW, or joke art are ok make sure to mention it!

Ideas For Your Attacks

There is nothing wrong with revenging attacks from previous years. If you attack a lot, then it's something to expect from others. Art Fight is something to work on over years. Being sporadic and within your means is commonplace and valid.
Practice traditional art with your attacks if you main digital art. Practice digital if you draw traditional.
You can draw a mass attack with up to 100 OCs! I suggest using a fandom, species, color, or aesthetic. I once redid a Guess Who? game for Art Fight. You can get creative with your presentation.
Use a random or obscure art program.
A wide variety of crafts are allowed.
You are allowed to make a video or dress up game as your attack!! You will still need an image for the Art Fight post. The rest of the attack will need to be linked in the description. Some videos and games were featured in 2022.
Give yourself goals, such as attack amount. You can promise to always attack back, but it's not common to be able to. Some people go for really long revenge chains.
You can give yourself rules such as one attack per person or prioritize older bookmarks.
If you want to include more effort in your attack backs keep it a secret! Anything that incentivizes people to attack you is against the spirit of the event, but is technically not against the rules (as far as I could tell).
Search for specific fandoms, interests, aesthetics, species, etc.
Click here for a random character on Art Fight.

Design Attacks

If you want design attacks, the most common being "design me an oc" please please please be specific. I can't tell you how many of these posts I've seen with nothing to go off of for inspiration. Link to your Toyhouse favorites to give people an idea about your tastes. You can also list aesthetics you like.
You can pick a very specific theme for the oc.
Make the post "design me an [open species name here]."
Make the post "design me an item", such as an accessory.
You can also ask for redesigns of an oc using a design attack post.
Recommended tags: design attack, design an oc, redesign

Goal Ideas

Focus on: bookmarked OCs, older bookmarks, your friend's OCs, certain themes/species
Catch up on bookmarks, revenge every attack, make a mass attack (one drawing, many OCs), draw more than last year, bump yourself up to the next achievement if you're close, make a non-drawing attack of some kind or an animation

Promote Your Profile

There's always posts about Art Fight in the Toyhouse forums during June. Here is a post you can comment on and find other users. It is better to comment on an existing post like the one linked rather than making a whole new forum post. New forum posts that are similar make the forums harder to navigate and push down other topics being discussed.
If you have a hitlist share it by commenting here. Again, please don't make a separate post for it. The link explains what hitlists are as well.
Post about your Art Fight profile and OCs on various social media. Just make sure to include a link somewhere so people can find you.
Share you characters in the official Art Fight Discord.
Use #thanksartfight on Twitter

Other Tips

Make sure your post is marked as having props if you draw an OC with a prop or non-character pet. That effort deserves attack points.
Write in your calendar or set a phone reminder to start updating your OCs in May, June or even earlier.
I suggest preparing your bookmarked characters before July so you have more time to draw!
Don't delete a received attack from your inbox until you've saved the image and given it a comment. This makes it easier to keep track.
If you want to ensure that the person gets notified of your comment (especially comment replies) use @username to tag them.
You can find all achievements here. You can work on the attack amount milestones over years.
Be honest with yourself about your Art Fight goals. Do not overextend yourself. There no obligation to draw in return.
Sometimes achievements are given for switching teams! This isn't the case every year.
The first couple of days in July the site tends to be slow, so it's not a good time to search up ocs.
Art Fight's tips list drawing tips, art programs, and character description advice.

Code, Badges, And Ribbons

Art Fight Assets
Find More Art Fight decorations here!
Art Fight Themed Profile Code
Another Art Fight Themed Profile Code
Art Fight Button Code
Art Fight's Official deviantART posts team badges. A crown is added to the winning team's badge so make sure you use the provided code.
Here are profile badges for sites you use often and what you will/won't draw.
Art Fight Team Ribbons
Art Fight Ribbons - Attack amount and team based aesthetics.