Rules & FAQs

1. Other Frequently Answered Questions

Everything you could possibly need to know as a member of TDA! Includes Rules for specific areas of the forums, guides and FAQs.

Welcome!

1. New to TDA? Say Hello!,
2. Birthdays!,
3. Registration Issues

If you're new to The Dark Arts, pop on in to learn more.
[Contact Information] [Newbie's Guide To TDA] [How To Request A Graphic] [Share Your Social Media]

Notices from the Admin

1. Old Notices

Here you'll find information about site activities and updates.

Dark Arts Digest

The Digest is a monthly newsletter chronicling monthly events, opinions and accomplishments in the TDA community.

Challenge Winners Hall of Fame

1. The Trophy Shelf,
2. General Challenge Winners,
3. Monthly Challenge Awards,
4. Special Challenge Awards,
5. Other Awards

Who won the most? Who won any? This section contains a record of all challenges and their winners.

Social Media Hub

1. Tumblr,
2. Twitter,
3. deviantArt,
4. Instagram

Event Center

This is where TDA's special events are held!

Veteran Artists

The galleries of artists who may have gone on to better things, but whose graphics we still greatly admire. You can browse here for some inspiration. Veteran artists that would like their galleries moved back to the Master Artist section, please PM an admin!

Designer Artists

Designers make any type of art which is not the usual for TDA - photomanipulations, digital paintings, vector art, typography, 3D art, paintings and drawings, photography, design (posters, brochures, magazines, business cards, T shirts etc), web design (also skins) ....and so on.

Master Artists

These artists are the best and brightest TDA has to offer.

Graduate Artists

With fantastic style and technique, these artists are on the edge of greatness.

Senior Artists

Halfway up the ranks, these artists have much talent and potential.

Junior Artists

These artists have managed the basics and a lot more.

Member Artists

All new artists must start here as a Member Artist to await monthly promotions.

New Artists!

If you wish to become a TDA artist, please read the rules carefully before posting your new gallery in this forum.

Up For Grabs

1. Story Graphics - Character,
2. Story Graphics - Pairings,
3. Story Graphics - Other,
4. Forum Graphics,
5. Wallpapers,
6. UFG Archive

Don't want to wait for a request to be taken? Try browsing this area for pre-made banners and forum graphics of all types imaginable.

Story Graphic Requests

1. Specific Artist,
2. Member Artist Requests,
3. Filled Requests (Story Graphics)

If you are looking for any graphics for your story - banners, chapter images or story sets - step in here! Please observe all of the requesting rules and remember to respect our artists. Junior+ artists may fill requests in this forum.

RPG and Forum Graphic Requests

1. Specific Artist,
2. Member Artist Requests,
3. Filled Requests (RPG & Forum Graphics)

This is your one-stop forum for your forum accessories: signatures, avatars, and character library images, as well as tumblr roleplay requests. Junior+ artists may fill requests in this forum.

Other Graphic Requests

1. Specific Artist,
2. Member Artist Requests,
3. Filled Requests (Other Graphics)

For all other types of requests that don't fit anywhere else - desktop wallpapers, website layouts, forum or tumblr headers and pips, character make-overs (ie changing a person's hair colour) graphics for private use, etc. Junior+ artists may fill requests in this forum.

Featured Tutorials

Here you will find selected tutorials posted by the members of TDA. This forum is visible to guests.

Tutorials

1. Step-By-Step Tutorials,
2. Coding & Skinning,
3. Photography & Digital Painting

Where you'll find tutorials by TDA members and where you can ask questions regarding software, techniques, etc.
You must have at least 5 posts to view the tutorials.

General Challenges

For all members, with or without galleries. A maximum of 12 2-week long challenges are posted at one time.

Monthly Challenges

Here you can participate in Ultimate Challenges, I Challenge Thee! and compete within your artist rank for coveted Your Best Work award!

Special Challenges

1. Graphics Battles,
2. Graphic Quests,
3. Last Graphic Maker Standing,
4. Big Buddy Little Buddy

Participate in the Last Graphic Maker Standing challenge or make a friend and improve your graphics by participating in our Big Buddy Little Buddy program! Duel another artist in a Graphic Battle or challenge yourself by embarking on a Graphic Quest!

General Critique

[A Place to Squee]

Graphic Critique

The place to get critique on all graphics such as banners, sigs, chapter images, blends, headers, icons, ....

Gallery Critique

Where Junior+ artists can offer gallery critique.

Help Me Choose!

For when you can't decide which graphic is best, ideal for challenge entries and gallery inclusions.

Technique Spotlight

Every few months, we'll feature a graphic-making technique with special tutorials and helpful tips for enhancing your skills.

Technique Based Q&A Centre

This forum is for technique related questions. Do you have a graphic but you can't seem to blend the hair correctly, or can't seem to get rid of the orange hues and can't find how to do it in the tutorial section? Then post the graphic here to get tips and tricks from your fellow artists.

Featured Resources

Here you will find selected resources posted by the members of TDA. This forum is visible to guests.

General Resources

Here you will find the answers to all sorts of Resource questions: Who's That? What's that font? What's that resource?

[Copyrighted Images Masterlist]

Stock

Here you can find stock images (trees, flowers, buildings, etc.) for use in your graphics.

Textures

Here you can find textures for use in your graphics. These are varied from colourful to grungy, simple to detailed and everything in between!

People

Looking for people to put into your graphics? Look no further!

Other

In here you'll find screencaps, fonts, brushes, gradients, mixtures, and more!

Off-Topic Forum

1. Real Life Help,
2. Discussion Zone

For stuff that doesn't fit anywhere else.
[Rules] [Help Wanted Ads] [Masterlist of Names & Name Changes]

Advertising

1. Submissions,
2. Affliates,
3. Fandom Roleplaying,
4. Original Roleplaying,
5. Other,
6. Dead Boards

TDA Rec Room

If you're looking for forum games, look no further! Especially if you like spam. Posting here will not add to your post count.
[Post Your Last Creation]