• Home
• Game Guide Index
• Art Gallery

Art Gallery

Say, have you ever fancied yourself as an artist? If so, why not try entering the Art Gallery? If you win, you'll be rewarded with fame, and possibly fortune! Luckily, it's pretty easy to get started. Any style of art counts, whether it be digital, hand-drawn, painted, crafted, carved, welded, sculpted, sewn, folded, baked, or anything else you can think up!

Publication Schedule

First, one of the most important things to note is that the Art Gallery is published every Tuesday and Friday. Each gallery is given a theme which dictates what types of content will be accepted. Pieces that do not fit the theme (e.g. a Nimmo drawing submitted for Cybunny Day) will not be considered.

On a monthly basis, TNT will post a schedule covering the following month on the Art Neoboard. Simply look for a board highlighted completely in blue - this means it was posted by an official TNT account. TNT also posts the individual Art Gallery boards here, announcing the winners, so make sure you click on the correct board.

This schedule is accurate, but TNT is human too and thus sometimes mistakes occur. You can use it as a general template to plan ahead. Typically, the changes that occur are minor. In the screenshot below, June 23, 2025 was actually a Monday, so you could safely assume that the gallery was actually going to occur on June 24th (Tuesday).

Themes

Every single Neopian Day receives its own gallery theme on the nearest Tuesday or Friday to the actual holiday. If the calendar days do not fill every Tuesday and Friday for the month, the remaining days will be assigned as "random" day, "homemade/handmade" day, or "new to the Art Gallery" day.

Currently, as of April 2025, the judge has stated that the "homemade/handmade" theme will occur monthly, and they will attempt to offer a "new to the Art Gallery" theme every other month, if space allows.

Historically, the judge would also fill any remaining days with one-off, fun themes such as "Noil Day", "Summer", "Altador Cup", and more! Nowadays, this rarely occurs. Curious about past themes? Check out EchoEternal's petpage archive of Art Gallery themes dating back to January 2013.

Random Theme

Random theme days, which can also be thought of as "no-theme" days, are catch-alls where anything goes! As long as your art is Neopets-related in some capacity, it can be submitted for a random day. Most regulars to the Art Gallery use these days as an opportunity to re-submit previously rejected work. As such, they can often be some of the most competitive galleries.

Handmade/Homemade Theme

The handmade/homemade theme (frustratingly, TNT frequently interchanges which word they use to refer to it) is for exactly what it sounds like—homemade or handmade items only. This can include crochet, embroidery, origami, food or baked goods, glass art, and so, so much more! Digital art, drawings, and paintings do not qualify for this gallery. It is unclear whether or not 3D printed works are permissable.

As of April 2025, this theme also awarded a special prize—an avatar! That being said, many users feel it is polite to refrain from submitting for this themed day if you already have the Random Contest avatar, as there is only one opportunity per month for users to earn it. It is however not against the rules at this time to enter and win multiple "handmade/homemade" theme days.

Random Contest Winner / Guide

Awarded to the winners of the monthly "Handmade/Homemade" themed Art Gallery, as of April 8, 2025.

Previously awarded for winning the Random Contest until early 2021.

Released: November 2, 2004

New to the Art Gallery Theme

The "new to the Art Gallery" theme is strictly for users who have never been published in (aka won) an Art Gallery before. The judge cross-checks all selected pieces to ensure eligibility. However, it is polite to simply not submit any pieces for this theme if you are not eligible, as that saves the judge time.

Rules, Tips, and Tricks

Rules

• No AI-generated artwork
• No double-dipping - you cannot enter any art that has already been in the Beauty Contest, the Neopian Times, or any other contest or spotlight
• Original content only - you cannot use work created by another user, even if you give them credit
• No official Neopets art - you cannot edit or trace official site art, although you are permitted to reference or be inspired by it
• You may not depict any copyrighted characters, symbols, materials, etc. from other media in your entries

Tips and Tricks

• Your work should be of an existing Neopet or petpet colour-combination, item, character, etc.
• Custom designs (e.g. an unreleased colour-combination) are not against the rules, but may be less likely to be published due to future copyright concerns or judging preference
• Try to pick a less common design or character that will stand out amongst the other entries, such as a Wraith Grarrl instead of a Red Grarrl
• Take caution with heavily customised, stylized, or anthropomorphized works, as your work needs to be recognizable as the base pet or character

Although you cannot pass official art off as your own, some users may choose to add in the official art as a point of reference. This is common if someone is baking or cooking a Neopian food item, or if the inspiration for your work may not be easily recognized due to its obscurity. You may also choose to add text conveying a message or saying.

Per TNT,

You may sign your Neopets username on your entries as long as you do not include a TM or (C) symbol, but going forward we will not accept signatures that do not match the username attached to the submission as it makes it difficult for us to verify that artwork is not stolen.

For more information, check out the official FAQ.

Submitting Your Work

Once you feel your work is complete, navigate to the submission page.

Timing Your Submission

As of late April 2025, the judge has recommended that users submit "a day or two" before the gallery is posted. Specifically they stated on an official TNT Message Board:

The best time to enter for a specific theme is a day or two before those entries will be announced.

In reality, the majority of accepted works appear to be submitted the day of the gallery itself, with a rather small percentage submitted in the day or days prior. Art gallery pieces contain their submission date in the image's URL (for example: a URL showing /art/picview.phtml?req=2025-06-25 was submitted on June 25, 2025) so it is easy to determine the submission dates of the published works.

Unlike other creative contests, there is a fixed limit to how many submissions you can enter per day. Once you have met your limit of 3 submissions you will not be able to enter additional art until the following calendar day, so choose carefully! This also means you are unable to "spam" the submission form in hopes of being at the top of the pile (nor should you do that even if you could!). Many users will submit 3 pieces the day prior to a gallery, and 3 the morning of.

Titles

Your title does not have an effect on whether or not your entry is accepted. Some users keep their title succinct yet descriptive, such as Crochet Royal Noil, while other users prefer to leave a message like Happy Petpet Appreciation Day! or even a plea to TNT - Please expand the file size limits!. Your title needs to be appropriate and follow site rules (no swearing or mentions of banned topics).

In fact, it's been suggested that the judge cannot see your title until after your image is selected. So, ensure your piece's success does not depend on the judge being able to read the title beforehand. While Joe finds his art to be hilarious, unfortunately the judge probably just thinks his entry is blank.

White Kau in a Snowstorm by Joe

Dropdown Category

The dropdown category for "subject" must be filled out; you cannot leave it blank. It is not known whether or not this field is relevant to getting selected—the judge prior to April 2025 had previously stated they were unable to filter by dropdown category, and stated that a user's selection did not matter. However it has been observed that the current judge may have the ability to sort by these categories. For this reason, we recommend selecting a category that is most appropriate to your art and/or the theme. While it may not help, it certainly cannot hurt!

You may notice at the top of the dropdown that several upcoming calendar days will be listed. Once a day passes, it automatically drops off the list. So, if Bori Day falls on a Monday, you will not see that category as an option if you submit the following day, Tuesday. For Tuesday submissions, we would recommend selecting the generic "Bori" category.

Similarly, the dropdown only populates fixed calendar days. Any rotating gallery themes (random, homemade/handmade, etc.) will not show up as options. For these days, simply select the most appropriate category for your work.

File Name

You may not think that your file name matters—but it might! A past judge has suggested that file names containing capital letters may result in an entry appearing blank. For this reason, it's recommended to use lowercase letters only in your file name. Numbers and symbols are reportedly also acceptable. Additionally, ensure your file name is appropriate.

File Compression

The Art Gallery has strict sizing guidelines that must be followed, or else you will be unable to upload your work.

• Maximum File Size: 78.08 KB (80,000 bytes)
• Maximum Image Width: 600 pixels
• Maximum Image Height: 600 pixels
• Accepted File Formats: GIF, JPG

It's likely the art you've created is over 78.08 KB, especially if it's a photograph of physical art, meaning you will need to compress it. You may also need to convert the file to a JPG or a GIF, if it is not already. A JPG file allows for more colour and detail than a GIF. Conversely, a GIF makes for a smaller file size, but comes at the expense of the quality of the final product. If your art involves animation, you must use the GIF format.

Windows

For computers running Windows, the easiest way to accomplish this is through the built in "Photos" app. This is the default app that all images open in, unless you have changed your settings.

The resizing tool allows you to immediately see what the new file size will be after every adjustment, saving you from having to repeatedly edit, save, check the file properties, reopen, and repeat. You can make minute adjustments in size and quality to preserve the most of your image, while checking the projected file size in real time.

Navigate to the "..." menu on the top toolbar and select "Resize image". Your first step should be to reduce your image's width to 600px, which is the maximum allowed. Then, see if the projected file size is <78 KB.

Note that the application defaults to 80% quality. If your file size is <78 KB at maximum width, scale up the quality as high as it allows while remaining within the size limit. If your file size is still above 78 KB, try reducing the image width a little further. You can also set the quality to 100%, and reduce the image size until it meets the requirements. You want your artwork to be as large, and as high quality, as you are allowed.

macOS

For computers running macOS, the easiest way to accomplish this is through the built in image "Preview" app. This is the default app that all images open in, unless you have changed your settings.

The resizing tool allows you to immediately see what the new file size will be after every adjustment, saving you from having to repeatedly edit, save, check the file properties, reopen, and repeat. You can make minute adjustments in size and quality to preserve the most of your image, while checking the projected file size in real time.

Navigate to the "Tools" dropdown on the top toolbar and select "Adjust size...". You may need to change your unit of measurement to "pixels" if it defaults to something else, and you should ensure that "Scale proportionally" is checked, so your artwork does not get distorted. Your next step should be to reduce your image's width to 600px, which is the maximum allowed. Then, see if the projected file size is <78 KB.

The Preview app does not allow you to directly adjust the quality of your overall image. So, if your image is just slightly above 78 KB you may try lowering the width/height a bit more. If it is significantly above, try an online file compressor such as Adobe to compress your image (reduce the file size) for free. You want your artwork to be as large, and as high quality, as you are allowed.

Other Options

There are many websites that offer free file resizing and compression such as Adobe Creative Cloud Express (resizing, or compressing). You may also consider using your go-to image app, if you're a digital artist, or another "default" app such as MS Paint. It may require a bit of trial and error to find the optimal combination of size and quality, to preserve the most of your artwork.

Submission Outcomes

Unlike many other creative contests, you will not receive any form of official notification via Neomail about the outcome of your submission, positive or negative.

So, how do you know if you've won? Well, you might first notice a cool new prize in your inventory, or a shiny new trophy on your userlookup (more about those in the next section). But, most users learn of their win by checking the gallery itself to see when the art is posted.

Galleries typically consist of anywhere from 1 to 3 pages of art, with 12 winners per page. The pages do not necessarily all get posted at the same time, though. Pages can be posted several minutes apart, or even up to 3 hours apart. You can be certain that the judge is finished with the gallery for the day in two ways:

• If the judge has posted a Neoboard congratulating the winners
• If the News is up for the day

If one page is up, but there is no Neoboard, don't despair! It's still possible for the judge to add additional pages of winners. TNT has stated previously that the judge must manually award all the prizes and trophies, which is why it's sometimes a lengthy process.

Prizes

If your artwork is published, you will earn 10,000 NP, a prize, and a trophy for your cabinet.

Active Creative Contest Prizes »

If this is not your first time being published, your trophy will update on your userlookup to include a multiplier beneath it, indicating your total number of publications.

Picture Competition
10xCHAMPION!!!

Handmade/Homemade Theme

Beginning in April 2025, winners of the "handmade/homemade" theme day are also awarded the Random Contest avatar—winners of the preceding "handmade/homemade" day on January 24, 2025 were also retroactively awarded the avatar at this time.

Random Contest Winner / Guide

Awarded to the winners of the monthly "Handmade/Homemade" themed Art Gallery, as of April 8, 2025.

Previously awarded for winning the Random Contest until early 2021.

Released: November 2, 2004

This game guide was written by noileh and last updated on June 29, 2025.