Ink Frames and How to Style Them

Ink Frames, of course.

They’re expensive, as anything this popular would be, with the cheapest ones being around 180k. But the price is well worth it, even for those of you on a tightwad budget. If you want the ‘moody, coolio’ style, Ink Frames are for you. The only problem left to untangle is: which one?

Each of the four frames lends a different feel to the pet who wears it, depending on what’s going on within its borders. And it would be a shame if you blew all your hard-earned Neopoints on a frame that doesn’t fit. This guide is here to help you out.

Delicate Ink Frame

The name says it all. This swooshy frame gives the feeling of an artist’s brush, dipped carefully into the finest ink, swiping a white canvas and leaving decorative splotches with every slender stroke. It’s best not to use this one on a particularly dark background, or it can be lost entirely. The Delicate Ink Frame isn’t as heavy and black around the edges as the others, and it actually looks better on a lighter, sunshiny background, like the Spring Path Background or the Idyllic Nature Scene. After all, black doesn’t necessarily have to look scary, does it?

In my opinion, not all of the frame needs to be visible. For example, in the Idyllic Nature Scene, it’s harder to see up in the treetops than on the sandy ground by your Neopet’s feet. If some of the frame is tough to see, that’s okay. In fact, it adds a bit of openness to the top.

A great add-on to this frame is the Sun Shower, which costs 150 NC at the NC Mall (it only works if your pet is outdoors!).

Dripping Ink Frame

It’s the complete opposite of the Delicate Ink Frame, and perfect for a horror movie. *shudders* If you have a Halloween or Darigan pet who looks sufficiently terrifying, this frame is just the thing for him or her.

You don’t need to worry about accidentally obscuring this one; it’s thick and visible no matter what’s behind it. Feel free to get as dark and spooky as you like. The Entrance to Haunted Woods Background is one of the best ways to show off a Dripping Frame, but a lesser-used backdrop, like the Tyrannian Volcano Lair Background, can work just as well. Just remember to not overdo it and stuff too many trinkets and wearables into the picture, or the effect of the frame will be drowned out in a sea of cobwebs or skull staffs or whatever. Simplicity works too!

If you decide to go with the misty, dank, bluish-colored Haunted Woods look, then the Malevolent Tombstones will definitely spice it up. What’s creepier than seeing tombstones with faces covered in black goo? Not much, I’ll tell ya. Not much.

Playful Ink Frame

If you’re frustrated by the sheer lack of cute gardening wearables out there, then this frame is right for you. Covered with small, dainty leaves and winding vines, it’ll add some, well, playfulness to any nature background. Be careful, though! If your background comes attached to a heavy foreground, like the yellow flower bushes in the Neogarden Background (a mild example), then the leafy frame will be rather tough to see. I like the look of the Piles of Apples Background. It’s colorful but not too busy, and the foreground is blurred and therefore not too distracting.

Another great thing about the Playful Ink Frame is that it covers up things. Say you want to put a pretty Basket of Yarn into the outfit. Unfortunately, it appears to be teetering on top of one of the apples in the front. This is made worse by the fact that the apples are blurry and the basket is completely visible. It just doesn’t look right. The frame helpfully covers up most of the bottom of the basket, making it much easier to customize.

Seed Pod Ink Frame

This is personally my favorite frame, although it may take some time to find the right background. With its trails and spots of ink curving inwards, it takes up more space than the rest. If you pick a background with too many loud and crazy colors (case in point: Game Room Background), it and the frame will make your head hurt like mine does after typing for this long.

The good thing about this frame is that it goes with just about anything. You don’t need to stick to leafy green, or spooky blue, or happy-happy spring pink—although you can if you want. Any outfit at all can go with the Seed Pod frame, so don’t hesitate to splurge on the theme you want.

Other Epic Foregrounds

Don’t want an Ink Frame? There are plenty of other options available.

• The Cover of Darkness Foreground and its NC cousin, A Rolling Fog, add a layer of misty menace to even the cheeriest pet. There really isn’t much difference between the two, so the Neopoint one would be better, in my opinion.
• Shrubbery (yes, that is the name) is rather pricey, but it looks great on anything outdoors, especially the aforementioned Spring Path Background. Just don’t try to stick it in a background that comes with a foreground, or, mark my words, there will be confusion.
• Stuck in a cave? Trapped in an attic? Check out the Old Cobwebs Foreground. A lackluster backdrop can instantly attain creepier status with this in it.
• The Frosted Window Foreground is a must-have for any wintry look, and also conveniently obscures and tints the color of all wearables behind it, so if you have two different blues warring with each other, then put this in front and it’ll look much better.
• I previously mentioned the very pretty Sun Shower, which is a nice addition to every closet. However, not every closet has an owner who can access the NC Mall. A worthy substitute is the Stately Tree Foreground, which gives the same effect while also inserting some... stateliness into the look.
• Even freebies have their uses—the Piles of Books Foreground makes a studious Neopian even studiouser, and although it may look a little cluttered, it’s not so. You can get this wearable free from the Grundo Warehouse by inputting a specially secret code. Shhhh.

And that’s all there is to it, really! Good luck with your new Ink Frame (or other cool foreground)!