Top 12 Items for Arts-tastic Customisation

Being a writer and a customiser, I'm one of these Neopians that just enjoys writing about things in Neopia and participating in the spotlights to showcase my talents and efforts on the site. And sometimes I like to dress my girls in fashions that can reflect and inspire my love for reading, writing, and the arts.

In this article, I'm going to list the top twelve items (with some double listing) I personally love and found fit the best for a reading, writing, and artistic personality and can showcase that love in a cute and interesting outfit. These items aren't always the easiest items to work with, but whoever said that customisation was easy?

However, do note that this is all in my opinion and your idea of art-centric items may be different than my own. This list also doesn't include any species-specific wearables, and instead I'm focusing on items that all pets can use. Now with all of that said, let's move onto the list!

12) Neopian Times Writing Quill – NP – Estimated price at time of article : 2,000,000NP

I'm placing this at the bottom of my list for a number of reasons, the biggest reasons being price and availability. This was given out at a special item to those that had articles submitted in one of two specific issues of the Neopian Times - #450 and #550 – and because of that there aren't many in circulation or on the market. However, if you do manage to get your hands on one of these, whether through trading or by a future lucky publishing, I'd recommend keeping it for your pets that can't get enough of writing, as I found it to be the only non-species wearable closest to a pen or pencil that we have.

11) Storybook Background – NP – No Trade (special code reward prize)

Another one I'm listing close to the bottom, if anything just because of its availability. This was code reward prize, given out when Neopets' Facebook reached 25,000 fans. However, I only found out recently, thanks to the many people that neomailed me regarding the item that I also mentioned in my last customisation article, that the code no longer works. Which is a shame, since this is an adorable and versatile item and those that weren't around when the code works miss out on it. I also admit, this is a personal favorite of mine, especially for my baby pets.

Extra Note: For those looking at other ways to use this background, feel free to check out my other articles where I mention this background: Top Ten Wearables for Babies (Issue 506) and Top Eleven Budget-Friendly and Versatile Backgrounds (Issue 577).

10 and 9) Artist Frock – NC – Was 150NC (retired from the NC Mall) and Artist Smock – NP – Estimated price at time of article: 2000NP

Honestly, I couldn't find any reason to list one and not the other, hence this double listing. Artist Frock is a white, paint-covered mess with paint brushes and tools in the front pocket. The Artist Smock... Well, it's the same thing except for being a jean blue color. The only other difference I found in these two is how they fit pets, as some looked better in the smock but not the frock (and visa verse), so check out some previews on Certified and Recommended Fan Sites or ask friends that own these items to model them for you. However, the Artist Smock is readily available and cheap compared to the Artist Frock, which retired from the NC Mall last year during the Super Sale. So if you want to go for the frock, be prepared to do some trading on the NC Mall board in order to obtain it.

8 and 7) Dripping Paint Brush – NC – Was 100NC and Oversized Paint Brush – NC – Was 150NC (both retired from the NC Mall)

This is another set of items in which I couldn't rank one above the other. Dripping Paint Brush is a small, blue paint and blue-colored item that came from the Building Tree House Superpack – although it was also sold separately from the pack – while the Oversized Paint Brush is a very large, green-and-white designed brush with yellow paint. Normally, pets hold them in their paws, but for quad-legged pets, the Oversized Paint Brush stands awkwardly to their sides while the Dripping Paint Brush sits on a stool. So while it's up to your preference on which brush you like the most, note that both are retired from the Mall and trading will have to be done in order to obtain them.

6) Piles of Books Foreground – NP – Estimated price at time of article: 2,000NP

This, like the Storybook Background, was also a code reward prize, rewarded when Neopets' Facebook reached 100,000 fans. However, the difference is that this item was not made No Trade, and can be found cheaply in users' shops, trades, and auctions. This foreground is perfect for those pets who can't get enough books to read, giving them more than ample material to enrich their minds and increase their intelligence (well, with some help from you, the owner, of course).

Important Note: I've yet to test if this code still works or not, as I redeemed it once on my main and due to being a sellable NP item unable to redeem it on sides. However, feel free to test it out on your main accounts if you have yet to obtain this item and feel free to message me with the results. The code is FB100KFANPOBFG for those wanting to try their luck.

5) Muted Library Background – NC – 200NC (currently buyable)

This is great for those pets that like to read and study well into the night, or those that want to relax in a soft, candlelit room. Because of it being darker, brighter accessories can pop out (again, such as the Pile of Books Foreground) along with bright outfits. I believe this is a nice alternative to the Xandras Library Background, but only if you prefer darker colors over the lighter colors... and have the NC to spend on it.

4) Xandras Library Background – NP – Estimated price at time of article: 225,000NP

This has origins in the Faeries' Ruin plot, but it's not from the plot itself. It's a soft and bright background that will allow bolder accessories (such as the Pile of Books Foreground or the unmentioned Overflowing Bookshelf Garland, a retired Nick Game Card redemption prize) stand out, as well as for your pets' own creative outfit. However, it is a Rarity 92 item, making it harder to restock in shops and hence its high price tag.

3) Giant Crayon – NC – Was 150NC (retired from the NC Mall)

I personally loved this item when it came out. Really, the only things that disappointed me was that it wasn't a trinket that Baby pets could wear and its slightly awkward position on quad-legged pets. However, it is a giant crayon perfect for those pets that want to give their world a little extra color, albeit only a pretty shade of green. Sadly, this retired in one of last year's Super Sales, along with the Artist Frock, so you may have to do some trading in order to obtain one.

2) Magical Quill and Book – NC – 150NC (currently buyable)

Pets too busy holding their Pretty Little Daisy or Paper Lantern Staff when inspiration for a story arrives? Now they can write out their idea with this self-writing quill and matching book. This is the only non-species wearable book I could find, but it is a bit of a shame as I'd love to see the book being held versus floating in the air. However, it's an adorable wearable, perfect for busy writers and aspiring wizards. It's also buyable in the mall, so it's readily available for anyone seeking it to finish off their customisation.

1) Colouring Crayon Background – NC – 200NC (currently buyable)

This, to me, is one of the cutest backgrounds around. Although you can't color it yourself, you can watch it color itself in like magic, providing pets with an adorable portrait of Faerieland when it was in the clouds. This is one of the best backgrounds around for Baby pets but also fit any pet that wants to wear it. What makes it better is that it's also available in the Mall with no current date of retirement, so if you have the money to spend in the Mall, I recommend grabbing this.

So there you have it, my top twelve items for pets wanting to have accessories to show off their artistic side. I hope this list will help you decide what fits best for your outfits. Happy Customising!