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In an effort to keep the volume of threads in IP at a reasonable level, and to encourage creating threads that address genuine problems, we need to make some notes about when to request a thread and what constitutes valid reasons for a thread. These have been mentioned in some of the other IP procedure threads, but they're being listed here for quick reference.

    open/close all folders 

    Screening of new threads 
  • New IP threads don't require approval by the staff to be opened. Still, the staff can and will lock threads created with improper reasoning and warn the troper if needed. Please take time to review the guidelines below and make sure your request is solid before submitting it.
  • A thread started within two weeks of the closing of a previous thread on the same page that doesn't have a concrete suggestion will be summarily closed.
  • Any thread started for an unreleased work's page or subpage that already has a valid image will be summarily closed. See the "Special cases" folder for more guidance on unreleased works.
  • If someone unilaterally deletes an image then, unless the image broke wiki rules (e.g. it was clearly NSFW), it should be immediately restored. No thread is required to approve this restoration. If an image is deleted in this way, please notify the mods as well.

    General notes 
  • Also refer to: About Images and Copyright, How to Pick a Good Image, and Images On Wiki Pages.
  • Going through IP for a page that doesn't have an image or an IP tag isn't obligatory, but it is strongly recommended. Otherwise, the image you put up may end up coming to the forum for work or replacement.
  • Pages that have gone through IP should have a commented-out tag showing the relevant thread(s) and any related information. Always check for these before adding a pic or requesting an IP thread for a page. If a page does have a tag, please note its information when you start a thread.
  • It's recommended to discuss image concerns and thread reasons in the threads that are pinned at the top of the forum before starting a new thread. They may be able to address the issue(s) without needing to start a dedicated thread.
  • Keep the quality criteria listed below in mind when making an image suggestion.
  • Work pages that don't have an image generally don't require an IP thread to upload one, but feel free to start a thread if you have multiple ideas.
  • Animated GIFs can't be uploaded as page pics, so don't bother trying. (The pic on Creepy Changing Painting is a bit of HTML magic and not a true GIF, in case you're wondering.)
  • In threads for specific pages, you may see people casting votes by referring to a post number and (if applicable) the number of the image in a given post. For example, "2" would refer to "the image in the second post", and "3.2" would refer to "the second image in post 3".
  • We try to operate on "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality, and we try not to change an image just for the sake of changing it. In reference to this, someone might call a suggestion a "lateral move". If the image on the page is not otherwise problematic, consider if your suggestion is a clear improvement before pitching it.
  • It usually takes 5-7 [tup] votes for a pic to be considered to have consensus in a thread; pics can be put up with fewer [tup]s, but usually only at a moderator's discretion. If/when a crowner is attached to a thread, it will decide the outcome of the thread.
In crowners:
  • An option must have a minimum of a 2:1 vote ratio to be considered; this is referred to as having consensus for IP purposes.
  • If a crowner ends with no options having consensus, the crowner and thread are considered to be failed and the thread will be closed unless there is significant ongoing discussion.
  • Crowners normally run for 5 days, but can go longer if more time is needed, and can be closed early for the following criteria:
    • At any point, if the leading option has a vote balance of 10 or more and no other options have consensus. This is referred to as "super-consensus".
    • After 3 days, if the leading option has a vote balance of at least 8 and no other options have consensus.
    • After 4 days, if the leading option is the only one that has consensus.
  • Crowners can only be made by moderators and engineers, usually after discussion has stalled for a few days. Crowners can be requested by regular users by compiling and linking options in a post and hollering for it to be made into a crowner.
  • Non-moderators can add crowner options to an ongoing crowner, but cannot edit options they didn't add, nor can they call or lock a crowner. If you add an entry to an ongoing crowner, please note this in the thread.

    IP thread reasons 

High-priority image issues

  • A pic has been changed for a reason that may not be valid, or no reason at all, especially if the pic was chosen by a previous IP thread. These changes can sometimes be simply reverted by a moderator without a need for further discussion.
    • If a pic was unilaterally removed then, as noted earlier in this post, it can be restored immediately without the need for a thread or IP discussion.
    • If a pic was unilaterally changed without discussion and no IP thread slots are available, post in this thread and then holler to notify the mods. We may be able to revert the changes without waiting for a thread.
  • Not Safe For Work (NSFW)
    • If you're unsure on whether a pic fits this or not, bring it up in this thread.
    • Classic works of art containing nudity, such as Michelangelo's David or Botticelli's The Birth of Venus, don't necessarily fall into this, but appropriateness for the page in question is the key factor, and SFW options should be considered whenever possible.
    • If an image is unambiguously NSFW and needs action, but there are no IP thread slots available to discuss it, post in this thread and then holler to notify the mods.
  • The image is a spoiler. The age and/or infamy of the work the image originates from may prevent this from being considered a valid issue.
  • Watermarking. A TV channel emblem on a screencap is a "bug", not a true watermark, and is permissible as long as it's not obtrusive.
  • Meme-based images are not permitted as page pics. The sole general exceptions are Image Macro (for obvious reasons) and a work's Memes page, where they should only be considered if there are no better options.Other exceptions
  • A page has an image that is obviously from the wrong work / programming block / network / etc.
  • Copyright issues:
    • The pic implies TV Tropes is claiming the copyright.
    • The pic has been taken from a site that deals in copyrighted images or videos, especially if a watermark has been removed and/or the site is selling their content. Screencaps from videos from these sites are not permitted, either.
    • The image is the entirety of a product for sale, such as a t-shirt design.
    • Images from illegally obtained materials, such as leaks or camrips, are not allowed.
    • Using an entire work:
      • Basically, if it's copyrighted, we have to get permission to use it. This covers single-panel cartoons, photographs, entire comic strips and webcomics, and similar works. If permission is granted to use a work, it's always noted on the page in some fashion, usually in the caption and/or with the page tag. If an artist requests a specific way to display their connection to the pic, we'll do our best to honor it.
      • The creators of xkcd and Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal have given us carte blanche to use entire works as needed. Permission notices for such cases aren't required.
      • Entire cards from card-based games like Magic: The Gathering are impractical but can be used. Using the art from these cards is fine.
      • Any such work that's in the public domain is free to use.
    • Some creators do not want their work used outside their control at all, but fair use means that we are not legally bound to honor this for the wiki's purposes, aside from the aforementioned restrictions. We'll honor a take-down request, but it's up to them to send it. We're not obliged to chase them down and ask them what their policy is. Fair use also allows us to use excerpts of works without seeking permission. In this case, the minimum needed to get the trope across should be used.
    • Per the site owner, AI generated images are allowed on TV Tropes and will be treated just like regular images.

General reasons

  • Multiple suggestions for a page without a pic. Single suggestions are currently being filtered through the Image Suggestion thread instead of getting their own threads right off the bat.
  • The current pic doesn't adequately demonstrate the trope. Examples of this include:
    • Just a Face and a Caption (JAFAAC)—the pic shows an example of the trope but relies on familiarity with its subject(s) to make the connection to the trope evident.
    • A pic that is nothing but text, or one where the text overwhelms the imagery. "May/Might as well be a page quote" is often used to describe this. There are exceptions (Spoof Aesop, for example), especially for dialogue-based tropes, but generally we want to have actual images as page pics with just enough text to support the expression of the trope.
  • Poor image quality. Graininess, motion blur, and compression artifacts are three of the most common problems. Before starting a thread for this reason, see if the Quality Upgrade thread can help find or create a nicer version of the image. Replacing images with a better-quality version is a free action, i.e. can be done without starting a thread.
    • If the size value in a pic's coding is larger than the actual size of the pic, it will stretch the pic to that width which will introduce artifacts. Check the image's properties before starting a thread; if this is the issue, a change to the coding will fix it.
    • The age of some works may make getting a truly high-quality image from them difficult. This will be taken into consideration when deciding on a pic.
    • In 2024, a minimum image size of 800px (400px on character pages) was instituted on the wiki image uploader, in an effort to increase the overall image quality on the site. Sometimes, an image is otherwise decent but a quality upgrade of that size cannot be found — this is not a valid reason to pull the image on its own, and threads to replace it must have alternative suggestions. New images smaller than 800px can be put on trope pages with Image Pickin' consensus, but only after an effort to find larger images comes up short.
  • The current pic is taken from a multi-panel work such as a comic strip or webcomic and uses more than half of the source material.
  • Fan-art on a work page instead of an image from the work itself.
  • The current pic is overly fanservicey, especially in the Creator/ namespace. In the case of Fanservice tropes, pics should be as low-key as possible while still getting the trope across.
  • Two trope pages have the same pic.
    • While it's preferred that they be separate, a trope page can have the same image as a work page or a character image from a Characters subpage. In these cases, a thread should have at least one replacement suggestion for either page.
    • Similarly, graphics can generally be reused among a work's subpages. Threads that address these will still be accepted, but should also have at least one replacement suggestion.
  • You believe you have a suggestion that better illustrates the trope than the current pic (by Image Pickin' standards, not "This is a cooler pic.")
  • A page marked as No Real Life Examples, Please! has a Real Life pic.Exceptions
  • A YMMV or Audience Reaction page has a pic that is not In-Universe.Exceptions
  • A page has an unusual image arrangement not chosen by an IP thread and you don't think it works well, e.g. having two images on a trope page or an image that's a janky collage. Some pages may have multiple pics for a reason, so check for an IP tag before starting a thread in this case.

Invalid reasons

  • Trying to solicit ideas for an image. IP has a cap of 75 threads and is usually at or near capacity on any given day, so space can't be allotted for threads whose only purpose is to brainstorm.
  • Not liking an image's art style, layout/design, or any Photoshopping or similar alterations that may have been made, provided they don't impact the pic's quality.
  • Claiming that a particular work is over-/under-represented. This can have some impact on deciding on a pic, but should never be the main gist of a thread.
  • Trying to argue that a pic you liked wasn't chosen in a previous thread, especially if it lost in a crowner, or trying to make an invalid argument that a pic doesn't work for a page even though it was chosen by a thread. Repeatedly doing this is considered griefing and is grounds for suspension from the workshop forums.
  • Some trope pages feature Visual Puns or other jokey pics rather than something that actually demonstrates the trope, usually because these pages have been very hard to find a better pic for.Example Don't request a thread just because you don't like the joke; if you've got an actual example, that's fine. Also, see the "Don't change the pic" section on the page mentioned below.

    Special cases 
For a list of pages that have unique statuses, see Image Pickin' Special Cases

General cases:

  • Pages within the FanficRecs/, Fridge/, Haiku/, Headscratchers/, ImageLinks/, Laconic/, PlayingWith/, Quotes/, Trivia/, WMG/, and YMMV/ namespaces and disambiguations default to no pic; YMMV.Home Page and Headscratchers.Home Page are the only exceptions. Pages in the Analysis/ namespace default to BUPKIS status (meaning they won't have a pic unless a really good one is found; see Image Pickin' Special Cases for more details)
  • Due to their exceptional subjectivity and persistent problems with images being poor quality and/or not illustrative, Moments pages (Awesome/, Funny/, Heartwarming/, NightmareFuel/, Shocking/, TearJerker/) are limited to one image.
  • Pages for unreleased works keep the first image that is uploaded to the page when it's created, with further pre-release images relegated to an Image Links page. Changes aren't usually permitted until the work is released.
    • This rule also covers any subpages for the unreleased work that allow images. As per policy, Moments pages for unreleased works do not allow images.
    • Images may still be pulled if they fall foul of any of the standard Image Pickin' guidelines. Moments page images for unreleased works will always be pulled.
    • If an image on one of these unreleased work pages is changed without discussion, it should simply be reverted. No thread is required. As this is enforcing wiki policies, the reversion doesn't count towards any edit war.
    • Once the work is released, a thread may be created to decide which image is to be officially used on the page. See this Wiki Talk thread for details.
  • There are a handful of pages whose pics are from works that would violate the content policy; see the Special Cases page for the list. Likewise, there are several pages whose pics are from works whose content features material that contains bigotry, prejudice, or similarly intolerant viewsnote . In both cases, the images on these pages illustrate their respective tropes and are to be left on their pages unless/until an equally illustrative image from a non-problematic work can be found.

    Image Pickin' flowchart 

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ip_flowchartdrawio_8_transformed.png

Text version:

Is the page on Image Pickin' Special Cases?

  • If yes, start a thread.
  • If no, does it already have an image?

Edited by Willbyr on Sep 22nd 2025 at 7:42:31 AM

SamCurt Since: Jan, 2001
#3126: Dec 5th 2019 at 6:24:09 PM

I am posting to this thread as suggested by this ATT thread.

Specifically, I have noticed the page image for Manga.The Demon Girl Next Door as well as the image under the character Sakura Chiyoda in Characters.The Demon Girl Next Door are both fanart that somebody pulled from Danbooru.

Per that thread, I proposed to replace the first image with the cover for the second volume of manga and the second with my cut on the only official frame of her in profile. Does this still require a new thread...?

Scientia et Libertas | Per Aspera ad Astra Nova
rjd1922 Best robot boy | he/him | Image Pickin' regular, from the United States Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: Love is for the living, Sal
Best robot boy | he/him | Image Pickin' regular,
#3127: Dec 5th 2019 at 9:25:41 PM

[up]Just replace them, no thread needed; we don't allow fanart on wiki pages without credit and permission anyway.

Keet cleanup
Brainulator9 Short-Term Projects herald from US Since: Aug, 2018 Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
Short-Term Projects herald
#3128: Dec 6th 2019 at 12:54:19 PM

The Password Is Always "Swordfish" has been moved from the "don't change" list to the "multiple threads" list.

Contains 20% less fat than the leading value brand!
Willbyr MOD Hi (Y2K) Relationship Status: With my statistically significant other
Hi
#3129: Dec 6th 2019 at 8:18:26 PM

My wife and I will be going on a week's jaunt to Texas for our anniversary starting tomorrow, so I'll be largely away from here during that time. Hold off on starting new threads that aren't emergency fixes and holler anything that needs to be processed.

Karxrida from Eureka, the Forbidden Land Since: May, 2012 Relationship Status: I LOVE THIS DOCTOR!
#3130: Dec 7th 2019 at 12:24:57 AM

Willbyr is married?

Also, congrats and have fun!

WarJay77 It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (8,356/50,000) from My Writing Cave (Troper Knight) Relationship Status: Armed with the Power of Love
It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (8,356/50,000)
#3131: Dec 7th 2019 at 12:26:04 AM

Enjoy your vacation, Willbyr!

Working on: Author Appeal | Sandbox | Troper Wall
Willbyr Hi (Y2K) Relationship Status: With my statistically significant other
rjd1922 Best robot boy | he/him | Image Pickin' regular, from the United States Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: Love is for the living, Sal
Best robot boy | he/him | Image Pickin' regular,
#3133: Dec 8th 2019 at 12:20:57 PM

~Fretless94 is still adding blank space to force the Crash Bandicoot character pages to be square.

Keet cleanup
Fretless94 Since: Nov, 2010
#3134: Dec 8th 2019 at 12:22:54 PM
Thumped: Wow. That was rude. Too many of this kind of thump will bring a suspension. Please keep it civil.
rjd1922 Best robot boy | he/him | Image Pickin' regular, from the United States Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: Love is for the living, Sal
Best robot boy | he/him | Image Pickin' regular,
#3135: Dec 8th 2019 at 12:59:42 PM

[up]Thanks for making them transparent, but your response was a bit rude. I'd like to see what other people think of the images being 250px square, since as I said before, I think the blank space looks ugly.

Keet cleanup
Willbyr Hi (Y2K) Relationship Status: With my statistically significant other
Hi
#3136: Dec 8th 2019 at 4:00:52 PM

The blank space is unnecessary. There’s no set format that character pics have to follow, they just have to be a good representation of the character and be good quality pics.

Edited by Willbyr on Dec 8th 2019 at 6:03:51 AM

Fretless94 Since: Nov, 2010
#3137: Dec 8th 2019 at 4:04:57 PM

And I disagree. I would much rather have the images kept neat, tidy and aligned, rather than having a bunch of mismatched, wonky images that don't fit together. It's what I've done with all the Street Fighter character pages, the Vinesauce Tomodachi Life character pages and the MediEvil character page, and nobody has complained.

Edited by Fretless94 on Dec 8th 2019 at 7:33:26 AM

rjd1922 Best robot boy | he/him | Image Pickin' regular, from the United States Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: Love is for the living, Sal
Best robot boy | he/him | Image Pickin' regular,
#3138: Dec 8th 2019 at 6:20:39 PM

[up]That's doesn't mean others agree with you; it's probably just because not many people noticed the changes.

Can I remove the blank space, mods?

Edited by rjd1922 on Dec 8th 2019 at 8:28:45 AM

Keet cleanup
Fretless94 Since: Nov, 2010
#3139: Dec 8th 2019 at 6:29:47 PM

[up] Not the case with the Street Fighter and Vinesauce pages. The Vinesauce page images were like that from day one, and nobody complained about empty space there. The Street Fighter pages went through many image changes, and I've worked with other people on making those pages the highest quality possible, in regards to images and whether or not character nationality flags should be displayed. Not once did anyone ever bring up transparency or empty space. I understand that the site doesn't have a set standard for image formatting, but it should, not site-wide, but for individual pages, surely. Keeping them one set size keeps things neat and tidy. Upset that and the pages just become chaotic and unprofessional looking.

Edited by Fretless94 on Dec 8th 2019 at 9:32:45 AM

WarJay77 It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (8,356/50,000) from My Writing Cave (Troper Knight) Relationship Status: Armed with the Power of Love
It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (8,356/50,000)
#3140: Dec 8th 2019 at 6:33:40 PM

I personally don't care, but this should've all been discussed here at Image Pickin'.

Working on: Author Appeal | Sandbox | Troper Wall
rjd1922 Best robot boy | he/him | Image Pickin' regular, from the United States Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: Love is for the living, Sal
Best robot boy | he/him | Image Pickin' regular,
#3141: Dec 8th 2019 at 6:57:20 PM

[up][up] Transparent images are a collective effort; see this thread. The Vinesauce images are fine, but the Street Fighter and MediEvil character images should be transparent and cropped.

Keet cleanup
Fretless94 Since: Nov, 2010
#3142: Dec 8th 2019 at 7:01:47 PM

[up]Transparent, yes, that's fine, but having multiple images running down a page that are wildly different shapes and sizes just looks sloppy. Having a set image size for a page keeps things consistent and grounded.

Dirtyblue929 Since: Dec, 2012 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
#3143: Dec 9th 2019 at 10:43:48 AM

I’m with [up] on this. Images with wildly different widths and heights set off some primal part of my brain that wants to open MS Paint and make liberal use of the crop, resize, and select+move tools, especially if they’re just cropped screenshots and not vector art.

This is especially true for images that are extremely long height wise but short lengthwise. Characters.Persona 5 for example has images so tall that you have to scroll down to see the whole thing because the person who added them back in the day insisted on using the absolute maximum resolution possible.

On a tangentially related note I have a lot of thoughts about the black borders thread that came and went totally unannounced and hasn’t seen any action since, but I’m on my phone ATM and very busy for the rest of the day, so it’ll have to wait.

Edited by Dirtyblue929 on Dec 9th 2019 at 1:15:24 AM

WarJay77 It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (8,356/50,000) from My Writing Cave (Troper Knight) Relationship Status: Armed with the Power of Love
It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (8,356/50,000)
#3144: Dec 9th 2019 at 10:48:30 AM

[up] "Totally unannounced"? Ya sure? Look, I get not really following these areas of the site closely, but they are where issues like these are taken and discussed. Where else would it have even been "announced"?

Working on: Author Appeal | Sandbox | Troper Wall
Dirtyblue929 Since: Dec, 2012 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
#3145: Dec 9th 2019 at 10:55:24 AM

Fair enough, my bad I guess. Still find the fact that it wasn’t attached to an actual page a little annoying but whatever. If I’d known the thread existed I’d have had a lot of points to make similar to the ones Fretless is making, but again I’m not really in a position to type that much stuff ATM.

Brainulator9 Short-Term Projects herald from US Since: Aug, 2018 Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
Short-Term Projects herald
#3146: Dec 9th 2019 at 11:51:34 AM

I say the white space on either side is unneeded; that said, in many cases, I'm not opposed to cropping the pics to only show what's above the waist, or getting a pic thereof.

For what it's worth, the other wiki has a few functions that allow variable image sizes depending on user preferences.

Contains 20% less fat than the leading value brand!
rjd1922 Best robot boy | he/him | Image Pickin' regular, from the United States Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: Love is for the living, Sal
Best robot boy | he/him | Image Pickin' regular,
#3147: Dec 9th 2019 at 3:09:44 PM

[up][up]You can still make the images consistent without black borders, and the caption box already acts as a border. I agree that images that are taller than they are wide usually shouldn't be at 350px. Square images are fine if they're cropped screenshots, but I believe transparent character art should be cropped closely to the actual content.

Edited by rjd1922 on Dec 9th 2019 at 5:17:10 AM

Keet cleanup
WarJay77 It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (8,356/50,000) from My Writing Cave (Troper Knight) Relationship Status: Armed with the Power of Love
It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (8,356/50,000)
#3148: Dec 9th 2019 at 3:11:18 PM

Black borders also look bad on Night Vision. Ya'll need to remember there's people like me who actually use it.

Working on: Author Appeal | Sandbox | Troper Wall
Fretless94 Since: Nov, 2010
#3149: Dec 9th 2019 at 3:46:01 PM

I think the only case where wildly different images sizes and shapes is acceptable is when high-quality, full-body art of the character isn't readily available. The Bloodborne pages for example. Some characters have full-body art and some don't, but I find it acceptable there since some of the enemies and bosses there are so big or so oddly shaped you couldn't keep them at an equal size or you risk losing detail. That's a case where cropped screenshots are okay. But I've gone through the trouble of finding the images of the Crash characters, some of which I've had to source from Youtube videos, and you can only get images of such a high quality from videos of podium animations, and you can only make images like that so big before people begin to notice things like the game's motion blur and things like that. That's another reason keeping the images at an equal size is necessary, since otherwise there is such a size discrepancy between some images that it's really noticeable and distracting. Also, keeping them in nice, neat square makes for a nice mobile browsing experience, if I do say so myself.

Dirtyblue929 Since: Dec, 2012 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
#3150: Dec 9th 2019 at 5:57:59 PM

[up][up] I mean, I also use night vision a lot of the time and don't have any problem with it; that's entirely a personal taste thing. I also disagree about the captionbox border being good enough; for transparent images it's great but for screenshots (which most non-animated mediums kind of require) you'll often have background details blending with the white/dark grey of the page itself in ways that set off something in my brain that makes me feel like I'm looking at something really sloppy.

[up] Again, agreed. The main reason I prefer the 300x300 "standard" is that it often forces you conserve on detail and size the image in such a way that imperfections like motion blur or a low-res playback are less noticeable.

I feel I should also note that I am more than a little biased on this issue because I've contributed a lot of hand-edited screenshots to the Star Wars character index over the past few years, and it was hard to get good ones that fit the standard sometimes.

Edited by Dirtyblue929 on Dec 9th 2019 at 6:12:52 AM


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