Using a PNT File

How to get a PNT file from a website or another player painted onto something in the game.

Installing and Applying a .pnt File

1. Download the .pnt files. Take note of which folder they get downloaded to.
   
   
2. Copy them into your MyPaintings folder. The default is:

   C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\ARK\ShooterGame\Saved\MyPaintings

   If you use extra space, the location will be:
   

   X:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\ARK\ShooterGame\Saved\MyPaintings\

   If the MyPaintings folder doesn't exist, create it. I strongly recommend making a shortcut to this folder from your Ark stuff n things folder or your desktop, to make it easier to add new pnt files in the future.
   
   
3. In-game: Place a painting canvas (or billboard, wall sign or whatver the pikky has been designed for) somewhere suitable. Note that the ending on the file name tells Ark what object it can be painted onto, more about that in section 3 of this guide.
   
   
4. Attack said object with a paintbrush with the appropriate paints in your inventory. The safest bet is to have at least 10 of every paint, but you can also see what colors you need in the Load Image section that comes next.
   
   
   
5. Select Load Image (little icon up top left), and select the image you desire. The UI will now tell you what paints it needs, and whether you have them on you or not. 100% = 1 paint, 200% = 2 paints and so on. There is a very poor image preview to ensure you have the right image selected. Other than painting canvas' and war maps, the aspect ratio will be wrong (it will be squished into a square).This is normal, don't worry, it will look fine when it's finished.
   
   
6. Once you have all the required paints in your inventory, you can select Load Image again. Wait for a moment (longer for billboards) and WOW! Gorgeousness all over the place.

Can I use a pnt file on other objects?

Sometimes, yes. If you change the end of the file name, you can apply it to other objects, but as aspect ratios and basic resolutions vary between objects, many times this won't be advisable.

That being said, metal signs can be changed to be painted on wood and the other way around, and any of the small signs (standard sign-on-stick, or a wall sign, any material) are the same. Note that paintings on wooden signs will appear darker than on the metal ones, as they will blend with the wooden texture.

See the next section on file name suffixes to rename pnt files for use on other objects.

A list of pnt file name suffixes

Resolution	Aspect Ratio	Fake Resolution	Object	Suffix
256x256	2.5:1	640x256	Metal Billboard	_Sign_Large_Metal_C
256x256	2.5:1	640x256	Wooden Billboard	_Sign_Large_Wood_C
128x128	2.5:1	320x128	Metal Sign	_Sign_Small_Metal_C
128x128	2.5:1	320x128	Metal Wall Sign	_Sign_Wall_Metal_C
128x128	2.5:1	320x128	Wooden Sign	_Sign_Small_Wood_C
128x128	2.5:1	320x128	Wooden Wall Sign	_Sign_Wall_Wood_C
256x256	1:1.33	256x341	Single Panel Flag	_Flag_SM_Single_C
256x256	1:1.33	256x341	Multi Panel Flag	_Flag_SM_C
256x256	1:1	256x256	Painting Canvas	_Sign_PaintingCanvas_C
512x512	1:1	512x512	War Map	_Sign_WarMap_C

To do: Gravestone

Notes

• The War Map is a special case, its paint gets overlaid onto and blended into the picture of the map you are currently playing.
  
• The Aspect Ratio is how much it stretches when shown in-game. For example, billboards are stretched horizontally and flags are stretched vertically.
  
• Fake resolution is used for a simple way of creating your own files, more about that in my guide for creating pnt files (still to come).

[Sawyer]

I guess you haven't tried to paint lately. Game will kick you half way thru the painting. Happening to everyone I know who's tried in the past 6 mos.

[Mysfytt]

I'm a goof - didn't realize the canvas the person wanted me to put a picture on actually came from a mod - which uses different extensions of course. All fixed. Thank you.

[Cruddly]

Check the file has the proper extension on it to be recognised for whatever item type you are trying to load it onto.

[Mysfytt]

I have my paintings in the right file - as in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\ARK\ShooterGame\Saved\MyPaintings but when i go to download nothing shows up in the list. I did recently have my drive cloned to a new drive - is there somewhere to make sure AK is reading through that directive?

[Cruddly]

I have Intel onboard, and NV backing it up.

[The Happy Merchant]

My b, not Intel, meant Nvidia, but you get my point, you have AMD and no problems, maybe just confirmation bias, but I swear that the GPU is the issue somehow

[NitroDragon911]

Intel GPUs? As in onboard? Amazed you can play at all and have u tried on different launch options? Or with an Nvidia? I have an AMD and have had no problems

[The Happy Merchant]

I don't think it's an issue with my connection, I get 15 mb/s download and about 2 mb/s up

But just out of curiousity, what kind of GPU do you have? AMD or Intel?

It may be false pattern recognition, but myself and 3 friends that also have intel GPUs have this same issue, where as my 2 friends with AMD GPUs do not have this issue at all.

[Cruddly]

Billboards are quite lengthy to load in, and there is a chance if you have a flakey Internet moment for the client to get unsynched from the server, but I havent actually heard of that happening before until you raised it right now.

[The Happy Merchant]

Does it still time out for some people and not for others when applying the painting?