You’ve been there. You are staring at the latest official reveal from The Pokemon Company—maybe it’s a sentient pile of whipped cream or a penguin with an ice cube for a head—and you think, "I could literally do better than this." It's a common sentiment. In fact, the urge to jump into the world of pokemon make your own pokemon has turned from a niche deviantART hobby into a massive, sprawling underground economy of creativity.
People call them "Fakemon."
But calling them fake feels kinda reductive these days. When you look at the sheer quality coming out of projects like Pokemon Uranium or the infinite scrolling feeds of Instagram artists like Subjectively, you realize that the line between fan art and professional game design has basically vanished. It's not just about drawing a cool dragon anymore. It's about biology, ecology, and the weirdly specific "Sugimori style" that makes a pocket monster feel... right.
The Psychology of the "Perfect" Design
Why do we care so much about making our own? Honestly, it’s because Pokemon is a universal language now. When you try to pokemon make your own pokemon, you aren't just doodling; you’re participating in a design philosophy that has been refined since 1996.
Ken Sugimori, the primary character designer for the series, has a very specific "look." It’s all about large, expressive eyes, a limited color palette, and silhouettes that are instantly recognizable even if you’re looking at a blurry sprite from across the room. If a design is too busy—think Digimon or Yu-Gi-Oh!—it loses that "Pokemon-ness."
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I’ve noticed that the best creators usually follow the "Two-Element Rule." You take a base animal or object and you mash it with a single, clear concept. A cat that’s also a flaming torch? Great. A cat that’s also a torch, but it has mechanical wings, laser eyes, and a cape made of stardust? That’s where you lose the plot. It becomes over-designed. Simplicity is actually the hardest thing to master in this community.
Tools of the Trade: Where to Start
If you're ready to actually build something, you don't need a degree in digital illustration. You just need a concept. Most people start with the "Starter Trio" trope: Grass, Fire, and Water. It's the classic entry point.
The Sketch Phase: Don't worry about being a pro. Use a pencil. Use a napkin. The goal is the silhouette. If you can't tell what the creature is by looking at its blacked-out shadow, the design is probably too muddy.
Digital Rendering: Procreate on the iPad has basically become the industry standard for Fakemon artists. If you want that authentic look, you’ll want to look for "Sugimori Brushes." These are custom brush sets designed to mimic the watercolor-style shading found in the original Red and Blue concept art.
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Generating via AI (The Controversial Path): Let's talk about the elephant in the room. Tools like Midjourney or DALL-E have made it incredibly easy to pokemon make your own pokemon with a few prompts. While it's a great way to brainstorm colors, the "soul" is often missing. AI tends to add too many toes, weirdly asymmetrical eyes, and textures that look like melted plastic. Real fans can spot an AI Fakemon from a mile away, and usually, the reception is... chilly.
Beyond the Art: Stats and Typing
Creating the visual is only half the battle. If you're building a Fakemon for a fangame or a tabletop RPG, you have to think about the math. This is where the real nerds (and I say that lovingly) shine.
You have to consider the Base Stat Total (BST). A legendary Pokemon usually sits around 600 to 680, while your "Route 1 Bird" is going to be down in the 250 range. If you give your cool new fire dog a Speed stat of 150 and an Attack of 140, you haven't made a balanced creature; you've made a competitive nightmare that would get banned from Smogon in five minutes.
Then there’s the typing. We’re all waiting for that elusive Fire/Grass type or a proper Poison/Steel creature. When you pokemon make your own pokemon, you have the chance to fill the gaps that Game Freak has left open for nearly thirty years.
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The Legal Tightrope
We have to address the legal reality here. Nintendo is famously protective. If you're just drawing art for your Instagram, you're generally safe. But the second you put your "pokemon make your own pokemon" creations into a playable ROM hack, you’re in the "Cease and Desist" danger zone.
Remember Pokemon Prism? Or Pokemon Uranium? These were monumental achievements in fan-led game design that were shut down or removed from official distribution because they flew too close to the sun. The move now is "Spiritual Successors." Games like Cassette Beasts or Temtem are essentially people taking their Fakemon ideas and putting them into original universes so they can actually sell their work without a lawyer knocking on their door.
How to Get Noticed in the Community
If you want people to actually see your work, you need to engage with the "Regional Form" trend. People love seeing what a classic Pokemon like Arcanine would look like if it lived in a snowy mountain range or a futuristic city. It gives you a familiar base to work from while showing off your creative chops.
Also, names matter. A lot. A good Pokemon name is usually a clever portmanteau. Take "Bulbasaur"—Bulb + Dinosaur. Simple. Brilliant. If you name your creature "Flamecat," people are going to scroll right past. If you name it "Incindipurr," you’ve suddenly got their attention.
Actionable Steps for Your First Design
Stop overthinking it. Seriously. Just start.
- Pick a weird animal: Look up "Nudibranch" or "Pangolin." Nature has already done 90% of the work for you.
- Choose a secondary theme: Pick a profession (like a chef), a historical era (Victorian), or a geological feature (obsidian).
- Merge them: What does a Pangolin look like if it’s also a Victorian chimney sweep? Maybe its scales are covered in soot, and its tail looks like a brush.
- Limit your colors: Stick to three main colors and two accent colors.
- Share it: Post it on Reddit’s r/Fakemon or use the #Fakemon tag on X/Twitter. The feedback you’ll get is invaluable for your second attempt.
The world of pokemon make your own pokemon is more than just fan fiction; it's a legitimate training ground for character designers and game devs. It keeps the spirit of discovery alive even when the official games feel like they're playing it safe. Grab a pen, find a weird bug in your backyard, and start evolving it.