It is not known to evolve into or from any other Pokémon.
Smeargle is best known for its ability to use the move Sketch, which permanently copies the last move used by the opponent. Due to this, it can legitimately have any move in the Pokémon games except for Chatter, Struggle, and Shadow moves. As a result of this, it can pass on any Egg Move to Pokémon in the Field Egg Group.
Smeargle is a bipedal, beagle-like Pokémon with white and brown fur. It has a long tail with an end resembling a paintbrush. This paintbrush oozes with paint, and the color of the paint may vary for each Smeargle, as well as change in hue coressponding to its emotions. Sprites from the games depict green, brown, and red, while the anime also shows yellow and blue. Smeargle has a footprint on its back that is the same color as the tip of the tail. Smeargle also has a round structure on its head with a point that resembles a beret. It has floppy, brown ears and a brown collar on its neck. The rings encircling Smeargle's eyes are also brown, as are Smeargle's eyelids. Its arms have two brown bands, and its legs have only one. Each of its limbs have three digits.
Smeargle will use the paint to mark its territory. It can also use its signature move, Sketch, to copy moves from other Pokémon. Smeargle is often found in urban areas.
Three Smeargle made their main series debut in The Art of Pokémon, under the ownership of Jack Pollockson. They were vandalizing the town of Whitestone in an effort to spread Pollockson's art, subsequently becoming targeted by Team Rocket.
Two Trainers' Smeargle appeared in SM133. One was watching the battles during the Manalo Conference, while the other was waiting in line with its Trainer for Team Rocket's food truck.
Smeargle debuted in Murkrow Row, where it was one of the Pokémon in Joey's bag after Gold helped him get it back.
Prior to Smeargle Smudge, Whitney gave her Smeargle, nicknamed Smea-Smea, to DJ Mary. It painted on Gold's face while he was asleep and battled his Pokémon before running back to DJ Mary at the Goldenrod Radio Tower, where Gold eventually found it. Prior to Out-Odding Oddish, Smea-Smea was returned to Whitney.
Noland has three Smeargle, which were caught in the Artisan Cave because they had copied Jirachi's Wish and he decided to use it to search for Jirachi. They first appeared in A Cheeky Charizard Change-Up II.
Pokémon Channel: A Smeargle appears in a television program called Smeargle's Art Study. He will rate the painting hanging on the player's bedroom wall, namely a picture the player made.
Smeargle marks the boundaries of its territory using a body fluid that leaks out from the tip of its tail. Over 5,000 different marks left by this Pokémon have been found.
A Smeargle marks its territory using a fluid that leaks out from the tip of its tail. About 5,000 different marks left by this Pokémon have been found.
Smeargle marks the boundaries of its territory using a body fluid that leaks out from the tip of its tail. Over 5,000 different marks left by this Pokémon have been found.
Smeargle can learn practically any set of moves due to Sketch, which permanently copies any move. However, Sketch cannot be used to learn Sketch, Chatter, or Struggle.
Smeargle may spawn in Pokémon GO after photobombing a Pokémon while taking its picture with the AR Camera.
Smeargle will know the same moves as the Pokémon it photobombed. If that Pokémon knows a move Smeargle cannot learn, Smeargle will have a random move instead.
Due to its signature moveSketch, Smeargle can legitimately know almost any move, giving it a number of distinctions:
Smeargle can pass down any Egg Move combination to any Pokémon in the Field Egg Group. This was important in Generations II to V, when only the father could pass down Egg Moves.
Hidden Power-evaluating NPCs cannot identify the type of Smeargle's Hidden Power even if Smeargle possesses the move, due to being unable to use the TM for it.
Smeargle is able to Sketch Hyperspace Fury, but the move will always fail when used by Pokémon other than HoopaUnbound.
Smeargle is able to Sketch Mind Blown, and will successfully fling a Blacephalon head when used. The head will also be Shiny if the Smeargle is Shiny.
Smeargle is the only Pokémon capable of learning the same move more than four times—some Pokémon have the same move available at level 1 as well as by leveling up, while Smeargle has the same move available ten times as it levels up.
In the anime, Smeargle have been seen with different colored-tipped tails.
This is also the case in Pokémon Stadium 2, where they also have differently-colored backs.
Smeargle appears to be based on a beagle and a painter.
Name origin
Smeargle may be a combination of smear and beagle.
Doble may be a combination of dog and doodle or dabble (to splatter liquid, which could be a reference to paint being splattered). Doble also means double in Spanish, perhaps referencing Smeargle's ability to copy opponent's techniques.