With Krea
How to make a sprite for a game
To make a sprite for a game, draw your hero in a box on grid paper, then draw the same hero, the same size, in a new box for every move the game needs: stand, run, jump, hurt, and win. All the boxes together are a sprite sheet. In this course your kid draws boxes 12 squares wide and 12 tall with a ground line in each, draws two run poses and two jump poses, adds hurt and win, checks every pose with the shadow test, and flips through the cut-out boxes to see the hero move. Krea hosts four short films for kids 6 to 13, with a hero in a red cap as the example all the way through, and your kid ends with a seven-pose sprite sheet on paper. Plan about 4 minutes of films and 45–60 minutes of drawing. On Kubrio, all four films and the quiz are free, with no account.
All 4 lessons and the quiz are free on this page. Your kid doesn't need an account. See every lesson
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▶ 1:45 tourWhat your kid makes
Your kid ends with a sprite sheet on grid paper: one hero in seven poses (stand, two runs, two jumps, hurt, and win), all the same size on the same ground line, and a flip-through stack that shows the hero move.
- Ages
- 6 to 13
- Time
- 4 films, about 4 minutes, then 45–60 minutes of drawing
- You need
- Grid paper, a pencil and an eraser, crayons or markers, scissors for cutting out the boxes
- Host
- Krea
The 4 lessons
Lesson 1. One hero, many poses
Every move in a game needs its own picture, called a sprite, and all the sprites on one page make a sprite sheet. The big rule: same hero, same size, every time.
- Count a box 12 squares wide and 12 tall on grid paper
- Draw your hero standing in it
- Keep the whole hero inside the box
Where: Paper
Lesson 2. Same size boxes
Every box is the same size, with a ground line one square up, so the hero doesn't shrink and grow as it runs.
- Draw six more 12 by 12 boxes, one empty square apart
- Draw a ground line one square up in every box
- Name each box: run 1, run 2, jump 1, jump 2, hurt, and win
Where: Paper
Lesson 3. Run and jump
Two run poses look like running when you look from one to the other fast. Jump 1 squashes down low, and jump 2 stretches up tall, the only time the feet leave the line.
- Copy the head and body from your standing hero
- Draw run 1 with legs wide and run 2 with one knee up
- Draw jump 1 squashed low and jump 2 stretched tall
Where: Paper
Lesson 4. Ouch and yay
Hurt and win let the hero react, and the shadow test checks every pose: colored all dark, it should still show what the hero is doing.
- Draw hurt with little stars, and win with arms up in a V
- Try the shadow test and fix any pose that doesn't read
- Cut out the boxes, stack them in order, and flip through
Where: Paper
Take the quiz
Krea asks 3 questions about the films. Get 2 right and you finish the course.
Transcript
Lesson 1: One hero, many poses
Hi, I'm Krea! In a game, your hero runs, jumps, and bumps into things.
Every move needs its own picture. One picture is called a sprite.
Put all the sprites on one page, and you get a sprite sheet.
The game flips through them fast. Run, run, run. That's how your hero moves!
Most games need the same few poses. Stand. Run. Jump. Hurt. And win!
Here's the big rule. Same hero, same size, every time. Only the pose changes.
Your turn. On grid paper, count a box twelve squares wide and twelve tall. Draw your hero standing in it.
Lesson 2: Same size boxes
Your standing hero is ready. Now let's build the whole sheet!
Draw more boxes, all twelve by twelve. Leave one empty square between them.
One square up from the bottom of every box, draw a line. That's the ground.
Feet always stand on that line. Same line, every box.
Why so careful? If one box is bigger, your hero shrinks and grows as it runs. Wobbly!
Write a name under each box. Stand. Run one, run two. Jump one, jump two. Hurt. Win.
Your turn. Draw six more boxes, all the same size. Add a ground line and a name to every box.
Lesson 3: Run and jump
Time to make your hero move! Copy the head and body from your standing hero.
Run one. Legs wide apart, body leaning forward, arms swinging.
Run two. One knee comes up high, and the front arm swings up.
Now look from run one to run two, back and forth, fast. It runs!
Jump one. Squash down low, knees bent, ready to spring.
Jump two. Stretch up tall, arms high, feet tucked. The only time the feet leave the line!
Your turn. Draw run one, run two, jump one, and jump two. Copy the head every time, so it stays the same hero.
Lesson 4: Ouch and yay
Last two poses. Your hero needs to react. Ouch, and yay!
Hurt. Head back, eyes squeezed shut, one arm out. Add little stars. Oof!
Win. Arms up in a V, a big smile, feet planted. The happiest pose on the sheet!
Now a pro trick, the shadow test. Draw a copy of a pose and color it all dark. Can you still tell what it's doing?
This run looks just like standing. So lift the knee higher, and swing the arm. Now it reads!
Cut out your boxes and stack them in order. Flip through fast. Stand, run, jump, win!
Your turn. Draw hurt and win, try the shadow test, and flip through your sheet. You made a sprite sheet!
Free guides to practise with
Questions parents ask
What is a sprite in a game?
A sprite is one picture of a game character in one pose. The game flips through the sprites fast, and the character looks like it runs or jumps. All the sprites together on one page are a sprite sheet.
How is this different from pixel art?
Pixel art draws one hero, square by square. A sprite sheet draws the same hero in every pose a game needs, and the hard part is keeping the size and the ground line the same in every box. The pixel art course is a good place to design the hero first.
Does my kid need an app or an account?
No. The films play on this page, and the whole sheet is drawn on grid paper with a pencil. Scissors come in at the end, to cut out the boxes for the flip-through, and a grown-up can help younger kids with the cutting.