How to make pixel art for your game hero

What your kid makes

Your kid ends with a 16 by 16 pixel-art hero with an outline, four colors, light and shadow, two walking frames, and an I won pose. The hero can go on into the Game Studio as the star of a game.

The 4 lessons

1. 

   Lesson 1. One square, one color

   Every square gets one color, and little steps make a curve.

   1. Get grid paper, or rule a grid
   2. Draw a heart, one square at a time
   3. Fill every square

   Where: Paper

   Watch it free above

2. Lesson 2. Outline, then fill

   A dark outline first, then four colors, makes a hero that reads at a glance.

   1. Count a box of 16 by 16 squares
   2. Outline the hero in dark pencil
   3. Fill it with four colors

   Where: Paper

   In the app

3. Lesson 3. Light and shadow

   Light squares face the sun, and dark squares sit on the other side.

   1. Draw a sun in the corner
   2. Add light squares on the sunny side
   3. Add dark squares on the shady side

   Where: Paper

   In the app

4. Lesson 4. Make it move

   Two walking pictures where only the legs change make the hero walk.

   1. Draw two walking pictures
   2. Draw an I won pose
   3. Bring the hero into the Game Studio

   Where: Paper

   In the app

Lesson 1 transcript: One square, one color

1. 0:00

   Hi, I'm Krea! Lots of heroes in old video games are made of tiny squares. Today, you make one!

2. 0:08

   Those squares are called pixels. Pixel art is drawing with squares, one at a time.

3. 0:15

   You need grid paper. No grid paper? Draw lines with a ruler. Across, and then down.

4. 0:22

   Here's the one rule. One square, one color. Fill the whole square. No half squares!

5. 0:29

   Want a curve? Make little steps. From far away, the steps look round.

6. 0:35

   Let's warm up with a heart. Fill it in, row by row. Ta-da!

7. 0:41

   Your turn. Get grid paper. Draw a heart, one square at a time. Fill every square. Then press Next.