How to draw your first pixel sprite

tutorialsspritesbeginnerpixel art

Draw a 16×16 sprite with a clear silhouette — lessons from Mario, Zelda, and Pokémon.

Your first sprite should read as a shape before it reads as detail. Start tiny, keep the silhouette clear, and check the result at 100% zoom — the same discipline Pokémon sprites used on the Game Boy.

What you'll make

A 16×16 or 32×32 character or creature with a clear outline and a short color ramp.

Pokémon Red battle sprite readability
Pokémon Red/Blue — tiny sprites that still read as characters in battle.

Steps

  1. Create a small canvas (16×16 or 32×32 works well).
  2. Pick colors from the palettes panel (Shift+C) — four values is enough.
  3. Block the silhouette with the pencil (E) on a single layer.
  4. Use . to fit the sprite in view and check readability at 100%.
  5. Add one shadow and one highlight only after the shape reads.
  6. Export as PNG when you are happy with the result.

Tips