The Simple SPRITRS guide: Step 1: The Frame

The Simple SPRTRs Guide: First Steps

Even though its been a while since I started spriting, I can still remember making my first ever sprite. Its was on the Kaizer medium and sucked ass. For those of you who are just starting out, heres a few things I've learned for you to consider.

Right then, bearing this in mind, lets start with our first sprite.

Having a good mental picture of your hero is a good idea, spriting on the fly is doable, but this is for beginners so lets be simple about it. If you have the battler, or a picture of the character you want, then its even better.

For this tutorial, I'm using Photoshop CS2 (TBH, Its too much for simple sprites, you can use MSPaint, Gimp, etc) My imagination and a bit of background music. I'm also using the JuuNiTemplate (still looking for a name to call it) as I can add it too the resource pack concepts bin :3

If you wish to use this guide but don't have a template to use, check this out RRR Resource Section for Templates!


Step One, The lines.

Remembering that there is some sort of top down perspective on these sprites you have to add the depth to you people, which means no straight lines cutting across the body. Now, because I'm lazy this sprite is gonna be symmetrical which means I can draw half the sprite, copy, paste, flip and voila. Done and dusted. Simple yet effective, I like that.


Step two is fairly simple, shade it.

Now, I've broken it down into the colours for each piece with a simple line and fill method.
This is where you use the darkest colour to show the outline of the clothing, and fill with your base colour. Doing this gives you a sense accomplishment, you're getting somewhere now. Have a drink.


But now you have to shade it. Theres no way I could teach you how to shade, its just a simple case of trial and error, Think what will cause shadows such as ruffles, over layering clothes, the contours of the body. And if you're ever in doubt, check out other sprites by more experienced spriters.

Now I've gone and redone this whole sprite several times over. This is something I tend to do, If I don't like colours, the way the lines work, a lot of this I never see until I'm finished, so I then have to go and fix things up. Here's the stages I've done.


The first I've found to be a little too light for the template, and the second is a little too dark. Too much of the black me thinks. So I've changed his shirt to a white one. And with that, I name ye, 'Bar Keep'.

I know its not a lot to go on, but art is merely what you make it, its nothing I can teach you. This is just a simple reminder that you can do it, just follow the guide and remember whats what. Spriting isn't a chore, its a fun activity with a good sense of accomplishment at the end. If people still need help, PM me and I'll see if I can Carry on the Simple SPRTR Guide into more helpful topics. Again, sorry if its a weak tutorial its sorta my first in a long time.

Enjoy