Thinking sheet · Art and artists

Pixel Picture

Color whole squares on the grid to make a pixel-art character, like an old video game.

Grades
1–5
Time
about 30 minutes
Kids practice
pixel art, planning, grids and counting

What kids do

“Fill whole squares only. Can you make a character that looks like it’s from a video game?”

  1. My pixel picture
  2. My colors
  3. The hardest part to show with squares was…

How to run it

  • Plan the outline in pencil first, then color whole squares.
  • Start small: a heart, a mushroom or a ghost.
  • Count squares for each part so both sides match.

Talk about it

  • How are pixels like the squares on a screen?
  • What was hard to draw with squares?
  • How could you make it look bigger?

Take it further

Make the same character twice as big by using four squares for every one.

Pairs well with

Free for home and classroom use. Print as many copies as you need.

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