How to customize sprites in Scratch

Sprite is also known as a character in Scratch. You absolutely can create custom sprites in Scratch to make the game more interesting.

What is a Sprite in Scratch?

Sprite in Scratch is the character that your Scratch code controls. For example, you can write code to make the sprite move or talk. These sprites can be people, animals, objects… The default sprite in Scratch is a cat, but you can change it to anything you want.

Sprite image in Scratch library

When you start a Scratch program, you will have access to a library of images (sprites) with many different options. There is a circular icon in the lower right corner with a cat and a plus sign. Clicking this icon displays all the images in the library that you can add to your program. For example, some of the images you can find in the gallery are penguins, starfish, and dinosaurs.

If you don’t find the sprite image you need in the library, you can create your own. If there is a character image in the library that closely matches your requirements, you can edit it by going to the “Costumes” tab. There you will have the option to change the color of the character image, remove or add details. You can also create your own custom character images! Below are detailed instructions.

How to customize a sprite in Scratch

If you want to start from a blank canvas to create a sprite in Scratch, you can first hover over the Choose a Sprite icon in the lower right corner of the screen to add a sprite from the library. Then click on the paintbrush icon to create the character you want.

Let’s look at the following example to better understand the next steps.

The initial idea for this celestial-inspired Scratch project was to bring constellations to life by animating them. The walking bear would be the perfect starting point to create the constellation Ursa Major. Here, its motion will be kept the same, adding a long tail and superimposing the constellation on top of the bear.

Change color

After clicking on the brush, a blank screen appears where you can use different colors, shapes and text to create the character image of your choice!

For example, in the article, we want the constellation to blend into the night sky, so we will paint it a dark blue color. To do that, the fill tool will be used to create blue shades for the body and outline.

Edit shapes

An important detail for the constellation of the Great Bear is its very prominent tail. It needs to be adjusted to the shape and angle of the bear’s tail. The first step is to separate all the body components.

Now, the tail can be edited separately. The example changed the angle of the tail and moved it further away from the body.

Next, switch to the direct selection tool that allows manipulating individual points on a curve. For example, the length of the tail has been extended and some feather details have been adjusted.

Add stars

Add circles to represent stars and lines to create constellations.

Now repeat the same steps for each outfit. This can take time, especially if the character image you’re using has multiple outfits or if you’re adding your own outfits. Patience will bring really great results so don’t be afraid to repeat the process.