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Character and Background Design Using Scratch Facts & Worksheets

The Scratch team at Massachusetts Institute of Technology wanted to empower young people to explore coding and to create with technology.

Worksheets /Technology /Character and Background Design Using Scratch Facts & Worksheets
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Character and Background Design Using Scratch Worksheets
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The Scratch team at Massachusetts Institute of Technology wanted to empower young people to explore coding and to create with technology. This is the reason why Scratch is so user-friendly. With a built-in paint editor, users can easily create images that serve unique roles in their programs.

See the fact file below for more information on the character and background design using Scratch or alternatively, you can download our 27-page Character and Background Design Using Scratch worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Defining Character and Background Design

  • Character design is the “simple study of a character and visually designing it in the most appealing way for the target audience”.
  • Creators design their characters for a specific story and setting.
  • These characters help them convey their message to the audience.
  • The visual design of characters can go from extremely graphic (cartoon) to photo-realistic (highly detailed and very similar to real life people or objects).
  • The role of the background designer is to design the stage where the characters move and other special effects take place.
  • They create an environment similar to real life that characters naturally interact with.
  • Creating background art is also essential to any project, whether it be animation or game development.
  • Background art gives the characters a place to live in and enhances the overall experience of their audience.
  • The visual design of the background art should complement that of the story and characters. It can also go from extremely graphic to photo-realistic.

Learning the Paint Editor

  • Users can access the paint editor when they click a sprite’s costume or backdrop.
  • There are two kinds of editor in Scratch – the BITMAP and the VECTOR editor.
  • The bitmap editor allows a user to create bitmap images, which are made up of tiny squares of color known as pixels.
  • These are arranged in a way to make a certain image.
  • Bitmap format is great for images that use a wide range of colors (i.e., photographs).
  • The vector editor allows users to create vector images, which are made up of mathematical formulas that draw lines and curves.
  • Vector images take less space in a user’s computer memory compared to bitmap images.
  • One advantage of vector images over bitmap images is its scalability.
  • When the user changes the size and shape of the image, the image still retains its quality.

Learning the Paint Editor Tools

  • These are the controls found in the vector editor:
  • Bitmap editor has fewer controls than vector editor. Some bitmap controls are similar to vector editor controls.
    • Users can type the costume name in the text bar.
    • Users can undo or redo a certain action.
    • Users can group or ungroup parts of the vector image.
    • Users can bring a selected object to the front or back of another object.
    • Users can bring a selected object to the frontmost or backmost layer.
    • Users can change the color fill of an object. The dropdown shows the color selection. There are 3 sliders that users can manipulate to change the color, saturation, and brightness. Users can also remove or copy a certain object’s color.
    • Users can add or remove an outline of any object. To change the thickness or thinness of the outline, the user must type the appropriate number in the text bar (the smaller the number, the thinner the line).
    • Users can copy and paste any object.
    • Users can delete any unwanted object.
    • Users can flip an object or a whole image horizontally or vertically.

Editor Tools

  • Select Tool – allows users to select an object.
  • Paint Brush – allows users to draw using their mouse pointer.
  • To change the size of the pen mark, simply click the UP button to increase size and the DOWN button to decrease size.
  • Paint Bucket – allows users to fill an object with color. Note: this tool can only fill closed objects. It cannot fill the background of a costume or backdrop. Example of a closed object and an unclosed object.
  • Line Tool – allows users to draw straight lines on the canvas. Click the mouse pointer to start drawing the line, drag it to the end point, and release.
  • Rectangle Tool – allows users to draw a rectangle shape on the canvas. Simply click the mouse pointer, drag, and release.
  • Reshape Tool – allows users to change the shape of the objects by adding curves or pointed edges. Select shape to edit. Click the reshape tool and click the part that needs reshaping. Choose between the two:
    • Eraser Tool – allows users to erase parts of an object. Just click and drag the mouse pointer in the area that needs erasing.
    • Text Tool – allows users to add text to any object on the canvas. Simply click on the object to type a text.
  • Circle Tool – allows users to draw a perfect circle on the canvas.

Costume and Backdrop Pane

  • Costume pane shows the sprite’s costumes and its order.
  • To edit a costume, simply click the costume.
  • It also has a button that allows users to add new costumes to the sprite.
  • When the user hovers the mouse pointer over this button, these options will pop up:
    • Take a photo to use as a costume
    • Upload a photo to use as a costume
    • Surprise! (random selection of costume from library)
    • Paint a costume
    • Search a costume from the library
  • The background or backdrop pane looks exactly the same as the sprite’s costume pane with similar functions.
  • It shows the backdrop that is currently used on stage.
  • It also has a button that allows users to add a new backdrop.
  • When the user hovers the mouse pointer over this button, these options will pop up:
    • Take a photo to use as a backdrop
    • Upload a photo to use as a backdrop
    • Surprise! (random selection of backdrop from the library)
    • Paint a backdrop
    • Search a backdrop from the library

Using the Worksheets

  • Using the worksheets requires logging into your Scratch account.
  • These worksheets will serve as your guide in learning the paint editor and exploring character and background design in Scratch.
  • The worksheets contain practical exercises that will help you master the application of tools.

Character and Background Design Using Scratch Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the character and background design using Scratch across 27 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Character and Background Design Using Scratch worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Scratch. The Scratch team at Massachusetts Institute of Technology wanted to empower young people to explore coding and to create with technology. This is the reason why Scratch is so user-friendly. With a built-in paint editor, users can easily create images that serve unique roles in their programs.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Character and Background Design Facts
  • Learning the Paint Editor
  • Adding a New Costume
  • Uploading a New Costume
  • Drawing Your Own Sprite
  • Using Your Camera
  • Choose and Edit a Backdrop
  • Paint a Backdrop
  • Upload a Backdrop
  • Designing for Animation
  • Designing for Games

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Link will appear as Character and Background Design Using Scratch Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, June 3, 2020

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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