Create Your Grid and Choose an Image

In this video, you’ll turn your spreadsheet into a grid.

You will use this grid as the foundation for your art.

Then you’ll search for an image online to inspire your art.

Spreadsheets are made up of many small rectangles called cells.

Those cells are set up in a grid of rows and columns.

Digital images are also created on a grid of many small squares, or pixels.

In your spreadsheet, each cell will represent a pixel.

First, select all of the cells in the sheet.

Then, resize the column width of any column to begin making your cells square shaped.

Resize the cell height too, if necessary.

When your spreadsheet is a grid of approximately square-shaped cells, click on any cell to exit the Select-all tool.

Now that you've set up your spreadsheet grid, search for an image to work off of.

Open a new browser tab and search for spreadsheet pixel art.

You will choose an image as the inspiration for your art, but your art doesn't have to be exactly copy of your inspiration image.

If you like, use additional terms to search for a specific type of image.

You might search for pixel art of an animal you like or your favorite shape.

You can also filter your results to find clip art.

This can help you find simple images that work well for pixel art.

Choose a simple image with less than six colors, and make sure it is school appropriate.

View the image in preview mode.

And open the image in a new browser tab.

This way you can look at your sample image for guidance.

Now, it's your turn: resize all cells in your spreadsheet to form a grid, search for spreadsheet pixel art, customize your search and filter your results if needed, and open your selected image in a new browser tab.