Making pixel art with whole numbers in a spreadsheet

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Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. You want to make pixel art in a spreadsheet using number codes. What is a good first step?

A Plan the picture on a paper grid and choose a number for each colour

B Type random numbers into cells and hope a picture appears

2. In spreadsheet pixel art, how does a cell turn into a colour?

A You type a whole number and a formatting rule changes the cell to that number's colour

B You type the colour's name and the number appears by itself

3. Your colour key says 1 = red and 2 = blue. Which cell will turn blue?

A A cell containing 1

B A cell containing 2

4. Part of your picture repeats, like a row of the same pattern. What saves time?

A Copy the cells and paste them where the pattern repeats

B Delete the grid and start again

5. You want every 3 in your picture to change from green to purple. What is the quickest way?

A Retype every 3 in the grid as a different number

B Change the one rule for the number 3 to purple

Match the Pairs

Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.

Left column		Right column
11 2 2 1		AThe steps are in the wrong order. You should plan the picture on paper first, then type the number grid.
2Ctrl+C then Ctrl+V		BCopy a repeated part of the number grid and paste it, so you do not have to type it again
3Each colour is given its own whole-number code, so the rules can turn the numbers into colours		CA row of the number grid: each whole number is a colour code typed in one cell, and the formatting rules turn each into its colour
4To swap a colour in the whole picture, change one formatting rule instead of retyping the numbers		DColour names are typed instead of a whole-number colour code. The rules only colour numbers, so the cell stays unchanged.
5A1: blue		ERule: cell value = 3, fill orange
6Colour the cells first, then plan the picture on paper		F1 = blue, 2 = yellow, 3 = red

Definitions

pixel art

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.

Key: 0=White, 1=Black, 2=Red Rule: if cell value = _ fill Red

Plan on paper, row 1: 1 2 3 _ 1

Select row 1, press Ctrl+C to copy Select row 2, press Ctrl+_ to paste

Goal: change every 2 from Red to Blue Rule: if cell value = 2 fill ____

Grid: 5 columns wide and 5 rows tall Apply rule to range A1:__

Spot the Error

Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.

Question 1

A Key: 0 = white, 1 = black

B If cell is 1, fill white

C If cell is 1, fill black

Question 2

A Plan: 4 x 4 grid on paper

B Pick codes: 0 white, 1 blue

C Colour each paper square

D Type colour names in each cell

Question 3

A Row 1: 0 1 1 0 1

B Row 2: 1 1 1 1

C Row 3: 0 1 1 0

Question 4

A Type the pattern 1 2 1 2

B Cut the pattern cells

C Paste them in the next row

Question 5

A Select the pattern cells

B Press Ctrl+C to copy

C Press Ctrl+X to paste

Answer Key

Making pixel art with whole numbers in a spreadsheet

Section A: Quick Questions

A — Plan the picture on a paper grid and choose a number for each colour

A — You type a whole number and a formatting rule changes the cell to that number's colour

B — A cell containing 2

A — Copy the cells and paste them where the pattern repeats

B — Change the one rule for the number 3 to purple

Section B: Match the Pairs

1 2 2 1 → A row of the number grid: each whole number is a colour code typed in one cell, and the formatting rules turn each into its colour

Ctrl+C then Ctrl+V → Copy a repeated part of the number grid and paste it, so you do not have to type it again

Each colour is given its own whole-number code, so the rules can turn the numbers into colours → 1 = blue, 2 = yellow, 3 = red

To swap a colour in the whole picture, change one formatting rule instead of retyping the numbers → Rule: cell value = 3, fill orange

A1: blue → Colour names are typed instead of a whole-number colour code. The rules only colour numbers, so the cell stays unchanged.

Colour the cells first, then plan the picture on paper → The steps are in the wrong order. You should plan the picture on paper first, then type the number grid.

Section C: Definitions

pixel art — A picture made of coloured squares. In a spreadsheet, you type a whole-number colour code in each cell and formatting rules turn each number into its colour.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

Key: 0=White, 1=Black, 2=Red
Rule: if cell value = 2 fill Red

Plan on paper, row 1: 1 2 3 2 1

Select row 1, press Ctrl+C to copy
Select row 2, press Ctrl+V to paste

Goal: change every 2 from Red to Blue
Rule: if cell value = 2 fill Blue

Grid: 5 columns wide and 5 rows tall
Apply rule to range A1:E5

Section E: Spot the Error

B — The key says 1 is black, so the rule for 1 must fill black. Filling 1 white would make it look the same as 0.

D — Spreadsheet pixel art uses whole-number colour codes, not colour names. Type each square's number, such as 0 or 1, and the rules make the colour.

A — Row 1 has 5 numbers but the grid is 4 cells wide. It should be Row 1: 0 1 1 0 so every row has the same number of cells.

B — Cut removes the original cells, so the pattern would move instead of repeat. Use Copy, then paste, to repeat part of the picture.

C — Ctrl+X cuts. Paste is Ctrl+V.