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Costumes and Backdrops

🟨🐱 Technique Card: Scratch Costumes and Backdrops (practical)

Make your sprites and scenes come to life!

🔧 What You’ll Learn

  • How to switch costumes to animate a sprite
  • How to change the backdrop to set the scene
  • Where to find and edit costumes and backdrops
  • Simple code blocks that let you control them

🎭 Costumes: Different Looks for a Sprite

Every sprite can have multiple costumes — these are like different outfits or poses.

Tip

Think of the sprite as being the actor - only one - who can wear many different costumes to look different

🧱 Code blocks to use:

  • switch costume to [costume2]
  • next costume

📌 Try it:

  1. Click on your sprite.
  2. Go to the Costumes tab.
  3. Add a new costume (draw one, upload, or choose from the library).
  4. Use this code to switch:

costumes-1

🔄 This loops through costumes, making the sprite look like it’s moving or whatever else you have created with your costumes.

🎨 Backdrops: Different Scenes for the Stage

The stage can have multiple backdrops — perfect for changing scenes in a story or game.

🧱 Code blocks to use:

  • switch backdrop to [backdrop2]
  • next backdrop
  • when backdrop switches to [backdrop2] (event)

📌 Try it:

  1. Click on the Stage in the sprite list.
  2. Go to the Backdrops tab.
  3. Add backdrops (from library or upload your own).
  4. Use this code to switch:

backdrops-1

🎭 This changes your scene instantly when the space key is pressed and moves to each next backdrop when the right arrow key is pressed.

💡 Tips for Success

  • Use costumes for sprite animations (like walking, blinking, changing mood).
  • Use backdrops to move between levels or story chapters.
  • You can also use the "when backdrop switches to" block to trigger new events in a story or game.

backdrops-2

🎯 Try These Mini Challenges!

Put your costume and backdrop skills to the test with these fun, focused tasks:

🏃 Challenge 1: Walking Animation

Make a sprite appear to walk across the screen by switching between two or more costumes.

📝 Hint: Move the sprite and use next costume with a wait block.

🌅 Challenge 2: Day and Night Scene

Switch between two backdrops: one for daytime, one for night.
When you click the green flag, it should change every few seconds.

📝 Hint: Add a “sunny field” and a “night sky” backdrop from the library.

🎭 Challenge 3: Costume Switch with Key Press

Make a sprite change costume when you press the space key.

📝 Hint: Use the when space key pressed block with next costume.

🎬 Challenge 4: Story Scene Switcher

Create a short story with 3 backdrops. When the green flag is clicked, the backdrop should change every 2 seconds to move through the story.

📝 Hint: Use switch backdrop to blocks with wait commands between them.

Watch the video