When not analyzing the latest traffic data or sifting through a list of search terms, I find myself meticulously piecing together small beads to resemble video game sprites from the 8 – 32 bit era of gaming (I just now realized how boring I am). From spilling hundreds of beads on the carpet to warping plates beyond the point of recognition, I thought I’d share some wisdom I’ve gathered over the years of making Perler bead projects.

Gathering materials for the process

Here’s a list of materials that I use when making a Perler bead creation:

• Boards: the 29x29 kind that can snap together to make larger boards. I got with the smaller / modular ones versus the larger ones because if I accidentally warp a small one, it’s easy to replace. Warping a larger one is a much bigger set back. How many boards depends on what you plan on making, but you should be safe with a pack of four.
  
  
• Parchment paper: don’t use the wax paper that comes with the boards. They contain creases that will show up on the final product. My recommendation is to go to the grocery store and find a roll of parchment paper. The roll prevents any creases and you’ll have a larger surface area range for larger projects.
  
  
• An iron: a cheap iron works, don’t need anything fancy here.
  
  
• The Perler beads: if you’re just starting out, get a bucket of about 10,000 beads. It’ll come with all the standard colors including: black, white and peach. The only color it won’t contain that might be necessary is dark gray, which can be bought separately for about $3.00.
  
  
• Tweezers: those beads are tiny and can be hard to pick up when they’re bunched together on a board. Good for correcting placement mistakes.
  
  
• Painters or masking tape: you’ll need to keep that parchment paper from sliding around.

Picking the best source or creating your own

Generally, the first place I look when deciding what to make is sprite charts from my favorite NES, SNES or GBA games. Sticking to this generation of gaming hardware is best since most all these games were 2D, sprite-based, and each pixel can easily be represented by one bead. Looking at a sprite chart also shows you the range of animations that exist in the game, so you can pick out an action-oriented pose if available. Google images can return results for almost any game you can think of.

If you want to create something from scratch or based on a non-Perler source material (like a photo or drawing), you’ll have to translate it to something that makes sense as a series of beads. Photo-realistic sources will either have to be down-sized or you’ll end up with a massive Perler bead creation. I find that cartoons or exaggerated drawings work best.

Also, make sure you have the appropriate colors for what you want to make. If you need to account for highlights and shadows, pick a base color and then find one color bead lighter and one color bead darker.

The building process

You’ll first want to identify the bead dimensions of your source. If you’ve chosen a game sprite, you’ll have to count the pixel height and width to make sure it’ll fit on the boards you have available. If it’s inconvenient to count each pixel, take the source into a program like Photoshop and check the image dimensions.

Assemble the boards necessary and start by outlining what you’re going to make. By setting up the space for the rest of the beads, you’ll save yourself time from hunting and pecking for where a certain bead color goes. It’ll also save you time versus putting beads down like a printer, row by row.

If you’re working on a custom creation, remember to model your creation with a light source (i.e. make sure you include shadows and highlights). Faces will have a base skin tone plus a few shadow areas around the forehead if bangs are hanging down, or highlights like the tip of a nose. Modeling is a good way to make the creation look more complex and professional.

As you build up your creation, always remember to take a few steps back from it and make sure you’re still on track with color placement and composition. The final arrangement should be something you’re 100% satisfied with. Any mistakes can be taken care of by using tweezers to move and replace beads.

Melting the beads together

Transfer your board(s) with the beads to a spot that can handle heat and tape adhesive, like a kitchen counter. Plug in the iron and set it to linen or one of the highest heat settings. Rip off a piece of parchment paper bigger than the perimeter of the boards so the entire creation can be covered. You’ll want the entire piece to be covered by one piece of parchment paper. Tape the parchment paper down to the surface while it’s covering the Perler boards as best you can. You may need several pieces to secure the paper since parchment paper is meant to be non-stick.

When the iron is ready begin by placing the iron down in the top left or right corner of where ever the beads start depending on if you’re right or left-handed respectively. Apply a little bit of pressure and start making a circular motion with the iron (I go counter-clockwise if you’re curious). Important: don’t let the parchment paper move around. The tape should help keep it as still as possible, but you may have to use your free hand. Careful not to burn yourself like I do occasionally.

How long you heat the beads for depends on how melted you want them to be. The beads can be melted enough so they stick together, or they can be melted so the holes are completely closed up. Thankfully, the parchment paper is transparent enough to see the beads once they’re heated enough to stick together.

Initially, the beads will be hard to see, but as they get hotter, their color will become easier to see through the parchment paper. At this point, they’re melted enough to stick together. If you want the bead holes to be closed, it’ll take a few more seconds. Important: there is such a thing as over-heating the beads. I’ve had some beads get their surfaces warped, turned concave or worse, the board gets warped in the process, so make sure to lift the iron up and check your progress.

Gradually make your way around the creation, paying attention to edges and try and give each part an even amount of heating time.

Coming away with the finished product

Lift up the iron after the heating process is done and return the iron setting to off before unplugging it. The parchment paper should peel right off the melted Perler beads. Caution: the beads and board will still be hot. Use care when removing the beads from the board. Depending on the size of the creation, you can just flip the board over when it’s ready to touch if it’s small; larger projects will have to be lifted off of the board by hand.

When the beads are off the board, the creation might not be completely straight when looking at it from the side. What you can do is, take a stack of books and place them on top of the beads to flatten them out. Keep it that way for a few hours while it cools.