Guide
How to make a sketch style video from text with AI
Paste the text into a tool that narrates it and draws it, such as Alpy. An AI voice reads your text, Alpy draws a simple, sketchy scene on white for each part of it with one recurring character, and each drawing cuts in on the words it shows. You get a 16:9 YouTube video in a hand-drawn sketch style without drawing anything. Text needs 110 to 2,700 words, and a free preview shows the first 10 seconds before you pay.
Last updated 20 October 2026
Try Alpy with a free preview →Make your first video →How to do it, step by step
- Turn the text into narration. An article, a lesson or notes read badly as they are. Rewrite into short spoken sentences, one idea each, interesting part first, or ask ChatGPT to (see the prompt).
- Paste it into the studio. In Alpy's studio, choose AI voice and paste the text. Titles, labels such as "Intro:", notes in [brackets] and stage directions are left out of the narration, and the studio shows what will not be read.
- Pick a voice and a delivery. Six AI voices, each in 4 deliveries, with a sample of each. Or record yourself reading it.
- Pick a character. The Classic Stickman, the Owl, the Penguin and others are free, or upload your own sketch.
- Watch the free preview, then finish. The first 10 seconds are narrated, drawn and cut before you pay. Finish the video, redraw any scene you do not like, and download the MP4 with title ideas, a description and a thumbnail.
What a finished one looks like
- Ancient Humans Never Brushed: a 2:52 history explainer with the Ancient Stickman, read by Onyx, 33 drawn scenes.
- Why Your Small Subscriptions Add Up to Big Spending: a 2:45 money explainer with the Raccoon, read by Ash, 35 drawn scenes.
Both were made from typed scripts in the studio. They are Alpy's own examples.
Ways to make a sketch style video
| Way | What you do | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Alpy | Paste the text, pick a voice and a character | Narration and a sketch for each part, cut to the words |
| Whiteboard tools (VideoScribe, Doodly) | Choose images, place and time each one, add a voiceover | A drawing-hand animation; usually an hour or more per minute |
| Text-to-video AI (invideo AI, Fliki, Pictory) | Paste the text, pick a voice | Stock footage or generated clips, not one sketch style |
| Sketch it yourself | Draw every scene and edit them to the voice | Full control, many hours |
See each service's own site for current prices.
Mistakes to avoid
- Pasting an article as it is. Headings, links and long sentences make poor narration. Rewrite it to be heard.
- Abstract text. Every sentence becomes a sketch; give it something concrete to show.
- Unchecked numbers. The sketches show what the text says, so a wrong figure ends up on screen.
- Expecting Shorts. Alpy makes horizontal 16:9 videos for YouTube, not vertical Shorts or Reels.
Where Alpy is not the right fit
- Six AI voices, not a large voice library, and no voice cloning
- Horizontal 16:9 only, no vertical Shorts
- One deliberately simple drawing style, not polished animation
- No free plan beyond the preview
Questions
- Is there an AI that makes a sketch style video from text?
- Yes. Paste the text into Alpy: an AI voice reads it and a simple sketch is drawn for each part, with one recurring character, as a 16:9 YouTube video. The first 10 seconds are a free preview.
- Can I paste an article or a blog post?
- Yes, but rewrite it as spoken narration first: short sentences, no headings or links. Labels and bracketed notes are left out automatically.
- Is the voice an AI voice?
- If you choose one: six AI voices, clearly labelled as AI-generated. You can record your own instead. Alpy never clones a voice.
- How long can the video be?
- Up to 20 minutes, from 110 to 2,700 words. About 150 words make a minute at a calm pace.
- How much does it cost?
- The preview is free with no card. Finishing one video is $7 a video or $29/month.
Related
Sources
Other tools’ prices and features were checked on their own sites on the date above and change often. Spotted something out of date? Tell us at hello@tryalpy.com.
See your own video before you pay.Your own video, in your own voice.
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