Not sure if it's because the summer set in but wow....
Have you tried looking?
If you haven't then I guess I can help a bit... Look on deviantart.com for "spriting tutorial" or any such thing.
You can also find tutorials on yahoo just as easily. Take a moment and look up Inquisitor too. He's been spriting some very good stuff. Not in the animated department but he can get you started on basic spriting fundamentals.
Also, I would suggest using some of the premade sprites around the internet and frakensprite them using paint/PS/idraw3/(Insert art program here)
You'll need to get familiar with one if you plan on spriting. It's a lot of hard work. I really wish you the best in trying.