This function returns a new sprite which you can place in a variable for use in your program.
Here is an example of opening a sprite canvas layer, creating a sprite, setting it's position and finally displaying it.
isFullScreen = false
vSync = true
winWidth = 640
winHeight = 480
canViewPortX = 0
canViewPortY = 0
OpenWindow("CreateSprite", winWidth, winHeight, isFullScreen, vSync)
sCanvas = OpenCanvasSpriteLayer(canViewPortX, canViewPortY, winWidth, winHeight)
Canvas(sCanvas)
DIM eye
DIM eyeW
DIM eyeH
eye = LoadImage("theEye.png")
GetImageSize(eye, eyeW, eyeH)
eyeSprite = CreateSprite(eye, eyeW, eyeH)
SetSpritePosition(eyeSprite, 100, 100)
While Not Key(K_ESCAPE)
'ClearCanvas() For a sprite layer canvas, you don't need to call ClearCanvas. It's automatically called.
Update() 'Update automatically deals with drawing the sprites on the sprite canvas.
Wend

Related: OpenCanvasSpriteLayer SetSpritePosition