Create a Canvas
This activity allows you to visually collaborate and with a plenty of freedom in a white board format, whether it is to create a visual management space or to explain a concept through a diagram.
Add a Canvas activity
From your session:
1. Click on “Add a slide” at the top left of your screen
2. Select the Canvas activity
3. Write down the title of your activity
4. Click on Save
The Canvas activity will be added to the content of your session.
Unlike other activities where the facilitator scrolls through the slides, this activity does not "start" and your participants cannot access it from the Activities tab, available from the banner on the right of the session page.
What you can find in your Canvas activity
Once you are on the activity slide of your Canvas, all you have to do is create and add all the elements you want. All the people connected to your session, whatever their role (owner, moderator, participant), can add elements and modify them.
Only the session owner and the facilitator can lock an item to the canvas.
The toolbox is located on the left side of the Canvas activity slide. Here you will find:
- The pointer to select the elements
- The pencil to free-style designs
- The text tool
- Select shapes
- Insert Images
- Creation of notes
Add content to your Canvas
First, hover your pointer over one of the toolbox items on the left side of your Canvas activity slide and select one.
Depending on the chosen item, you can perform various actions:
- The pointer:
The pointer allows you to select elements already present in your board. Once an item is selected, you will be able to access several actions/functions at the top of the item. The available actions/functions will depend on the selected element. It is also by selecting an element that you will be able to adjust its size and inclination (rotation).
- Free-style design:
With this feature, you will be able to freely draw shapes and lines via your mouse movements. Click and drag your pointer to draw the shape you want. Release to finish your design.
Once your design is complete, click on the pointer button in the toolbox of your Canvas activity and double-click on your design element. You will then have the option to extend the different segments of your design to form a new design using the red dots.
Don't forget that as the owner or facilitator of the session, you can also lock your design element to prevent other participants from modifying your work!
By selecting your drawn element, you will have access to modify it; you can choose the color of the element among the proposed palette, choose among three different sizes, lock the element (owner or animator), and via the three small dots: duplicate, put in background or foreground, and delete the element.
- Add text:
This feature allows you to add text of the length of your choice at the place where you have clicked with your mouse.
You can choose the color of the text, as well as its alignment.
Once you have written your text, you can simply select the text element to position it where you want on Canvas.
To add text already written to a note, create a note (see the section "Adding a note"). Then select your text, copy it by right-clicking on the "copy" button, and finally paste (still right-clicking on the "paste" button) this text into the previously created note.
By selecting your Text element, you will have access to modify it. You can choose the color of the element from the palette, choose the alignment of the text, lock the element (owner or animator), and via the three small dots: duplicate put it in the background or foreground, and delete the element.
- Add a shape:
Click on the Shape function in your toolbox, then select the shape of your choice from those offered. Once you have chosen the shape you want, draw it with your mouse.
Once you release the mouse, the shape is created. You will then be able to change the size, color, stroke width, and lock your element. By selecting your shape element again, you can move it to the desired location on your Canvas.
By selecting the color of your element, you will also be able to manage the opacity of this color, so that you can visualize what is in the background of this shape.
List of available shapes:
- Rectangle
- Ellipse
- Triangle
- Parallelogram
- Line
- Arrow: It is possible to choose the shape of the tip of your arrow as well as its direction by clicking on the element and choosing the button "Arrow"
It is also possible to select a shape via the available shortcuts. For this, see the section "Keyboard shortcuts".
You can, from this feature, add dynamic links between your shape, image, or sticky note elements.
This is a very useful feature for creating dynamic diagrams
To do so :
- Click on Shape in your toolbox.
- Choose the arrow element
- Hover your cursor over an element: shape, image, or note in your Canvas (as your pointer hovers over one of these elements, a shadow around the element appears)
- Click from this shadow to the shadow of the element you want to attach.
- As you move one of the elements → the arrow resizes and adjusts to your pointer movements.
By selecting your Shape element, you will have access to modify it; you can choose the color of the element among the proposed palette, choose among the proposed sizes, lock the element (owner or animator), and via the three small dots: duplicate, put in background or foreground, and delete the element.
- Add an image:
This feature allows you to add images from your computer, a web link, or from the Unsplash royalty-free embedded image bank.
Click in your toolbox on the left side of your Canvas activity and slide on the Image button. Then choose the image to import.
Depending on the size of the image you choose, it may be "too big" on your Canvas activity. In this case, zoom out your activity at the bottom right of the slide, and then select your image to manage the size.
Once you have chosen your image, click on "save".
By selecting your image element, you will have access to modify it. You can lock the element (owner or animator) via the three small dots: duplicate, put in the background or foreground, and delete the element.
- Add notes:
The Add Notes feature allows you to add text in the form of Sticky Notes in the size of your choice at the location you click with your mouse.
Choose the color of your Note and also the alignment of the text. The text will automatically adapt to the size of the note.
Once you have written your text, simply select the Note element to reposition it wherever you want on the Canvas.
It is possible to transform a Note into an action or a decision by clicking on the three small dots at the top of the Note once the item is selected!
By selecting your Note element, you will have access to modify it. You can choose the color of the item from the palette, choose the alignment of the text, lock the item (owner or animator), and via the three little dots: duplicate, plan an action or take a decision from the note, put in the background or foreground, and delete the item.
Manage your Canvas
The features for managing the visualization of your Canvas are located at the bottom right of the activity slide. Here you will find:
- The list of keyboard shortcuts
- The "hand" allows you to move around the Canvas activity
- The magnifying glass (to return to 100% zoom)
- The zoom
List of keyboard shortcuts
To access the list of keyboard shortcuts, click on the keyboard icon at the bottom right of your Canvas activity. This will give you access to all the shortcuts.
Click once on your Canvas to select it, before using one of the shortcuts.
Then you just have to follow the different indications next to the desired action.
You have access to several parts:
- Shape: select one of the elements to add to your Canvas
- Display: to manage the display of your Canvas
- Editor: to manage the content (the elements) of your Canvas
In the example below, we will see how to add the Grid format and a Rectangle shape to our Canvas activity:
First, to display the grid, we click on the letter "G" on our keyboard, then on the letter "R" before creating our rectangle.
You also have the possibility, via the three small dots at the top right of your slide, to edit your Canvas (the title), duplicate your Canvas (with all its content), capture your activity slide as well as delete your Canvas activity.
Attention! All deleting actions are final!
Import a Canvas from another session
It is possible to import your entire Canvas with its content into another session!
To do so:
- Once in the session in which you want to import your activity
- Click on "Add a slide" at the top left of the interface
- Click on "Import from session" on the panel that opens
- Select the session, then the Canvas activity
- Click on "Import".
You will then have a exact copy of your Canvas with all its content on your new session.
Message of the Canvas
If your Canvas exceeds a certain size, due to elements added by your participants or yourself, a banner with a message will appear to warn you that your activity may be slow.
It is therefore recommended to reduce the size of images and elements or to remove them.
If you need more information about optimizing the use of your Canvas find the article Best practices in Canvas activity & technical recommendations
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