Canvas is a vector graphics application in the vein of Illustrator, FreeHand and Xara X. Although it’s possible to open and work with bitmap content such as .TIFs and .JPGs, you’ll find limitations with such formats. Working with native vector graphics such as .AI, .EPS and Canvas’ proprietary .CNV format will yield much better results.

Of course, we can’t teach you the entire workings of the software and all its illustration techniques over the following article, but you should at least feel a little more familiar with Canvas’ interface and know how to dig out the primary tools as you explore some of the features on offer.

At first glance, Canvas seems a little sparse. A blank interface with the usual icon toolbar is available, although look beneath this and you’ll find a row of tabs that replace the standard palettes found in comparable packages. This method of organising common effects, objects and tool options provides the most screen space for your artwork. By default, the software will provide you with a simple blank illustration canvas on which you can begin to experiment with the various layout, text and drawing controls in the toolbar.

Before you become too immersed, though, take a moment to check out the familiar File | New option. You’ll find a range of document types that give you a head start, depending on whether you’re creating an illustration, a publication, an animation or a presentation.

Choose the Publication option and make any changes to the document’s units and size options. Select the ‘2_Fold’ template and click ‘OK’ to have Canvas create the starting point for your document. You can adjust the magnification of the document using the controls at the foot of the interface, as well as move between the inside and outside pages of our newly created leaflet.

Document layout
If the default layout is suitable for your purposes, all that is required to adapt the original content is to make use of the text tool to replace the standing ‘lorem ipsum’ text with your own, and to make any formatting changes using the Type palette, which you’ll find docked at the head of the interface. You’ll probably want to introduce photographs to add some visual interest, but to best understand how Canvas manages its assets, you’ll need to become familiar with the Document Layout palette.

You can find this under the Window | Palettes menu, after which you’ll get a better idea of how Canvas groups objects for the outside (page one) and inside (page two) of your document, as well as the Master Page.

Anyone familiar with DTP will appreciate that the Master Page contains elements that feature on all the pages of a document, so you can include headers, footers or page numbering throughout your publication. For our simple document, we have been provided with guides to ensure our pages all lay out to the same format. As well as its ability to show all individual objects on each page, you’ll find the Document Layout palette useful for adding pages to or removing them from your documents.

You’ll see from the Document Layout palette that the image placeholders are merely filled shapes that need replacing. To insert your own images, use the File | Place function to locate your image, then click on the top-left point at which your graphic should appear to have Canvas insert your bitmap. You’ll find that anchor points display around an active image, which will help you resize the image. Remember bitmap images are prone to pixelation if their original dimensions aren’t constrained, so you may need to make these changes externally using a dedicated bitmap editor such as Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro.

Illustrating the point
But of course, Canvas is much more than just another DTP package. Its real strengths lie in vector illustration. To get the feel of how its tools work in this particular field, we’ll need to create a new document based on the standard Illustration template. If you prefer your canvas to have a landscape orientation rather than the default portrait, choose your document size on the New File dialog and switch the width and height.

Vector illustration is all about strokes and fills – essentially, lines and colours – and the techniques can take some practice, especially if you’re more used to working with bitmaps and pixels. Again, ensure that the Document Layout palette is visible so you can see how your individually created objects are positioned and layered. Be aware that you may well be drawing a black stroke with a white fill by default, which may be a little confusing as the document’s white background will render this invisible.

You can choose to construct your illustration using predefined shapes from the toolbar, although the pen tool and the variants grouped with it provide the most control when working with vectors. Remember that you can freely adjust the size and direction of your strokes without any loss of quality using object handles, which emerge from the anchor points when the shape is activated using the selection tool.

Unlike bitmap editors, the paint palette in vector software provides control over stroke and fill properties rather than foreground and background hues. Should you wish to change the colour of the object outline, click in the Pen Ink palette at the foot of the toolbar. The Fill Ink palette determines the colour your shape will be shaded. There are various colours and patterns you can use, or you can make an element transparent using the white colour cube with a diagonal line across it.

As you use more palettes in Canvas, you’ll find many such subtle differences between the approaches of vector and bitmap packages, but the general principle of layers remains the same, with access available through the Document Layout palette. The hierarchical structure may seem a little more complex than in simpler bitmap layers, but this is often necessary to reflect the relationship between an object’s stroke and its fill. In addition to the regular options available for hiding or locking the contents of a layer, the Document Layout palette allows you to determine what will be printed – useful for embedding descriptions, for example.

The other tools provide powerful additional functions that further extend your illustration arsenal. If their icons and tooltip explanations aren’t clear, be sure to check out the comprehensive help files, and you’ll soon discover just how flexible working with vector artwork can be. Visit www.acdamerica.com/support-canvas to download dozens of in-depth tutorials, and to share hints and tips with other users via the online forums.