# PlexiiDraw overview > PlexiiDraw is the drawing and painting studio in Office. Draw vector shapes and paths, paint with brushes, work in layers and export PNG, SVG or PDF. Source: https://plexiidesk.com/help/draw-overview Section: Office > PlexiiDraw Plans: All plans Updated: 2026-10-15 PlexiiDraw is the drawing and painting studio in PlexiiOffice. One artwork holds two kinds of layer: **vector layers**, for clean shapes, paths and type you can keep editing, and **paint layers**, for brushes, the eraser and the paint bucket. Use it for logos, icons, illustrations, diagrams you draw by hand, sketches and painted artwork, and export the result as a PNG, an SVG or a PDF. Every artwork is kept in Office. You can also put an artwork on a desk with the Artwork widget, which shows the same artwork with the same editor. See [Artwork widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-artwork). ## Before you start - PlexiiDraw is on every plan. - A drawing tablet works with the brushes: pen pressure can change a brush's size and strength. ## Start an artwork - **From Office Home.** Click the **Apps** heading in the side menu, then the **PlexiDraw** tile. A new artwork called "Untitled artwork" opens on a landscape artboard, 1920 × 1080. - **From the PlexiDraw page.** Press `⌘` `K` on a Mac or `Ctrl` `K` on Windows and choose **New artwork**. Pick an artboard size for what you are making. See [Start an artwork and set up the artboard](https://plexiidesk.com/help/draw-start-artwork). ## What you see - **The header**: the arrow back, the artwork's name, **Share**, and whether your changes are saved. See [The editor header, saving and the File menu](https://plexiidesk.com/help/office-editor-basics). - **The menu bar**: **File**, **Edit**, **Object**, **Layer**, **Document**, **View** and **Help**. - **The options strip**: the name of the tool you are using, zoom out, the zoom level, zoom in, fit to window, **Show grid**, **Snap to edges and centres**, and the artboard's size. - **The toolbox** down the left: every tool, with the current fill and stroke at the bottom. - **The artboard** in the middle. A transparent artboard shows a grey checkerboard. - **The inspector** on the right: brush settings while a painting tool is chosen, then **Fill**, **Stroke** and the settings for what you have selected. - **The layers panel** under the inspector. ## The tools Rest the pointer on a tool to see its name and key. Press the key to switch to it. | Tool | Key | What it does | | --- | --- | --- | | **Select** | `V` | Select, move, resize and rotate objects. | | **Edit points** | `A` | Move a path's points and curve handles. | | **Pen** | `P` | Draw precise curves and corners, point by point. | | **Pencil** | `N` | Draw a freehand line. | | **Rectangle**, **Rounded rectangle**, **Ellipse** | `R`, `D`, `O` | Drag to draw the shape. | | **Polygon**, **Star** | `U`, `S` | Drag to draw, then set the number of points. | | **Line** | `L` | Drag to draw a straight line. | | **Type** | `T` | Click or drag to place text. | | **Brush** | `B` | Paint with the chosen brush. | | **Eraser** | `E` | Rub out paint. | | **Paint bucket** | `G` | Fill an area of paint with colour. | | **Eyedropper** | `I` | Pick up a colour from the artwork. | | **Pan** | `H` | Drag to move around the artboard. | The pen, pencil, shape, line and type tools draw on a vector layer. The brush, eraser and paint bucket work on a paint layer. See [Vector tools and Pathfinder](https://plexiidesk.com/help/draw-vector-tools-and-pathfinder) and [Paint with brushes](https://plexiidesk.com/help/draw-painting-and-brushes). ## Move around - **Zoom:** hold `⌘` on a Mac or `Ctrl` on Windows and scroll, or use the zoom buttons in the options strip. - **Pan:** hold `Space` and drag, drag with the middle mouse button, or use the **Pan** tool. - **See it all:** **View** > **Fit to window**. **View** > **Zoom to 100%** shows it at actual size. - **Grid and snapping:** **Show grid** draws a grid over the artboard. **Snap to edges and centres** makes objects line up with each other and the artboard as you drag them. ## Layers Every artwork is a stack of layers, top to bottom in the layers panel. Each layer can be hidden, locked, faded and blended with the layers below. See [Layers and blend modes](https://plexiidesk.com/help/draw-layers-and-blending). ## Export **File** > **Export PNG…**, **Export SVG…** or **Export PDF…** saves the artwork. See [Export artwork](https://plexiidesk.com/help/draw-export). ## Keyboard shortcuts These work while you are not typing in a box. | Action | Mac | Windows | | --- | --- | --- | | Undo | `⌘` `Z` | `Ctrl` `Z` | | Redo | `⇧` `⌘` `Z` | `Ctrl` `Shift` `Z` or `Ctrl` `Y` | | Select all | `⌘` `A` | `Ctrl` `A` | | Duplicate | `⌘` `D` | `Ctrl` `D` | | Delete the selection | `Delete` or `Backspace` | `Delete` or `Backspace` | | Nudge the selection | Arrow keys, with `Shift` for 10 pixels | Arrow keys, with `Shift` for 10 pixels | | Smaller or larger brush | `[` and `]` | `[` and `]` | | Clear the selection | `Esc` | `Esc` | **Help** > **How PlexiDraw works** sums up the main techniques. ## The file itself **File** has **New artwork**, **Make a copy**, **New from preset**, **Rename**, **Version history** and **Move to trash**. See [Version history](https://plexiidesk.com/help/office-version-history) and [Delete and restore Office files](https://plexiidesk.com/help/office-trash-and-restore). ## Common questions **Where are my artworks?** In Office, under **Recent** on Office Home, and under **Your artwork** on the PlexiDraw page. **What is the difference from PlexiiDesign?** PlexiiDraw is for drawing and painting. PlexiiDesign is for laying out pages of text and pictures, such as flyers and brochures. See [PlexiiDesign overview](https://plexiidesk.com/help/design-overview). **Can I put an artwork on a desk?** Yes, with the Artwork widget. See [Artwork widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-artwork). ## Related tasks - [Start an artwork and set up the artboard](https://plexiidesk.com/help/draw-start-artwork) - [Vector tools and Pathfinder](https://plexiidesk.com/help/draw-vector-tools-and-pathfinder) - [Paint with brushes](https://plexiidesk.com/help/draw-painting-and-brushes) - [Layers and blend modes](https://plexiidesk.com/help/draw-layers-and-blending) - [Export artwork](https://plexiidesk.com/help/draw-export) - [Artwork widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-artwork)