# Start an artwork and set up the artboard

> Start a PlexiiDraw artwork at the size it is for, from screen canvases to print sizes and transparent icons, then change the artboard's size and background.

Source: https://plexiidesk.com/help/draw-start-artwork
Section: Office > PlexiiDraw
Plans: All plans
Updated: 2026-10-15

The artboard is the area you draw on, and the area that is exported. Start an artwork at the size of what you are making, such as a social post, an A4 print or a transparent logo, and you are set up from the first stroke. You can change the size and the background at any time.

## Before you start

- PlexiiDraw is on every plan.

## Start from the PlexiDraw page

1. Press `⌘` `K` on a Mac or `Ctrl` `K` on Windows, and choose **New artwork**. The **PlexiDraw** page opens.
2. Click an artboard size. The new artwork opens, named after the size.

Sizes are in pixels.

| Group | Sizes |
| --- | --- |
| **Canvas**: general-purpose artboards | **Square canvas** (2048 × 2048), **Landscape** (1920 × 1080), **Portrait** (1080 × 1350), **Wide (4K)** (3840 × 2160) |
| **Print**: paper sizes at 150dpi | **A4 at 150dpi** (1240 × 1754), **US Letter at 150dpi** (1275 × 1650), **Poster A3 at 150dpi** (1754 × 2480) |
| **Screen**: banners, posts and stories | **Web banner** (1600 × 500), **Social post** (1080 × 1080), **Story / Reel** (1080 × 1920) |
| **Icons & marks**: transparent artboards | **App icon** (1024 × 1024), **Logo mark** (512 × 512) |

Artboards in **Icons & marks** start with a transparent background, so a logo or icon exports without a box behind it. All the others start white.

**Your artwork**, at the bottom of the page, lists the artworks you already have. Click one to open it.

## Other ways to start

- **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.
- **Inside an artwork.** **File** > **New artwork** starts a blank one the same way. **File** > **New from preset** lists every size above, with its dimensions, and starts a new artwork at the size you choose.

Every new artwork has one empty vector layer, **Layer 1**, ready for the pen and shape tools. A paint layer is added the first time you use a brush. See [Layers and blend modes](https://plexiidesk.com/help/draw-layers-and-blending).

## Change the artboard size

1. Choose **Document** > **Artboard size…**. The **Artboard size** window opens with the current size.
2. Type a new **Width** and **Height**, from 16 to 12,000 pixels.
3. Click **Resize**.

The artboard changes size from its top left corner. What you have drawn keeps its own size and position, and painted pixels are not stretched, so you may want to move your work into place afterwards. Click **Cancel** to leave the size as it was.

The options strip shows the artboard's size at its right end.

> **Tip:**
> To make the same artwork at another size, choose **File** > **Make a copy** and resize the copy, so each size stays its own file.

## Change the background

Choose **Document** > **Background**, then:

- **Transparent**: no background. The artboard shows a grey checkerboard, and PNG and SVG exports have a see-through background.
- **White**, **Black** or **Paper**, a warm off-white.

## Common questions

**What does "at 150dpi" mean?** The print sizes have enough pixels to print that paper size at 150 dots per inch, which suits most home and office printing. Export them as PDF. See [Export artwork](https://plexiidesk.com/help/draw-export).

**I resized the artboard and my drawing is in the corner.** Resizing changes the artboard only. Select your shapes and type with `⌘` `A` on a Mac or `Ctrl` `A` on Windows and drag them into place. Painted pixels stay where they were painted, so settle the artboard size before you paint.

**Why does the artboard look small?** A new artwork opens fitted to the window, so a large artboard is shown zoomed out. Use **View** > **Zoom to 100%** to see it at actual size.

## Related tasks

- [PlexiiDraw overview](https://plexiidesk.com/help/draw-overview)
- [Export artwork](https://plexiidesk.com/help/draw-export)
- [Layers and blend modes](https://plexiidesk.com/help/draw-layers-and-blending)
- [Vector tools and Pathfinder](https://plexiidesk.com/help/draw-vector-tools-and-pathfinder)
- [Artwork widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-artwork)