How to change the canvas size in BioRender

Selecting the appropriate canvas size in BioRender is crucial for designing and exporting high-quality illustrations. The canvas size directly influences the resolution and clarity of your exported images. This guide provides detailed instructions on adjusting canvas dimensions to suit your specific needs.

There are three factors that affect your canvas when working in BioRender:

• Ratio
• Unit of measurement
• Zoom

Adjusting canvas dimensions

1. Ratio

• • Definition: The ratio between the width (W) and height (H) of the canvas.
  • Adjustment Steps:
    
    • Navigate to the top panel and select "Canvas size".
    • Modify the width (W) and height (H) values as needed.
    • To maintain the current aspect ratio while resizing, enable the "Lock aspect ratio" option. This allows you to adjust either the width or height, with the other dimension adjusting automatically to preserve the ratio.

2. Unit of measurement

1. • Options: Inches (in) or centimeters (cm).
   • Selection Process:
     
     • Choose your preferred unit from the measurement options.
     • Switching units will automatically convert the dimensions to maintain the same canvas size.
   • Supported Dimensions:
     
     • Inches: Minimum 1 in, maximum 16.75 in.
     • Centimeters: Minimum 2.54 cm, maximum 42.55 cm.
     • Entering values outside these ranges will reset the canvas to the nearest valid dimension.

3. Zoom function

• • Purpose: Alters your view of the canvas without changing its actual size.
  • Usage:
    
    • Adjust the zoom level between 20% and 500% using the zoom control.
    • Click "Reset" to fit the canvas back onto your drawing board.
    • If using a touchpad, pinch or spread your fingers to zoom.
  • Note: Using Ctrl + "+" or Ctrl + "-" will zoom the entire browser window, which may affect the BioRender interface.​

Incorporating Templates

When adding a template to your illustration:

• Replace Illustration: The canvas size will automatically adjust to match the template.​
• Add to Illustration: The existing canvas size remains unchanged.
  
  

Exporting Illustrations

During export:

• The aspect ratio remains fixed.
• You can adjust the size of the exported image by entering new width (W) or height (H) values; the other dimension will adjust automatically to maintain the correct ratio.​
• Choose the appropriate unit of measurement: inches, centimeters, or pixels.​
• Note: Values outside the supported range will prevent exporting.​

Recommendation: For optimal quality in JPG or PDF formats, use the maximum dimensions to avoid blurry or low-quality exports.​

• • Example Export Sizes:
    
    • Low-quality: 1.43 in (W) × 1 in (H) at 150 DPI (may appear blurry).

• • • High-quality: 10 in (W) × 7 in (H) at 150 DPI (sharp and clear).

Related articles and resources

• Aligning and distributing objects on the canvas
• Changing the canvas color
• Learning Hub Webinar: Designing Graphical Abstracts

Need help?

If you have any questions or need further assistance:

1. Email Support: support@biorender.com
2. Live Chat: Available by clicking the "Help" bubble in the bottom right-hand corner of the app.