Canvas & Project Setup
The canvas is the rectangular viewport that defines the output dimensions and background of your composition. All elements within the canvas bounds are included in export; everything outside is clipped.
Creating a New Project
When you create a new project, you're prompted to configure:
- •Project name — A descriptive title for organization
- •Canvas dimensions — Width and height in pixels
- •Frame rate — Frames per second (FPS) for animation timing
- •Background color — Canvas fill color or transparent
- •Duration — Default timeline length in seconds
Common Canvas Presets
| Preset | Dimensions | Aspect Ratio | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instagram Post | 1080 × 1080 | 1:1 Square | Social media posts |
| Instagram Story | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 Portrait | Stories, Reels, TikTok |
| YouTube 1080p | 1920 × 1080 | 16:9 Landscape | Standard video content |
| YouTube 4K | 3840 × 2160 | 16:9 Landscape | High-resolution video |
| Banner Ad | 728 × 90 | Wide | Web advertising |
| Twitter Header | 1500 × 500 | 3:1 | Social media headers |
| Custom | Any | Any | Custom dimensions |
Canvas Properties
Access canvas properties by clicking anywhere on the empty canvas background. The properties panel shows:
- •Width — Canvas width in pixels (minimum 1, maximum 8192)
- •Height — Canvas height in pixels (minimum 1, maximum 8192)
- •Aspect Ratio Lock — Maintains proportions when resizing
- •Background Color — Hex color or transparent
- •Background Opacity — 0-100% (only for color backgrounds)
Frame Rate Settings
Frame rate determines the temporal resolution of your animation:
| FPS | Use Case | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | Cinematic | Film standard, theatrical feel |
| 30 | Standard Video | NTSC video standard, smooth playback |
| 60 | High Frame Rate | Ultra-smooth motion, gaming |
| 12-15 | Stylized | Stop-motion aesthetic |
| Custom | Special Cases | Any value 1-120 FPS |
Higher frame rates produce smoother motion but increase export file size and rendering time. Choose based on your delivery platform requirements.
Duration and Timeline Length
Default timeline duration sets the initial length of the project. You can extend or shorten this at any time during production.
- •Minimum — 1 frame
- •Maximum — 300 seconds (5 minutes)
- •Typical — 5-10 seconds for social media, 30-60 seconds for explainers
Longer timelines consume more memory and may reduce editor performance on lower-end devices.
Changing Canvas Settings
You can modify canvas dimensions and background after project creation:
- 1.Deselect all elements (click empty canvas or press Escape)
- 2.Properties panel displays canvas settings
- 3.Adjust dimensions, background, or frame rate
- 4.Changes apply immediately
Warning: Changing canvas dimensions does not automatically scale existing elements. Use Edit → Resize Canvas with Content if you want elements to scale proportionally.
Transparent Backgrounds
To export with transparency (alpha channel), set background color to "Transparent" in canvas settings. This is essential for:
- •Overlaying animations on other content
- •UI elements and icons
- •Stickers and GIF exports
Note: MP4 video does not support transparency. Use WebM with VP9 codec or PNG sequence for transparent video exports.
Project Metadata
Additional project settings accessible from File → Project Settings:
- •Project Name — Displayed in the project dashboard
- •Description — Optional notes for organization
- •Tags — Searchable keywords for filtering
- •Visibility — Private or public (for sharing)