Custom Canvas

This article explains about the power of a custom canvas and how to optimally use the custom canvas to provide that wow factor to your viewers.

What is a custom canvas?

This allows for a color or an imported image upload to be the canvas instead of a whiteboard, glass board or chalkboard.

Methods of Use

There are 3 different methods for using a custom canvas:

1. Asset Background

This requires importing an image or solid color as a normal imported image asset instead of using the custom canvas.
Pros

  • Use with imported images.
  • Do not use with solid colors.
  • Erase Scene Transition works properly.
  • Allows use of GIF animations. We can have a moving background in our doodle. Airplanes, clouds, stars, whatever you can make happen in a GIF animation can happen in the background. Used correctly this is an extremely powerful option that can enhance a doodle and bring it to the next level.

Cons

  • Swipe transitions don’t keep the background in place.

2. Custom Canvas

We can choose a custom color or import an image.
Pros

  • The background stays in place with swipe transitions. This is a fantastic visual effect.

Cons

  • Cannot use animated GIF’s
  • The Erase exit animation does not erase the background. (This can be used for partial erasing and other advanced effects. Watch the SoloBoss Scene Transitions video tutorial and the partial erasing method can be completed with a custom background image as well)
    Doodly Beginner Video Tutorial: Scene Transitions

3. Glass Board Canvas

We can upload a custom image and although this doesn’t have a color picker, that custom image can be a single solid color.
Pros

  • Extremely nice effect from behind an image or solid color when revealing text.
    DON’T OVERUSE THIS EFFECT!

Cons

  • Becomes difficult to read if overused.
  • The Erase exit animation does not erase the background.