How to Draw on Canva: A Complete Guide to Canva‘s New Drawing Tools

Canva has revolutionized graphic design by making it easy for anyone to create professional-looking visuals. With an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, extensive template library, and millions of stock photos and elements, Canva gives you everything you need to design stunning graphics in minutes.

But sometimes, you want to give your designs a unique flair that goes beyond the prebaked assets found in Canva. That‘s where Canva‘s new drawing tools come in. Tucked away under the "Apps" button, Canva‘s drawing features allow you to create 100% original illustrations right inside the Canva editor.

In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll walk you through everything you need to know about drawing in Canva. From installing the Drawing app to step-by-step sketching workflows to advanced tips and techniques, you‘ll learn how to unleash your inner artist and craft one-of-a-kind visuals for your designs. Let‘s dive in!

Why Custom Illustrations Are Essential for Standing Out

In today‘s visually saturated world, it‘s harder than ever to capture people‘s attention. While Canva‘s built-in graphics and stock images are convenient, they are also overused. There‘s a good chance your target audience has seen those same assets in dozens of other places.

That‘s why custom illustrations are so powerful. Instead of blending in with generic visuals, an original drawing helps you stand out and leave a lasting impression. Hand-drawn graphics communicate originality and authenticity, telling people that there are real humans behind your brand.

Illustrations also allow you to express your brand‘s unique personality and style. From whimsical doodles to elegant sketches to bold outlines, the hand-crafted imperfections in drawings convey distinct tones and moods that are hard to replicate with stock images alone.

Don‘t just take my word for it. According to a study by Microsoft, original images are 34% more effective at grabbing attention than overused stock photos. Research from Social Media Examiner found that custom visuals get 230% more engagement than generic ones on Instagram.

If you want your designs to make an impact, you need to embrace the power of unique illustrations. And thanks to Canva‘s new drawing capabilities, creating them is easier than ever before.

A Closer Look at Canva‘s Drawing Tools

Before we dive into the step-by-step process of drawing in Canva, let‘s take a moment to familiarize ourselves with the tools available. Here‘s a quick overview of what you‘ll find in the drawing panel:

Pen Tool
The pen is your bread-and-butter drawing tool, perfect for making clean line drawings and sketching out rough shapes. It creates a solid, consistent stroke in the color of your choice.

Marker Tool
The marker is like the pen‘s bolder, thicker cousin. Use it to make heavier lines that really pop off the screen. It‘s great for coloring, shading, and drawing attention to key parts of your illustration.

Highlighter Tool
Add a visual glow to your drawing with the highlighter. Its semi-transparent strokes are perfect for emphasizing text, adding subtle color, and creating a realistic marker effect.

Eraser Tool
We all make mistakes. That‘s where the eraser comes in. Use it to clean up rough edges, delete unwanted scribbles, and refine the details in your drawing. You can also clear the entire canvas by clicking the trash can icon.

Along the bottom of the drawing panel, you‘ll find other essential controls, including:

• Color picker to choose custom stroke colors
• Slider to adjust brush thickness
• Slider to change stroke opacity
• Undo/redo buttons to go back or forward a step

It‘s worth noting that the drawing features are currently in beta and only available to Canva Pro, Teams, Education, and Nonprofit users. But Canva has said they plan to roll out drawings to everyone in the near future!

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Draw in Canva

Alright, now that we‘ve covered the tools, let‘s walk through how to actually make a drawing in Canva. I‘ll break it down into clear, easy-to-follow steps that you can use for your own projects.

Step 1: Install the Drawing App
First things first, you need to add the drawing features to your Canva editor. Click the "Apps" button in the left-side panel, then search for "Drawing" in the app library. Click the Drawing app, then "Add to Canva" to install it. Now whenever you open a Canva design, you‘ll see a "Draw" option in the toolbar.

Step 2: Set Up Your Canvas
Start a new design or open an existing one. For drawings you plan to reuse in multiple projects, I recommend using dimensions with a transparent background, like the "Logo" or "Custom Size" options.

Step 3: Open the Drawing Panel
In the left toolbar, click the "Draw" button to access the drawing tools. You‘ll see the drawing panel appear on the left side of your canvas. Take a minute to familiarize yourself with the tools and options available.

Step 4: Choose Your Tool and Set Preferences
For line drawings, start with the pen tool. Click the color box at the bottom to open the color picker and choose a hue for your stroke. Use the size slider to adjust the thickness of the line – something around 2-4 pt is usually good for sketching.

Step 5: Start Drawing!
Click and drag your mouse (or stylus if using a pen tablet) on the canvas to start drawing. Use short, light strokes to sketch the basic shapes and outlines of your illustration. Don‘t worry about getting it perfect – you can always refine it later.

Step 6: Incorporate Other Tools
Switch to the marker tool to add thicker lines and bold accents to your sketch. Use the highlighter to add color and shading in key areas. The eraser tool is great for cleaning up rougher edges and adding in finer details.

Step 7: Zoom In for Details
Use the zoom buttons in the lower-right corner of the editor to get a closer look at your drawing. This allows you to work on the finer points with more precision and control.

Step 8: Finish and Insert Your Drawing
Once you‘re happy with how your illustration looks, click the "Done" button in the top-left to close the drawing panel. Your completed drawing will appear on the canvas as its own graphic element that you can resize, rotate, position and stack like any other Canva object.

That‘s the basic flow of making a drawing in Canva! Keep in mind that becoming a great illustrator takes lots of practice. Don‘t get discouraged if your first attempts feel awkward or messy. The more you use the drawing tools, the more natural it will become.

Pro Tips to Improve Your Canva Drawings

While the step-by-step instructions above will get you started, there are some tips and techniques that can help you create more polished, professional-looking drawings in Canva. Here are a few to try:

Plan Before You Draw
Before you put pen to screen, take a few minutes to visualize what you want to draw. Do a few quick thumbnail sketches on paper to work out the composition and key elements. Having a roadmap will result in a more focused, cohesive piece.

Build Your Drawing in Layers
Don‘t try to create a perfect drawing in one go. Start with a rough sketch using the pen to capture the basic forms, then gradually refine the lines and add details on top. This layered approach gives you more control as you work.

Create Smooth, Confident Lines
When sketching, make steady, deliberate strokes rather than short, choppy ones. Imagine the line going from point A to point B and let your whole arm guide the movement (not just your wrist). The smoothness will come with practice!

Vary Your Line Weight
Drawings tend to look flat when all the lines are the same thickness. Give your illustration more depth by using thicker lines for edges, shadows, and emphasis. Thinner lines work well for more subtle details and highlights. Achieve this in Canva by adjusting the size slider.

Use Shapes and Grids for Better Proportions
To ensure your drawings are balanced and properly aligned, take advantage of Canva‘s built-in shapes and grid tool. You can use oval shapes to sketch out a face, or turn on the grid to help with symmetry and perspective. Access these under the "Elements" tab.

Avoid the "Floating Drawing" Effect
Make sure your illustration is anchored to the canvas and doesn‘t feel like it‘s randomly floating in space. Add some light background colors or textures to ground the drawing and create depth. Or extend parts of the drawing to the edges of the artboard.

Scan and Trace for More Accuracy
If you want to recreate a sketch you drew on paper, you can use Canva‘s drawing tools to trace a digital version. Use your phone to take a high quality photo of the drawing, then import it into Canva. Lower the opacity and use the pen tool to easily sketch over the lines.

Embrace Imperfections
Remember, the goal of a hand-drawn illustration isn‘t to look exactly like a photo. Sketches are charming because of their quirky, organic imperfections. Don‘t obsess over straight lines or exact shapes – a bit of personality and quirkiness makes it feel authentic.

Drawing Inspiration and Resources

Looking for examples and guidance on creating amazing Canva drawings? Here are some of my favorite resources to check out:

Canva‘s Design School offers a ton of free video tutorials on using the drawing tools, from basic sketching techniques to turning your drawings into animations and everything in between.

For a burst of artistic inspiration, browse through Canva‘s library of hand-drawn elements and templates. Study how other designers use illustrations in their work and pick up some ideas to try in your own sketches.

Want to go deeper into the world of drawing and illustration? There are countless books and courses out there, but some of my top picks are:

• Keys to Drawing by Bert Dodson – A classic primer with practical lessons and drills
• Illustration 101 from SkillShare – In-depth online course with 6+ hours of content
• Creative Illustration: Drawing Faces with Victo Ngai – Learn to draw expressive characters and faces

Finally, check out these free packs of hand-drawn elements you can import right into Canva. They make it easy to supplement your own drawings and create graphics with a consistent illustrated style.

Start Sketching and Unleash Your Creativity!

Whew, that was a lot to cover! Let‘s recap the key points:

• Canva‘s new drawing tools allow you to create original, hand-drawn illustrations right inside the editor
• Custom drawings help your designs stand out and express a unique brand personality
• To draw in Canva: Install the Drawing app, choose your tools, and click and drag on the canvas to sketch
• Use the other drawing tools to vary line weights, add color and effects, and refine the details
• Incorporate pro tips like layering, using references, and varying textures to create more polished illustrations
• Get drawing inspiration from Canva‘s templates, tutorials, and recommended books and courses

I hope this guide has given you the knowledge and confidence you need to start drawing in Canva. It may feel intimidating at first, but remember – anyone can learn to draw with a bit of practice and patience. The more you use the tools and experiment with different techniques, the more progress you‘ll see.

So go ahead – open up Canva, install that drawing app, and let yourself play. Sketch a quirky doodle to make your coworker laugh. Illustrate a fun scene for your brand‘s social post. Brainstorm ideas for your next project with visual notes. The possibilities are endless!

Not only will drawing make your Canva designs more original and engaging, it‘s also a fantastic way to sharpen your creativity and express your ideas. So embrace your artistic side and start sketching. You might be surprised by the incredible illustrations you‘ll create.