Drawing Tools
Maple allows you to sketch an idea in a canvas, draw on plots, or even draw on images.
Pencil Tool - Free Form drawing
Selection Tool - How and When to Use
Aligning Objects in the Canvas
Filling Objects - Solid or Gradient Fill Colors
Text
Lines - Straight, Resizing, Adding Arrows
Rotating Objects
Context Menus and Shortcut Keys
Drawing on Plots
Images - Filling Objects with Images
Drawing on Images
To view the drawing tools:
Place the cursor in the document where the canvas is to be inserted.
From the Insert menu, select Drawing. A canvas with grid lines appears in the document at the insertion point. The associated context bar of drawing tools and context panel options are displayed.
The tools include the following: selection tool, pencil (free style drawing), eraser, text insert, straight line, rectangle, rounded rectangle, oval, diamond, arc drawing tool, alignment tool, drawing outline tool, drawing fill tool, line style tool, and the canvas properties tool.
Tip: For the text, line, rectangle, round rectangle, oval, and diamond tools,
Click once on the toolbar icon to insert that type of object into the drawing. The tool is activated. For example, .
Click twice on the toolbar icon to insert multiple objects of the same type without having to reselect the tool. The icon is highlighted yellow. For example, . The tool remains activated until you select another toolbar icon.
Color Selection Dialog
The drawing outline tool, drawing fill tool, and canvas properties tool allow you to select colors for shapes, lines, and the canvas grid lines. Choose a color by using one of the following tools in the color selection dialog:
Color Palette
To select a color, click a color from a palette of pre-defined colors.
The last five colors that you select are displayed in the box below the color swatches. If you want to view the RGB values of a particular color, hover your mouse cursor over a color swatch.
Color Wheel
To select a color:
Move the slider beside the color wheel to display a range of colors.
To select a color, click a point in the color wheel.
Color Value Sliders
To select a color, specify the RGB values of the color by moving the sliders. Alternatively, you can use the spinners to scroll to certain values or type the values directly in the fields. For each RGB value, you can specify a number from 0 to 225.
Color Magnifying Glass
Select the eye dropper icon ( ).
Hover the color magnifying glass over an area on your screen that displays the color you want to select.
Using your mouse cursor, in the circle, click a point that displays the color.
To cancel your selection, right-click the circle.
Canvas Properties Tool
You can change the canvas properties in the following ways:
Add a grid of horizontal and/or vertical lines. By default, the canvas opens with a grid of horizontal and vertical lines.
Change background or grid line color.
Change spacing between grid lines.
To change canvas properties:
From the menu, adjust the spacing between the grid lines using the Horizontal and/or Vertical spinners.
For colors, click the Canvas field to change the color of the canvas or the Line field to change the color of the grid lines. Choose a color from the color selection dialog.
To draw with the pencil tool in the canvas:
From the drawing icons, select the pencil tool icon ( ).
Click and drag your mouse in the canvas to draw lines. Release the mouse to complete the drawing.
To select items in the canvas use the selection tool ( ).
You can use the selection tool to select a single object or a group of objects.
Selecting an Object
Using the selection tool, click anywhere on the object you want to select.
Selecting a Group of Objects
Using the selection tool, click and drag the mouse around the items to be grouped. Release the mouse button. The items are temporarily grouped.
Apply formatting as desired.
To temporarily switch to the selection tool (when using another tool), press and hold the Tab key (Command, Mac). You can move and resize objects. When you release the Tab key, the tool will revert to its previous setting. This allows you to tweak something you just drew.
To align objects in the canvas:
Select all the objects in the canvas to be aligned using the selection tool. The objects are temporarily grouped.
Click one of the alignment tools in the drawing toolbar. The objects are automatically aligned.
Filling an Object with a Solid Color
To fill an object with a solid color:
Select the object in the canvas.
From the menu, select the solid fill style at the top (next to None).
From the same menu, click the left color bar at the bottom, and select a color from the color palette.
To change the line color, select a color from the menu.
Filling an Object with a Gradient Color
To fill an object with a gradient color:
From the menu, select one of the gradient fill styles, the square icons.
From the same menu, click the left and right color bars at the bottom to select a color from the color palette for each part of the gradient.
See below for instructions on filling an object with an image.
To insert text in the canvas:
Click the text icon ( ).
Click in the canvas (or on the image). A text box appears.
Enter text and modify font as necessary using the toolbar font and font size drop-down lists.
Tip: Using the palettes is an easy way to add 2-D math.
Optional. Select a fill color for a text box or select the line color for the border in the same way it is done for objects.
Drawing Straight Lines
To draw a straight line:
Click the straight line icon ( ).
(Optional) From the menu, select the line style, thickness, and arrow points:
In the canvas, click and drag the mouse. A straight line is drawn.
To complete the line, click the mouse twice or press Enter. The drawing feature switches to the Selection tool.
You can draw more than one connected line; to complete your drawing, click the mouse twice, press Enter, or bring the end of the last line back to the start of the first line.
To remove the last point drawn, press Esc.
Drawing a Line that Snaps to Vertical, Horizontal, or a 45 Degree Angle
To draw a line that snaps to an orientation that is a multiple of 45 degrees:
Click the straight line icon.
In the canvas, click and drag the mouse.
Press and hold the Shift key to snap to a 45 degree increment.
To complete the line, click the mouse twice or press Enter.
Drawing a Line that is Attached to a Shape
To draw a line that is attached to a shape in the canvas:
If you have inserted a shape in the canvas, you can draw a line that is automatically attached to that shape.
Press and hold the Ctrl key, and, in the canvas, hover your mouse cursor over the existing shape to which you want to attach the line. The shape is highlighted in green.
To draw the line, click and drag the mouse.
Resizing Lines
To resize objects drawn with straight lines:
Select the line to be resized using the selection tool.
With the mouse pointer over a grab box, click and drag the line to increase or decrease its size.
Release the mouse button.
Changing Vertices of Lines
To change vertices of drawn lines in the canvas:
When an object is selected, grab boxes and nodes at the vertices are displayed.
Click a node and drag the mouse to the desired point, thereby changing the vertex position.
Release the mouse.
Changing the Line Style
To change the style of drawn lines:
You can change the line style, thickness, and arrow points of a line either when it is drawn or afterwards.
Select a line using the selection tool.
From the menu, select a line style, thickness, or arrow direction and shape.
The selected change is automatically applied to the straight line.
For example, a straight, thick line will have a solid arrow on the right end after clicking on the menu item displayed above.
Drawing Arc Segments
To draw an arc segment:
Select the Arc Segment Tool ( ) from the drawing toolbar.
Click inside the drawing canvas.
Use the smaller white boxes to change the amount of arc that is drawn.
Use the larger white boxes to change the shape of the arc.
Note: To change the arc orientation, select and drag one of the larger white boxes past the white boxes on the opposite side of the box.
To rotate objects in the canvas:
Select the object with the selection tool. The vertices of the object are designated by grab boxes.
Place the cursor at one of the vertices.
Press the Ctrl key (Option, Mac). The rotate icon is displayed.
While pressing the Ctrl key (Option, Mac), click the mouse and drag. The object rotates.
Release the mouse once the object is positioned as you want.
To return to the default rotation of an object:
Select the object.
From the Context Panel, select Reset Rotation.
To use context menus:
The menu items available are
Cut - Remove the selected objects from the canvas and place them in the clipboard.
Copy - Copy the selected objects to the clipboard.
Copy full precision - Copy the selected objects to the clipboard with full mathematical precision.
Paste - Paste objects in the clipboard into the selected canvas. If the clipboard contents are not compatible with the canvas, they will be inserted in the worksheet below the canvas.
Move Forward - Moves the selected object one position in front of other objects.
Move to Front - Moves the selected object in front of all other objects in the canvas.
Move Backward- Moves the selected object one position behind other objects.
Move to Back - Moves the selected object behind all other objects in the canvas.
Match Size - Increases or reduces the size of the objects selected in the canvas so that they are the same size as the last object you sized.
Reset Rotation - If you rotated the selected object, this option restores its default orientation.
Shortcut Keys
Selection tool: 1 or S
Pencil tool: 2 or P
Eraser tool: 3 or E
Text tool: 4 or T
Line tool: 5 or L
Rectangle tool: 6 or R
Rounded rectangle tool: 7 or Y
Oval tool: 8 or O
Diamond tool: 9 or D
To draw on plots:
Click the plot you have entered in the document. The plot toolbar is displayed.
Switch to the drawing toolbar by selecting Drawing from the context bar above the plot toolbar.
Draw on the plot using any of the drawing and text tools available.
Note: If you resize your plot after adding a drawing, that drawing is repositioned on the plot.
To fill an object with an image:
Draw a rectangle or object in which an image is to be placed.
From the menu, click Browse and select an image.
The image is displayed in the rectangle or object on the canvas, plot, or image.
To draw on images:
Insert an image in the document or worksheet.
Using your mouse cursor, select the image.
Draw on the image using any of the available drawing and text tools.
See Also
Drawing Toolbar
Selection Tool
Worksheet Compatibility Issues
Download Help Document
