Custom Size
Choose dimensions Choose dimensions
A blank canvas at any width, height, unit, and DPI. The right start when no preset fits and the dimensions are deliberate.
About this size
Every other template in the catalogue exists because somebody had to make the choice repeatedly. Custom is the one for the work that doesn't repeat: an unusual aspect ratio, a print size in millimetres, a strict pixel target a client handed over, a one-off shape that wants to be its own thing.
The trade-off is that nothing is locked. Dimensions, units, and DPI are all set at creation, and changing any of them after artwork exists either crops or scales the work. The half-minute spent deciding the right numbers up front saves the half-hour of cleanup later.
- Custom canvases
- Unusual formats
- Exact layout work
Pro tips
- 1 Choose units before dimensions. Pixels and inches use different DPI defaults, and a canvas created in the wrong unit looks fine until export, when the conversion goes sideways.
- 2 For print, lock DPI at 300 before sizing the canvas. Changing DPI after the fact rescales the document and the resampling is rarely clean.
- 3 When the absolute size is flexible but the proportion matters, the aspect-ratio templates are usually a cleaner starting point than a custom canvas.
- 4 Save reusable custom sizes in your local presets. The second time you reach for the same dimensions is the moment to stop typing them in by hand.
Common mistakes
- Mixing pixel and inch units in the same project. The export conversion is unforgiving and what looked correct on screen prints at the wrong size.
- Setting an extreme canvas size that lags brush response. Above 8000 by 8000 px, performance starts depending on the device, and the canvas becomes harder to work in than the design needed.
Frequently asked
What units should I pick?
Pixels for screen, inches or millimetres for print. The DPI default adjusts automatically: 72 for pixel canvases, 300 for inch canvases.
Can I change the size later?
Yes, but resizing crops or scales whatever artwork already exists. Decide the final dimensions before committing detail work.
Is there a maximum canvas size?
Sketchpad accepts very large canvases, but rendering performance depends on the device. Above 8000 by 8000 px, expect slower brush response on lower-end hardware.
Related templates
Curated picks that pair well together.