You control canvas size when resizing by dragging the border handles, using keyboard modifiers like Shift and Alt to manage proportions and origin.
When working with a canvas, you often need to adjust its dimensions. Many applications allow you to resize a canvas interactively by dragging small handles located on its borders or corners. The way the canvas resizes can be significantly altered by using keyboard shortcuts in conjunction with these drag actions.
Resizing Methods Using Drag Handles
The behavior of dragging canvas border handles depends on whether you use any keyboard modifiers. Here's a breakdown of the different methods:
-
Default Dragging (No Modifier):
When you simply drag the border handles without pressing any key on your keyboard, the canvas resizes non-uniformly. This means you can freely change the width and height independently, potentially distorting the content if proportions are important. -
Holding Shift:
To maintain the canvas's original aspect ratio while resizing, hold down the Shift key before or during the drag. Holding Shift constrains the resize proportions, ensuring that the width and height change together uniformly. This prevents distortion and keeps the content looking as intended relative to the canvas boundaries. -
Holding Alt:
Holding down the Alt key (often labeled Option on macOS) while dragging a handle allows you to resize the canvas proportionally toward the center. This means the canvas expands or contracts equally from its middle point in all directions (or along an axis if dragging a side handle). This method is particularly useful when you want to maintain the current center point of your canvas content.
Here's a quick summary table:
| Action | Keyboard Modifier | Resulting Resize Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Drag Border Handle | None | Resizes non-uniformly. |
| Drag Border Handle | Shift | Resizes proportionally (constrains aspect ratio). |
| Drag Border Handle | Alt | Resizes proportionally toward the center. |
By understanding and utilizing these keyboard modifiers, you gain precise control over how your canvas dimensions change when using interactive drag handles, allowing you to achieve the desired size and proportions efficiently.
