Section 4 · Vector Construction

Artboard

Definition

The defined canvas area within a vector document that establishes its dimensions and what falls inside the exported area.

Why it matters

The artboard is the frame being designed for. Work extending past it may still exist in the file but will be cropped or ignored on export.

Example

A small artboard with elements deliberately running off its edge — the artboard determines what survives.

Teaching note

Fixing the artboard at the true final dimensions from the first session prevents the most common structural failure: work composed at an arbitrary size, then squeezed into the real format at the end, where nothing sits correctly.