# The LabCanvas Figure editor: vector scientific illustration in your browser > How to make journal figures and graphical abstracts in the LabCanvas Figure editor: vector tools, 700+ adjustable science objects, lab glassware that connects, LaTeX equations, and export at the width and DPI your journal asks for. Published 2026-10-18 by LabCanvas team. https://www.labcanvas.com/blog/figure-editor-scientific-illustration ![The LabCanvas Figure editor with a figure on the canvas, the Library of science objects on the left and the Design panel on the right](https://www.labcanvas.com/shots/figure.webp) The **LabCanvas Figure editor** is a vector drawing app for scientific figures that runs in the browser. It combines the tools of a general illustration program (pen, Pathfinder, gradients, masks) with things scientists draw every week: 700+ adjustable science objects, lab glassware that snaps together, scientific brushes such as a DNA double helix, LaTeX equations and tables. Figures export at the exact width and resolution a journal asks for. ## What you can make with it The editor is built for the figures that go into papers, theses and grant applications: - **Graphical abstracts and TOC graphics**, drawn from objects and arrows, or started from a [template](https://www.labcanvas.com/templates). - **Schematics of syntheses and devices**: a reaction flask on a hot plate, a coin cell, a membrane module. - **Mechanism figures** with molecules from PubChem, proteins from the PDB and labelled pathways. - **Multi-panel figures** with panel letters, aligned graphs from [Graphs & statistics](https://www.labcanvas.com/blog/graphs-statistics-scientific-plots) and micrographs edited in the [Pixel editor](https://www.labcanvas.com/blog/pixel-editor-microscopy-images). ## Science objects you can adjust Every object in the Library is drawn by a *generator*: a small program that turns settings into a drawing. A liposome has settings for its size, its bilayer and its cargo; a nanoparticle for its core, shell and ligands; a beaker for its volume, graduations and liquid. Change a setting and the drawing follows, so one object covers many variants. ### Nanomaterials :::grid ![Nanoparticle 3D, a LabCanvas science object](https://www.labcanvas.com/showcase/nano-particle.webp "Nanoparticle 3D") ![Gold NP, citrate-capped, a LabCanvas science object](https://www.labcanvas.com/showcase/nano-au-citrate.webp "Gold NP, citrate-capped") ![Silver NP, phytochemical capping, a LabCanvas science object](https://www.labcanvas.com/showcase/nano-ag-capped.webp "Silver NP, phytochemical capping") ![CTAB-capped gold seed, a LabCanvas science object](https://www.labcanvas.com/showcase/nano-au-ctab-seed.webp "CTAB-capped gold seed") ![Magnetite NP Fe₃O₄, a LabCanvas science object](https://www.labcanvas.com/showcase/nano-fe3o4.webp "Magnetite NP Fe₃O₄") ![Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ core–shell, a LabCanvas science object](https://www.labcanvas.com/showcase/nano-fe3o4-sio2.webp "Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ core–shell") ::: ### Lab glassware and instruments Glassware is drawn at real proportions. Joints snap onto each other and tubing follows the hose barbs, so a distillation or Schlenk setup stays assembled while you move it. :::grid ![Beaker, a LabCanvas science object](https://www.labcanvas.com/showcase/gw-beaker.webp "Beaker") ![Tall-form beaker, a LabCanvas science object](https://www.labcanvas.com/showcase/gw-beaker-tall.webp "Tall-form beaker") ![Erlenmeyer flask, a LabCanvas science object](https://www.labcanvas.com/showcase/gw-erlenmeyer.webp "Erlenmeyer flask") ![Round-bottom flask, a LabCanvas science object](https://www.labcanvas.com/showcase/gw-rbf.webp "Round-bottom flask") ![Two-neck flask, a LabCanvas science object](https://www.labcanvas.com/showcase/gw-rbf-2neck.webp "Two-neck flask") ![Three-neck flask, a LabCanvas science object](https://www.labcanvas.com/showcase/gw-rbf-3neck.webp "Three-neck flask") ::: :::grid ![Analytical balance, a LabCanvas science object](https://www.labcanvas.com/showcase/gw-balance.webp "Analytical balance") ![pH meter, a LabCanvas science object](https://www.labcanvas.com/showcase/gw-phmeter.webp "pH meter") ![Centrifuge, a LabCanvas science object](https://www.labcanvas.com/showcase/gw-centrifugemachine.webp "Centrifuge") ::: ### Batteries, devices and frameworks :::grid ![Electrode crystal, a LabCanvas science object](https://www.labcanvas.com/showcase/bat-crystal.webp "Electrode crystal") ![Li₀.₅CoO₂ half charged, a LabCanvas science object](https://www.labcanvas.com/showcase/bat-crystal-lco-half.webp "Li₀.₅CoO₂ half charged") ![LiCoO₂ with 2D lithium planes, a LabCanvas science object](https://www.labcanvas.com/showcase/bat-crystal-lco-paths.webp "LiCoO₂ with 2D lithium planes") ::: :::grid ![MOF building unit SBU, a LabCanvas science object](https://www.labcanvas.com/showcase/mof-sbu.webp "MOF building unit SBU") ![Zn₄O cluster with linkers MOF-5, a LabCanvas science object](https://www.labcanvas.com/showcase/mof-sbu-zn4o.webp "Zn₄O cluster with linkers MOF-5") ![Cu paddlewheel HKUST-1, a LabCanvas science object](https://www.labcanvas.com/showcase/mof-sbu-cu-pw.webp "Cu paddlewheel HKUST-1") ::: ## Tools for vector drawing | Tool | What it does | | --- | --- | | Pen and pencil | Bézier paths, smoothed freehand lines | | Pathfinder | Union, subtract, intersect, divide and more | | Scientific brushes | DNA (B, A or Z form), RNA, α-helices, β-strands, lipid bilayers and bead chains along any path | | Equations | LaTeX typeset into vector outlines, chemistry with mhchem | | Tables | Editable tables with booktabs styles | | Lens | A magnifier callout that enlarges part of the figure | | Artboards | Several figures, or several panels, on one canvas | ## How to make a journal figure, step by step 1. Open the [dashboard](https://www.labcanvas.com/dashboard.html) and start a new figure, or open a [template](https://www.labcanvas.com/templates). 2. Press **Shift+O** (or click **Library**) and drag objects onto the canvas; adjust them in the Design panel. 3. Draw arrows and labels with the Arrow and Text tools; group each panel. 4. Add panel letters and align the panels with **Arrange**. 5. Click **Download**, choose TIFF or PDF, the column width in millimetres and 300–600 dpi. ## Templates of real work The [template library](https://www.labcanvas.com/templates) holds graphical abstracts of published syntheses and devices, each built from editable objects and listing the papers it follows. Open one and it becomes your own copy. :::grid ![Graphene oxide: synthesis and characterization: an editable graphical abstract template](https://www.labcanvas.com/templates/graphene-oxide-synthesis-characterization.webp "Graphene oxide: synthesis and characterization") ![Hydrothermal growth of ZnO nanorod arrays: an editable graphical abstract template](https://www.labcanvas.com/templates/hydrothermal-zno-nanorods.webp "Hydrothermal growth of ZnO nanorod arrays") ![How a lithium-ion battery works: an editable graphical abstract template](https://www.labcanvas.com/templates/lithium-ion-battery-how-it-works.webp "How a lithium-ion battery works") ::: ## How it fits with the other apps The Figure editor is the shared canvas of LabCanvas. [Slides](https://www.labcanvas.com/blog/slides-scientific-presentations) and [Research Poster](https://www.labcanvas.com/blog/research-poster-maker) use the same editor, so a figure moves onto a slide or a poster without exporting it. Renders from the [3D Studio](https://www.labcanvas.com/blog/3d-studio-scientific-3d-models), setups from [Optics](https://www.labcanvas.com/blog/optics-optical-setup-simulator) and graphs from [Graphs & statistics](https://www.labcanvas.com/blog/graphs-statistics-scientific-plots) arrive as layers you can still change. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is the LabCanvas Figure editor free? Yes. Every app, including the Figure editor, is free to start in the browser with an account. Downloading and exporting files is part of [LabCanvas Pro](/pricing). ### Which file formats can I export for a journal? TIFF, PDF, SVG, PNG, JPEG and WebP. Set the width in millimetres (for example 85 mm for one column or 174 mm for two) and the resolution (300, 600 or 1200 dpi); the file carries its DPI so it opens at the right size. ### Can I edit the science objects after I place them? Yes. Objects are drawn by generators, so size, colour, counts, labels and other details are settings in the Design panel, and you can change them at any time. You can also expand an object into ordinary paths. ### Can I draw a molecule or add a protein? Search any compound on PubChem from the Online tab of the Library and place it as a 2D structure or a 3D ball-and-stick model, draw your own in [MolDraw](/blog/moldraw-chemical-structure-drawing), or add a protein snapshot from the [Protein viewer](/blog/protein-viewer-pdb-structures). ### Does it work like Adobe Illustrator? The core tools will be familiar: pen, direct selection, Pathfinder, offset path, outline stroke, clipping masks, gradients, guides and smart guides. LabCanvas adds the scientific parts on top: generators, scientific brushes, glassware, equations and tables. ## Related links - [Graphical abstract templates](https://www.labcanvas.com/templates): Editable figures of real syntheses, each with its sources - [Gallery of science objects](https://www.labcanvas.com/gallery): Every object and 3D model, searchable - [Figure width and DPI calculator](https://www.labcanvas.com/tools): Free tools for journal figure sizes - [Slides: present the same figures](https://www.labcanvas.com/blog/slides-scientific-presentations) - [Research Poster: put the figure on a poster](https://www.labcanvas.com/blog/research-poster-maker) - [Features of every app](https://www.labcanvas.com/features#figure)