What is Google Drawings?

Google Drawings is a member of the Google Suite and is a tool that is fast becoming popular for its versatility.

Google Drawings allows you to create a variety of resources that you can print and share digitally.

Users are able to collaborate together in real time to create drawings that can be used to add colour and flair to documents, presentations and websites.

Drawings are automatically saved and stored in Google Drive and can be viewed from any device. Please note you can only edit Drawings when on a computer.

How do you access Google Drawings?

Google Drawings is accessible from your Google Drive by going to NEW --> Google Drawings icon. This will open a new Google Drawings the same way you create a new Google Docs or Sheets or Slides. This will be saved within the area of your Google Drive you are in when you create the new Drawings.

Google Drawings can also be created from the insert menu of both Google Docs and Sheets. This will pop out a window that you save and return to the Sheets or Docs in which you are working.

There is a big difference in what tools you have available on the interface depending on the platform your are using.

How do you access Drawings

Google Drawings Interfaces

As Google Drawings can be accessed two different ways, the interfaces are slightly different.

What’s similar between the two:

Can insert text box, lines, images and WordArt
Can zoom in and out of the canvas
Can still use the guides, group and order
Can resize the canvas using the right-bottom corner

What’s different compared to the full Google Drawings interface:

The canvas pops out to edit
Limited tools - Found under Actions tab
You have to save and close to return to your Google Doc where you can resize the final image created.
You can edit the Drawings in the Google Doc by double clicking.

Differnet Interfaces

Downloading Google Drawings

When your are finishing creating your Google Drawings the final product can be downloaded into one of four downloadable formats.

Google Drawings are able to be downloaded into four different formats, each offering various capabilities. Explore this linked Google Site that shows you Google Drawings downloaded into the four different file formats.

Explore the different formats and their capabilities. Then reflect on which formats you have previously used and which you would prefer to share with your students. I wonder which format will challenge you?

What can you make with Google Drawings?

Google Drawings is a versatile Google tool that allows you to create a variety of resources for use in the classroom and beyond. They can be used for a variety of purposes - printed materials or online digital resources. all the icons on this site were created using Google Drawings.

In the last task we asked you to you review the different formats that you can download Google Drawings as and you should have noticed the active links in the PDF and SVG file formats that show you examples of some Google Drawings uses. Here are some more ideas and you are asked to reflect on which ones you would make and implement in your teaching/classroom.

Matt Miller from ' Ditch that Textbook' - Creating eye-popping infographics with Google Drawings
MaakeTechEasier has 6 Ways You Can Get Creative with Google Drawings
Eric Curtis from Control Alt Achieve shows how you can use Drawings to create your own Story Cubes

Uses for Google Drawings in the Classroom

Besides being a great tool for teachers to create teaching resources, Google Drawings can be used by students to foster collaboration and show learning. It is a great critical thinking tool that helps students create and present their work in visually appealing ways.

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