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Telling with steps

Updated on August 5, 2026

When someone opens a canvas packed with text, arrows and shapes all at once, they don't know where to look. Imagine solves this by letting you reveal content step by step, as if you were drawing it live in front of your audience.

What a step is

A step is a moment in your presentation where the camera pauses and shows a specific part of the canvas. You can have as many steps as you need — one per idea, diagram or concept you want to explain separately.

Each step combines two things:

  • What is visible — the canvas elements already shown at that moment (strokes, shapes, text).
  • Where the camera points — the camera bookmark that defines which area of the canvas fills the screen.

How to create a step

The most direct way is to add a Camera bookmark while you draw. A bookmark saves the current camera position and zoom. You have two ways to add one:

  • Press the K key at any time.
  • Click Add camera bookmark in the right-hand sidebar.

You can see all your bookmarks in the Sequence bar at the bottom of the editor. Each bookmark appears as a chip with its number. Click one to jump to that point.

How to advance while explaining

When you press Present (F5), the screen enters fullscreen presentation mode. From there:

  • Click anywhere on the canvas to advance to the next step.
  • Use the Right arrow to go forward and the Left arrow to go back.
  • Press Esc to exit.

The camera glides smoothly from one bookmark to the next, guiding your audience's attention without jarring jumps.

Why it works better than showing everything at once

When content appears all at once, the audience scans the screen in every direction and stops listening to the presenter. Revealing each idea at the right moment keeps focus where you want it: on what you are explaining now, not on what comes next.

Tip: start with just a few bookmarks. Two or three well-thought-out steps tell more than twenty the audience cannot follow.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to create bookmarks before drawing, or can I do it at the end? You can do it at any time. Many users draw the whole canvas first and then add bookmarks to organize the narrative.

What happens if I move an element after creating a bookmark? Bookmarks only save the camera position, not the state of elements. If you rearrange or add content, the bookmarks keep pointing to the same area of the canvas.

Can I reorder steps after creating them? Yes. In the Sequence editor you can drag, merge, split and delete steps freely.

Is there a step limit per presentation? There is no fixed limit, though very long sequences may be slower to play back. We recommend keeping the sequence as concise as possible.

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