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Find artwork that fits your classroom theme, add it to your board, and give each piece a clear place in the design. This guide uses two free stars to show the steps from searching to a finished arrangement.
About 6 minutesBeginner friendlyClipart library and layout
1. Open the clipart library
Open a board. Use an existing design or follow BoardCraft Quick Start: Create Your First Board.
Select Clipart in the left tool rail. This opens the library directly. If its content panel is hidden, selecting Clipart opens it; you can also use the toolbar's tools toggle.
Scroll inside the library to browse the artwork cards. Read the names below the thumbnails to identify each piece. Use Load More at the bottom when available.
Face inserts and letter sets have their own tools in the rail: Inserts and Letters. See Create Face Inserts with Private Photos or Letter Sets and Word Builder. Your own images belong in Uploads; see Upload and Manage Your Own Images.
2. Search and filter the artwork
Type a short subject or theme in Search clipart, such as star, book, or autumn, then press Enter. Typing changes the field; Enter submits the new search.
Scroll through the results and use Load More when available. Clear the search field to return to browsing. If a search is too broad, try a more specific subject; if it finds nothing, simplify the term.
Open Filters below the search field. Under Access, choose:
All: browse free and premium artwork. The collapsed summary reads All access.
Free: show free artwork only. The summary reads Free.
A crown marks premium artwork. If your plan includes paid asset access, you can add it normally; otherwise, choosing it opens an upgrade prompt. The crown can still appear on artwork included with your plan.
3. Add artwork to the board
Click a card to add a new image near the center of the board. It is selected, ready to move or resize. Clicking the same card again adds another item.
You can also drag a card onto an empty part of the board to add it where you drop it. Adjust its size afterward.
4. Resize and position the clipart
Drag the selected image to move it. Use the resize handles to change its size, or the handle above it to rotate it. Open Properties on the right for exact adjustments.
Under Basics, adjust Width, Height, X, Y, Rotate (°), and Opacity. Size and position fields show their current unit, such as (in). Enter a value and press Enter or click outside the field to finish.
Keep ratio: leave it enabled to preserve proportions when changing dimensions.
Precise movement: use arrow keys to nudge the selection while the workspace is focused. Shift + arrow keys moves it in larger steps.
Mirror the artwork: use Flip horizontal or Flip vertical at the top of Properties.
Position against the board: the single-item layout controls can snap the image to the board's edges, horizontal center, or vertical middle.
Hover over an icon to read its action name. Keep important artwork inside the board's edges and leave space around the title.
5. Arrange matching pieces and control overlap
Make a matching pair
Size the first image. Here, Happy Gold Star is 4 inches wide with Keep ratio enabled.
Add another star or duplicate the first. Choose Duplicate in the selection toolbar, or use Ctrl + D on Windows or Cmd + D on Mac.
Position the second piece. In this example, give it the same width and put it at X 36, Y 30.
Select both. Shift-click them on the canvas, or Ctrl-click their rows in Layers on Windows; use Cmd-click on Mac.
Choose Align middle in Properties. This aligns the selected items' vertical centers with each other.
With three or more selected items, Properties also offers distribution controls. They space the chosen edges or centers evenly between the outermost pieces. Matching sizes help produce matching gaps.
Put the right piece in front
When artwork overlaps, select the item and use the stacking controls in Properties:
Control | Result |
|---|---|
Bring to front | Places it above the other layers. |
6. Replace artwork in an existing image
Drag a different artwork card directly onto an unlocked image to replace its artwork. This changes the existing item instead of adding another separate image.
Check the dimensions afterward: they can adjust to the new artwork's proportions. The layer name can remain unchanged. To rename it, double-click its name in Layers, enter a clearer label, and press Enter.
To keep both versions, add the new artwork to empty space instead, or duplicate the existing image before replacing the copy.
7. Solve common clipart problems
What you notice | What to try |
|---|---|
Results did not change after typing. | Press Enter in Search clipart to submit the new term. |
Expected artwork is missing. | Check Free versus All, simplify the search, or use Load More. |
A search has no matches. | Try a shorter subject or another term. Clear the field to browse again. |
A loading or search error appears. | Use the displayed retry control when available and check your connection. |
A premium card opens an upgrade prompt. | Choose Free artwork or review a plan with paid asset access. |
Another image changed when you dragged a card. | You dropped onto an image. Use empty space or click the card to add a separate piece. |
An image is covered or cannot be moved. | Select it through Layers. Check its stacking order and unlock it if locked. |
An image is missing from the visible design. | Check its eye control in Layers. Show it again if you want it included in the board export. |
Continue with Which BoardCraft Export Should I Use? or Print, Cut, and Assemble Your Board with Print Pack.