LibreOffice-Suite-Draw-6.3/C2/Introduction-to-LibreOffice-Draw/English

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Visual Cue Narration
Slide: Title Slide Welcome to the spoken tutorial on Introduction to LibreOffice Draw.
Slide: Learning Objectives In this tutorial, we will learn:* About LibreOffice Draw
  • LibreOffice Draw workspace
  • Various toolbars
  • How to create and save a document
  • How to open and close a new document
  • How to setup a Draw page
  • Insert basic shapes in Draw and
  • How to setup auto-save
Slide: What is LibreOffice Draw? LibreOffice Draw* Is a vector-based graphics software.
  • It allows you to create a wide range of vector graphics.
Slide: Types of graphics * There are two major types of graphics - vector-based graphics and bitmaps.
  • Vector graphics can be created and edited using LibreOffice Draw.
  • The other is the Bitmap or the raster image.
  • Popular bitmap formats are BMP, JPG, JPEG, PNG.
Slide: Vector and Bitmaps


Point to the title “Vector Graphic


Point to “Bitmap image”.

Let us understand the difference between the two types, by comparing the image formats.


The picture on the left is a vector graphic.


The one on the right is a bitmap


Notice what happens when the pictures are enlarged or zoomed in.

Point to the vector graphic, and then the bitmap.


Point to the vector graphic

The vector graphic is clear and the bitmap image becomes blurred.


Lines and curves are used as mathematical formulae in vector based graphics to store images.


Therefore, when the images are resized, the picture quality is unaffected.

Point to the bitmap image.


Point to the small boxes in the bitmap.

A bitmap uses pixels or a series of very small dots of colors in a grid or a square.


Can you see the small squares as we enlarge the picture? These are the grids.


The small dots make up the color in each grid.

Move the cursor around the vector graphic. You may have noticed one other difference - bitmaps are rectangular in shape.


Vector graphics, however, can be in any shape.

Now that we know about vector graphics, let us learn how to create them using Draw.

Slide: OS and versions LibreOffice Draw can run on any of the following operating systems:* Microsoft Windows 8 or higher versions
  • GNU/Linux OS and
  • Mac OSX
Slide: System Requirements This tutorial is recorded using * Ubuntu Linux OS version 18.04 and
  • LibreOffice Suite version 6.3.5
Slide: LibreOffice Installation * By default the latest Ubuntu Linux OS has LibreOffice pre-installed in it
  • To install a specific version, refer to the LibreOffice Installation series on this website.
Narration only Let us open LibreOffice Draw.
Click on “Show Application

Type “Draw


Click on “LibreOffice Draw” icon

In Ubuntu Linux OS, click on Show applications icon located at the bottom left corner.


In the search bar type Draw.


From the displayed list, click on the Libreoffice Draw icon.

Click on “Start menu

Type “Draw” >>


Click on “LibreOffice Draw” icon

In Windows OS, click on the Start Menu icon located at the bottom left corner.


In the search bar type Draw.


From the displayed list, click on the Libreoffice Draw icon.

Point to the page. This will open an empty page in the main Draw window.

First let us familiarize ourselves with the Draw workspace or the Draw window.

Point to Title bar, Menu bar, Standard toolbar at the top


Point to Drawing toolbar on the left

Point to Sidebar on the right


Point to Status bar at the bottom

We see the Title bar, Menu bar and Standard Toolbar at the top.

The Drawing toolbar is on the left and the Sidebar is on the right.


The Status bar is at the bottom.

Point to the Sidebar


Hover the mouse over each icons

The Sidebar has various icons such as Properties, Shapes, Styles, Gallery and Navigator.


We will learn how to use each section as the series progresses.

Point to the “Pages” title The Pages panel on the left displays all the pages in the Draw file.
Point to the centre canvas area The space where we create the graphics is called a Page.
Point to the Layout, Controls and Dimension Lines tabs There are three tabs at the bottom in each page.


They are the Layout, Controls and Dimension Lines.

Point on the Layout layer. The Layout layer is displayed by default.


This is where we create most of our graphics.

Point to the view option. Let us now explore the various toolbars available in LibreOffice Draw.
Go to Main menu >> View Menu >> Point to Toolbars On the Main menu, click on View menu and then select Toolbars.
Point to the tick marks. A list of available toolbars is displayed.

There is a check mark to the left of certain toolbars.

This means that particular toolbar is enabled and is visible in the Draw window.

Point to the option “Drawing”.


Point to the Drawing toolbar.

The Drawing toolbar has a check-mark.


That’s why we can see the Drawing toolbar on the left of the window.


In the older versions of LibreOffice you might see this at the bottom.

Click on Drawing option


Point to show that the Drawing toolbar is no longer visible.

Let us now uncheck the Drawing toolbar by clicking on it.


The Drawing toolbar is no longer visible.

Click on View >> Toolbars >> Drawing. Let’s make it visible again.


In a similar way, we can enable or disable other toolbars.

Slide: Water Cycle Diagram We will now learn how to create a diagram of the Water Cycle as shown in this slide.


We shall complete this diagram in stages.


The Basic level tutorials will demonstrate how to create different parts of this diagram.


At the end of the Basic level of the Draw series, you can create a similar diagram by yourself.

Cursor on the Draw page Let’s begin to draw the basic shapes of Water Cycle diagram.


First of all, we will set the page to Landscape view.

Go to the Sidebar >> Click on Properties


Click on the drop-down next to Format and select A4.

To do this, go to the Sidebar on the right side and select the icon named Properties.


Click on the drop-down next to Format and select A4.

A4 is the most common paper size used for printing.

Point to the orientation field.

Select Landscape.

Next, click on the drop-down next to Orientation and select Landscape.
Point towards close button for Properties tab Click on the cross(x) mark at the top right corner of the Sidebar to close it.
Point to the drawing toolbar on the left >> 'Point to the 'drop-down icon named 'Symbol' >> click on it' Let us begin by drawing the sun.


On the Drawing toolbar, click on the drop-down of the icon named Symbol.

Click on Sun icon


Bring the cursor to the top right of the Draw page >> Hold the left mouse button >> Drag.


Point to the Sun Diagram

From the drop-down, select the Sun icon.


Now bring the cursor to the page.


Hold and drag the left mouse button, like this.


A Sun is drawn on the page.

Standard toolbar >> Save >> Save As Now let’s name our current Draw file and save it.


For that, click on the Save icon on the Standard toolbar.

Cursor in the dialog box.


Point to “Name”.


Type “Water-Cycle” in the “Name” field.

The Save dialog box appears.


It prompts us to enter the name of the file in the Name field.


I will type the name of the file as “Water hyphen Cycle”.

Select >> desktop location to save the file. On the left side, I will select Desktop as the file location to save my file.
Point to the File type drop-down >> click on it Notice that, we have a File type drop-down at the bottom right corner.


Click on the drop-down.

Point to various formats.

Point to “ODF Drawing” and

then on “odg”.


Click on the “Save” button

It shows a list of file types or file extensions in which we can save our file.


The default file type in LibreOffice Draw is “ODF Drawing (.odg)”


ODF stands for Open Document Format which is an open standard.


Click on the Save button at the top right corner.

Point to the Title Bar The Draw file with the file name and the extension is displayed in the Title bar.
Cursor on the Draw page. Let us continue to draw the Water Cycle diagram.
Point to the drawing toolbar on the left side >> Click on the small black triangle next to “Symbol icon”.


Click on the “Cloud” shape.

Next, we will draw a cloud next to the sun.


On the Drawing toolbar, click on the drop-down besides the Symbol icon.


Select the Cloud shape.

Place the cursor next to the sun.


Hold the left mouse button >> Drag >> Point to the cloud

On the Draw page, place the cursor next to the sun.


Hold the left mouse button and drag like this to draw a cloud.

Point to ‘Insert Basic Shapes’ icon >> Click on the drop-down


Click on the shaped name ‘Isosceles triangle’


Bring the cursor to the Draw page >> Hold the left mouse button >> Drag

Next we’ll draw a mountain.


On the Drawing toolbar, click on the drop-down besides Insert Basic Shapes icon.


Select the shape named Isosceles triangle.


On the Draw page, place the cursor approximately here in the workspace.


Hold the left mouse button and drag like this to draw a mountain.

Point to the diagram Now, we have inserted three shapes in our Draw file.
Press Ctrl + S Press the CTRL+S keys together to save the changes.


Remember to save your file every time you make a change.

Main menu >> Tools >> Options. Alternatively, we can set a time interval to save the changes automatically.


Go to the Main menu, select Tools and then click on Options.

Options dialog box appears. The Options dialog box appears.
On left side of dialog box >> click on the arrow sign next to Load/Save


Click General


Go to the Save section >>

Check the check-box


Type 2 in the minutes field.

Point to minutes field


Click Apply >> click OK.

On the left of the dialog box, click on the arrow sign next to Load/Save.


Then click on General.


In the Save section, check the box “Save Auto recovery information every” If not checked


Then type 2 in the minutes box.


This means that the file will get saved automatically every two minutes.


You can set the auto-save time according to your own preference.


Now at the bottom right corner, click on the Apply button first and then on the OK button.

Click File >> Close. Let us now close this file.


To do so, go to the File menu in the Main menu and click on the Close option.

Only Narration Next we will learn how to open an existing document in LibreOffice Draw.
Click on “Open File”


Point to file browser


Click on the desktop

Click on the Open File menu option on the left of the LibreOffice interface.

The File browser dialog box opens up.


Go to the location, where you have saved the file. I will go to my Desktop.

Click on “Water-Cycle.odg

Click on “Open

Now, choose “Water hyphen Cycle dot odg” and then click on the Open button.


The file “Water hyphen Cycle dot odg” opens.

Only Narration This brings us to the end of this tutorial.


Let us summarize.

Slide: Summary In this tutorial, we learnt:
  • About LibreOffice Draw
  • LibreOffice Draw workspace
  • Various toolbars
  • How to create and save a document
  • How to open and close a new document
  • How to setup a Draw page
  • Insert basic shapes in Draw and
  • How to setup auto-save


Slide: Assignment As an assignment
  • Open a new page in Draw.
  • Save it under the name MyPractice.odg.
  • Set the page orientation to Portrait
  • Insert a cloud, a star and a circle
  • Change the page orientation to Landscape.
  • See how the placements of the figures change.
  • Save and close the file.


Slide: About Spoken Tutorial Project * The video at the following link summarises the Spoken Tutorial project.
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Slide: Answers for THIS Spoken Tutorial * Do you have questions in THIS Spoken Tutorial?
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  • Explain your question briefly
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Slide: Forum * The Spoken Tutorial forum is for specific questions on this tutorial.
  • Please do not post unrelated and general questions on them.
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Slide: Acknowledgement Spoken Tutorial project is funded by Ministry of Education (MoE), Govt. of India
Slide: Thank you This tutorial was originally contributed by DesiCrew Solutions Pvt. Ltd. in 2011


The script for this tutorial was written by Nikita Misal from IIT Bombay.


And this is Madhuri Ganapathi along with the Spoken Tutorial team signing off. Thank you for watching.

Contributors and Content Editors

Madhurig, Nancyvarkey