Canvas is a data visualization and presentation tool that sits within {kib}. With Canvas, you can pull live data directly from {es}, and combine the data with colors, images, text, and your imagination to create dynamic, multi-page, pixel-perfect displays. If you are a little bit creative, a little bit technical, and a whole lot curious, then Canvas is for you.
. Add a {kibana-ref}/add-sample-data.html[sample data set].
. On the *Add Data* page, click *View data*, then select *Canvas*.
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[[add-canvas-elements]]
== Add elements
Create a story about your data by adding elements to your workpad that include images, text, charts, and more.
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[[create-elements]]
=== Create elements
Choose the type of element you want to use, then use the preconfigured demo data to familiarize yourself with the element. When you're ready, connect the element to your own data. By default, most of the elements you create use
demo data until you change the data source. The demo data includes a small data set that you can use to experiment with your element.
To begin, click *Add element*, then select the element you want to use.
When you're ready to connect the element to your data, select *Data*, then select one of the following data sources:
* *{es} SQL* — Access your data in {es} using {ref}/sql-spec.html[SQL syntax].
* *{es} documents* — Access your data in {es} without using aggregations. To use, select an index and fields, and optionally enter a query using the <<lucene-query,Lucene Query Syntax>>. Use the *{es} documents* data source when you have low volume datasets, to view raw documents, or to plot exact, non-aggregated values on a chart.
* *Timelion* — Access your time series data using <<timelion,Timelion>> queries. To use Timelion queries, you can enter a query using the <<lucene-query,Lucene Query Syntax>>.
Each element can display a different data source, and pages and workpads often contain multiple data sources.
When you're ready to save your element, select the element, then click *Edit > Save as new element*.
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image::images/canvas_save_element.png[]
To save a group of elements, press and hold Shift, select the elements you want to save, then click *Edit > Save as new element*.
Elements are saved in *Add element > My elements*.