---
title: "How to: Create and Use a Canvas"
ms.date: "03/30/2017"
dev_langs: 
  - "csharp"
  - "vb"
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "controls [WPF], Canvas"
  - "Canvas control [WPF], creating"
  - "Canvas control [WPF], using"
ms.assetid: 420b9487-9a15-477c-9489-a22a4dec7779
---
# How to: Create and Use a Canvas
This example shows how to create and use an instance of <xref:System.Windows.Controls.Canvas>.  
  
## Example  
 The following example explicitly positions two <xref:System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock> elements by using the <xref:System.Windows.Controls.Canvas.SetTop%2A> and <xref:System.Windows.Controls.Canvas.SetLeft%2A> methods of <xref:System.Windows.Controls.Canvas>. The example also assigns a <xref:System.Windows.Controls.Control.Background%2A> color of `LightSteelBlue` to the <xref:System.Windows.Controls.Canvas>.  
  
> [!NOTE]
> When you use [!INCLUDE[TLA#tla_xaml](../../../includes/tlasharptla-xaml-md.md)] to position <xref:System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock> elements, use the <xref:System.Windows.Controls.Canvas.Top%2A> and <xref:System.Windows.Controls.Canvas.Left%2A> properties.  
  
 [!code-csharp[CanvasCode#1](~/samples/snippets/csharp/VS_Snippets_Wpf/CanvasCode/CSharp/Canvas_Code.cs#1)]
 [!code-vb[CanvasCode#1](~/samples/snippets/visualbasic/VS_Snippets_Wpf/CanvasCode/VisualBasic/canvas_vb.vb#1)]  
  
## See also

- <xref:System.Windows.Controls.Canvas>
- <xref:System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock>
- <xref:System.Windows.Controls.Canvas.SetTop%2A>
- <xref:System.Windows.Controls.Canvas.SetLeft%2A>
- <xref:System.Windows.Controls.Canvas.Top%2A>
- <xref:System.Windows.Controls.Canvas.Left%2A>
- [Panels Overview](panels-overview.md)
- [How-to Topics](canvas-how-to-topics.md)