NVIDIA Canvas Online: Can You Use NVIDIA Canvas Online?


A picture of an arid landscape - NVIDIA canvas online
Credit: NVIDIA

Can you use NVIDIA Canvas online, or do you need to download and run it from your computer?

We'll be taking a close look at NVIDIA Canvas today. Specifically, what it is, and whether you can use it online, as you can with the likes of Midjourney AI or Dall.E.

If you're looking for an image generator, take a look at our guide to some of the best AI image generators. In the meantime, let's take a look at NVIDIA Canvas.

Can you Use NVIDIA Canvas Online?

At the time of writing in October 2023, NVIDIA Canvas is available as a free beta. Crucially though, you will need to download it in order to be able to use it.

Additionally, there are some quite specific system requirements in order to run NVIDIA Canvas. According to the FAQs, you need the following:

  • NVIDIA RTX GPUs: desktop, laptop and virtual GPUs.
  • NVIDIA Driver: 471.68 or later; They recommend NVIDIA Studio Drivers.
  • Windows 10 2004 or later
  • SSD recommended
  • Input:
    • Mouse and keyboard
    • Optional: touch screen
    • Optional: tablet and stylus (e.g., Wacom Cintiq or Intuos Pro)

NVIDIA state that Canvas requires RTX Tensor Cores to function, and it is supported on GeForce RTX and NVIDIA RTX GPUs.

If you do want to use NVIDIA Canvas, then you can download it here. But what exactly is NVIDIA Canvas? Let's take a look.

A still lake surrounded by mountains, reflected in the water - NVIDIA Canvas online
click to enlarge
Credit: NVIDIA

What is NVIDIA Canvas?

NVIDIA Canvas is described by NVIDIA as a "painting application that uses AI to generate landscape images from simple brush strokes".

At the moment, it is specifically intended for use in helping to create landscapes, for example, to quickly create backdrops and environments for their buildings.

Another use they have suggested is to rapidly create a landscape, rather than searching for a stock photo.

It differs from many other AI image generators because it is focused entirely on landscapes. The likes of Midjourney, Dall.E and others use word prompts to generate more or less any image you can imagine. Canvas uses images (photos or basic brushstrokes within the app) to then generate a landscape.

Sketching simple shapes and lines is enough to allow the AI to then generate an image - mountains, fields, trees and rocks can all be quickly added to a scene.

Canvas also allows creators to use style filters, if they want to create an image in the style of a specific painter, for instance.

Any images you create can then be exported to Adobe Photoshop for further editing, or combining with other images.

It doesn't perhaps offer quite the same versatility as many of those other image generators. But what it does, it does very well. And the fact that it is currently free to use is also a bonus. You just need to make sure you have the right hardware so that you can download it and start using it.

For more articles like this, take a look at our Tech and How To page.