diff --git a/MiRCARTCanvas.py b/MiRCARTCanvas.py
index eef5348..03b3b93 100644
--- a/MiRCARTCanvas.py
+++ b/MiRCARTCanvas.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import wx
 class MiRCARTCanvas(wx.Panel):
     """XXX"""
     parentFrame = None
+    defaultCanvasPos = defaultCanvasSize = defaultCellSize = None
     canvasMap = canvasPos = canvasSize = None
     brushColours = brushPos = brushSize = None
     canvasBackend = canvasJournal = None
@@ -155,17 +156,19 @@ class MiRCARTCanvas(wx.Panel):
     # }}}
 
     #
-    # _init__(self, parent, parentFrame, canvasPos, canvasSize, cellSize): initialisation method
-    def __init__(self, parent, parentFrame, canvasPos, canvasSize, cellSize):
-        super().__init__(parent, pos=canvasPos,             \
-            size=[w*h for w,h in zip(canvasSize, cellSize)])
+    # _init__(self, parent, parentFrame, defaultCanvasPos, defaultCanvasSize, defaultCellSize): initialisation method
+    def __init__(self, parent, parentFrame, defaultCanvasPos, defaultCanvasSize, defaultCellSize):
+        super().__init__(parent, pos=defaultCanvasPos,      \
+            size=[w*h for w,h in zip(defaultCanvasSize, defaultCellSize)])
 
         self.parentFrame = parentFrame
-        self.canvasMap = None; self.canvasPos = canvasPos; self.canvasSize = canvasSize;
+        self.canvasMap = None
+        self.canvasPos = defaultCanvasPos; self.canvasSize = defaultCanvasSize;
+        self.defaultCanvasPos = defaultCanvasPos; self.defaultCanvasSize = defaultCanvasSize;
         self.brushColours = [4, 1]; self.brushPos = [0, 0]; self.brushSize = [1, 1];
         self.parentFrame.onCanvasUpdate(                    \
             brushSize=self.brushSize, colours=self.brushColours)
-        self.canvasBackend = MiRCARTCanvasBackend(canvasSize, cellSize)
+        self.canvasBackend = MiRCARTCanvasBackend(defaultCanvasSize, defaultCellSize)
         self.canvasJournal = MiRCARTCanvasJournal()
         self.canvasExportStore = MiRCARTCanvasExportStore(parentCanvas=self)
         self.canvasImportStore = MiRCARTCanvasImportStore(parentCanvas=self)
diff --git a/MiRCARTCanvasImportStore.py b/MiRCARTCanvasImportStore.py
index 6bce3bf..9dc2c54 100644
--- a/MiRCARTCanvasImportStore.py
+++ b/MiRCARTCanvasImportStore.py
@@ -137,9 +137,9 @@ class MiRCARTCanvasImportStore():
     # }}}
     # {{{ importNew(self, newCanvasSize=None): XXX
     def importNew(self, newCanvasSize=None):
-        newMap = [[[(1, 1), 0, " "]                                 \
-                for x in range(self.parentCanvas.canvasSize[0])]    \
-                    for y in range(self.parentCanvas.canvasSize[1])]
+        newMap = [[[[1, 1], 0, " "]                  \
+                for x in range(newCanvasSize[0])]    \
+                    for y in range(newCanvasSize[1])]
         self.parentCanvas.onStoreUpdate(newCanvasSize, newMap)
     # }}}
 
diff --git a/MiRCARTCanvasInterface.py b/MiRCARTCanvasInterface.py
index 371adc7..e1b0395 100644
--- a/MiRCARTCanvasInterface.py
+++ b/MiRCARTCanvasInterface.py
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ class MiRCARTCanvasInterface():
                 self.canvasSave()
         self.parentCanvas.SetCursor(wx.Cursor(wx.CURSOR_WAIT))
         if newCanvasSize == None:
-            newCanvasSize = (100, 30)
+            newCanvasSize = list(self.parentCanvas.defaultCanvasSize)
         self.parentCanvas.canvasImportStore.importNew(newCanvasSize)
         self.canvasPathName = None
         self.parentCanvas.SetCursor(wx.Cursor(wx.NullCursor))
diff --git a/MiRCARTFrame.py b/MiRCARTFrame.py
index 5ad1732..eab5234 100644
--- a/MiRCARTFrame.py
+++ b/MiRCARTFrame.py
@@ -203,12 +203,14 @@ class MiRCARTFrame(MiRCARTGeneralFrame):
     # }}}
 
     #
-    # __init__(self, parent, appSize=(840, 630), canvasPos=(25, 50), canvasSize=(125, 35), cellSize=(7, 14)): initialisation method
-    def __init__(self, parent, appSize=(840, 630), canvasPos=(25, 50), canvasSize=(125, 35), cellSize=(7, 14)):
+    # __init__(self, parent, appSize=(840, 630), defaultCanvasPos=(25, 50), defaultCanvasSize=(100, 30), defaultCellSize=(7, 14)): initialisation method
+    def __init__(self, parent, appSize=(840, 630), defaultCanvasPos=(25, 50), defaultCanvasSize=(100, 30), defaultCellSize=(7, 14)):
         self._initPaletteToolBitmaps()
         panelSkin = super().__init__(parent, wx.ID_ANY, "MiRCART", size=appSize)
         self.panelCanvas = MiRCARTCanvas(panelSkin, parentFrame=self,   \
-            canvasPos=canvasPos, canvasSize=canvasSize, cellSize=cellSize)
+            defaultCanvasPos=defaultCanvasPos,                          \
+            defaultCanvasSize=defaultCanvasSize,                        \
+            defaultCellSize=defaultCellSize)
         self.panelCanvas.canvasInterface.canvasNew(None)
 
 # vim:expandtab foldmethod=marker sw=4 ts=4 tw=120