The internet gives you a lot of tools to solve your problems. It’s really good at that. Every year, we find we can do things that previously only an “expert” could do. Want to publish a beautiful blog post? Yes Average. How about collaborating with others on the web? There is Google Drive. I believe the big thing this year will be Canva.
What is Canva you ask? It’s like Photoshop but it’s free, web-based, and super easy to use. Of course, it’s not really Photoshop but it lowers the barrier to entry for the most popular features.
Canva is designed for creating great and fast shareable posts, integrating images with text in a fun way. Get a backdrop or choose something pre-made from Canva, add text, edit it, make it look good, and ready to share with the world. Canva already has templates with the right resolution for Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram posts. You can also choose the presentation slide or decide the resolution yourself.
What can you use it for?
Off the top of my head:
- Create an awesome Facebook cover
- Thumbnail images for your YouTube videos
- Cards for every kind of occasion
- They even have built-in templates for things like ebook covers and business cards
- Combine text and images beautifully to create shareable posters or images, promote articles, etc.
- Interested in any other images of Canva users? Click remixbutton to build on it
There’s a lot you can do with Canva, and if you’re looking for inspiration check out the Canva Content Stream created by other great people (you’ll need to sign in). Canva is available on the web and also has an iPad app.
But I say the best way to learn is by doing. So sign up for a free account, choose a template (let’s start with Presentations slide) and see me in the next step. To start, create a cliché motivational poster with a blurred landscape background and overlapping text. A classic.
Step 1: Enter Background or Search Background
Canva has a large library of backgrounds, shapes, solid colors, icons, arrows, and touches (over a million). Just search for a keyword and you will find something. Some elements are free while some are paid (usually $1). If you can’t find something on the free tier, download royalty-free images from one of these stock image sites (also, Canva itself has a list of 74 such sites. ).
From the sidebar, click Background and choose one or upload an image from Upload navigation. Once the image is uploaded, it will be stored to your Canva account. Now drag the uploaded image from the sidebar into the image editing panel.
Step 2: Edit wallpaper
Now you will see the highlighted image and you will see four endpoints on each edge. Click and drag it to resize or rotate the image. When the image is active, you will see a pop-up. This will be common to all elements.
Fake Creativity: Let’s face it, you’re not a great designer. You don’t give a flying figure about kerning. However, you want to create things that are a bit pretty. So fake it. Or steal it. Canva itself promotes this philosophy. From Presentationtab, you can get a lot of ready-made templates. Canva also has a remix where you can post a publicly shared Canva post, import it into your account, edit and build on it. The point here is to create something great quickly that you would normally pay someone else to get. See that image at the top of the post? Remixed from an image I saw on the Canva blog.
Here, a pop-up will show options to delete the image, bring the image forward or backward, duplicate, or choose a color if it’s a solid background.
The Filter options that bring Canva closer to the Photoshop category. Not only can you apply pre-configured filters, but you can also access High level and fiddle with options like brightness, contrast, saturation, tint, etc
There are also blur effects and vignettes. If you’re going to add text to the image, select those options to make the text stand out.
Step 3: Add text
Text is an important part of the whole shareable visual phenomenon. And Canva makes it really easy. go Letter tab and you’ll see eye-catching presets ready for you. Just drag one onto the image, select the text, edit it and that’s it.
Or you can select each text field and get options to change the font, font color, transparency, font style, alignment, etc.
To make text stand out, search for a shape, drag it to the text field, push it Backsideand reduce transparency after choosing neutral color.
You can also mix two backgrounds this way to create a textured effect.
If you don’t want to use the presets, you can simply drag in the text boxes you see at the top of the sidebar.
And you don’t have to stop at text. Add arrows, quotes, lines, shapes, etc. to highlight the features of the image.
Make a copy: When playing with Canva, you’ll want to experiment with different layouts and styles. Use Copy to the right of the image to make a copy of the current version of the file. This way, it’s easier to compare later.
Your image is ready. But it never really ready. There’s so much more you can do with Canva. In fact, people more seasoned in this art field have written about it, as Canva has its own School of Design. I suggest you check it out. I spent some time there recently and learned quite a bit about typography.
What we created above is just a basic image. But it only takes a few minutes to get it on the web and it’s free. Also, we did it without prior training in professional photo editing software.
How will you use it?
Example: The quick social media share I did to review the Poetic Slimline Case for iPad mini using Canva.
What new and amazing ways do you plan to use Canva? Share with us in the comments below.
Categories: How to
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
