Free Graphic Design in a Snap!

One of the easiest ways to make your website or project look 1000 times better is to include sleek, modern graphics. There are a lot of tools and resources out there, requiring many different amounts of time and money. If you are just getting started, a great free resource to start with is Canva.

Canva.com is free with a sign up and it contains a vast library of free backgrounds, templates, icons, photos, and graphics or you can upload your own photos. Canva does offer the option to purchase photos or graphics, but most people that are just getting started are able to get by with the free library.

Want to get started? It's a snap! Follow our quick and easy steps below. For more information about using Canva or for more detailed directions, click here to read our intermediate blog post.

1. Go to www.canva.com

Sign up! Follow the prompts on the screen to create an account. It’s easiest to sign up with Google, but either way works.

2. Create a project

Everything starts from the main login page. Most of the time you can use one of the preset dimensions. Look for the description that most closely matches your project.

Need a specific file size? Use the boxes in the top right corner of the screen to create a custom sized image.

3. Get started

Canva will redirect you to a blank file. The white space on the right is the EXACT size you told it to be, which should help you resize it later.

All your tools are on the left side. It will start you off with some templates. These are a really good starting point if you aren’t comfortable doing this sort of thing.

Adding Images

• The tabs on the left are all the different types of things you can add. Most of what you need is in the “elements” section. You will find clip art, stock photos, and basic shapes here. Click and drag to move them to the blank page.

• The handle bars on the graphics will let you resize them. If you want to crop it to a different shape, you will need to use the straight lines on the sides of the image rather than the dots on the corners.

• To change the order of graphics, use the position button in the top right of the work area.

• For more information about adding photos into Canva, read the "Photos" section below!

Adding text

• Look on the far left of your screen at the different tabs. There is one labeled text. Click it to open the text menu.

• When you first get started, I recommend you stick to the top three options. Once you add the text box to your work area, you can use the tools at the top of the work area to adjust and edit.

• Change the shape of your text box using the bars on the outside of the box.

• To change the order of graphics, use the position button in the top right of the work area.

Changing the background

• If you want to change the background from white to a different solid color, click on the current background of the work area. In the top left corner of the work area will be a box that looks like a color wheel. Click that and select the background color you would like to use.

• Note - If I’m looking for a fancy background, I usually start by using one of the templates. It’s much easier and less overwhelming.

• Using the tools at the top of the work area, you can adjust the photo filter (Filter), lighting and color (Adjust), and physical placement (Crop).

Photos

• You can absolutely use your own photos in Canva. We cover this in our next level post here.

• There are some really great templates that you can drag and drop photos into. To find them, go to the “Elements” tab on the far left of your screen. In the section called “Grids,” you will find a variety of photo grids that are preassembled for collages.

• To use Grids, click the grid to add it to your work area.

• Add the photo the same way you add any other image. Click and drag the image into the box on the grid. The image should snap into the open container.

• Use the adjust and crop tools at the top of the work area to make sure your image tools great and is lined up properly.

4. Done? You're ready to Download!

• Click the “Publish” button in the top right corner of the screen.

• Select Download.

• A PNG file will be the highest quality image. Select PNG as your File Type.

• Click the download button.

• The download will take a few moments. Do not click anywhere on the screen while it is downloading.

• When the file is done downloading, Canva will give a pop up message asking about the paid version. Click “Continue Editing” to ignore it.

5. Use your file

The image will be saved in the downloads folder on your computer. Go get it. Now it is ready to be uploaded wherever you might need it!

Want more tips and tricks for using Canva? Check out our intermediate post here. Share your first Canva Project with us in the comments!

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