Social media is one of those things that we don’t get enough time to do as it is, and photoshop on the go doesn’t cut it. In my search for an easier way to get the graphics part of my work done, I’ve found Canva. Inside of this short guide, you’ll learn my basic recommendations on how to get the most out of the app, and some simple tropes to get you up to speed with your updates and even ebook covers!
Well, the place I find myself in now means that I do need to build out graphics for social media. I need to build book covers for the books I publish. I need to design things that look nice from scratch on my iPad or iPhone as I’m on the go. This is where Canva has stepped in and saved my day.
The first thing you’ll notice when you open Canva was that it has so many presets built right in. From Instagram and Facebook templates to book covers to business cards, Canva’s got you covered.
Alongside their presets for sizing, there are so many templates available to get you started building something that looks nice. There is no need to start from scratch. Grab one of the templates that go with the format you picked and then modify it to match what you’re trying to build.
Many of the templates are free, in fact, I’ve never needed to pay for something that would fit what I needed to do. I’ve always been able to find something that suited the graphic I was building. There are just so many good options to be had in Canva for free.
Once you get something you like, there are many ways to modify the content. You can import your own images. There are a number of free graphics in Canva. You can change the text as you see fit.
Now not every single thing you’ll need to build is set in Canva, but it allows you to set custom dimensions for your custom projects. That means you’re not left out in the cold if your needs don’t fit the exact mold they have.
While you may not get preset layouts with your custom dimensions, Canva will still give you a number of grids to start your work with. From there you can use any of the other free icons, fonts, images, or frames to build out exactly what you needed.
Canva for photographers
If you are one of the photography junkies like Bojan is, you’ll find that Canva has an astonishing capacity to enhance your artwork, because now you can add content to your images, and enhance your message.
Canva is a secondary layer for youartworkrk, and allows you to explode your Instagram feed in ways you haven’t thought of before. Instead of doing post-processing on your computer, you can grab the app, write a short blurb, chose a super stylish font that fits your image, and you’re done. You can even hit publish straight from the app!
A few design recommendations for the design challenge
Even with all the help that Canva can give you if your not careful you can build something that’s just not going to cut it. So here are a few tips if you’re going to use Canva.
If you’re designed challenged like me than I’d stick with the defaults that they provide. If it’s providing a set of colors, stick with what it gives you. Choosing your own colors is only a recipe for disaster if you’re not a designer.
Second, stick with the fonts it gives you for your layout. Don’t get fancy with some pretty font you like. Yes, Canva has a well-chosen set of fonts, but you can still combine them in ways that just doesn’t work. Stick with the fonts that your design gives you. The preselected to fit current trends and they’ll keep updating the options to fit future trends.
That’s a lot for a mobile tool that you bring your pocket. Canva has a great set of options without going overboard. It will let most people accomplish 90% of their design needs without overwhelming them with choices. While a designer may love the extra features in the tools that Adobe provides, most of us will just design ourselves into a corner and not see a way out.
In short, Canva is an essential tool for anyone trying to run their online business or their social media graphics and content. If you’re using an iOS first workflow then the app they provide is nothing short of stellar. Canva should be in your toolbox.
