How This Online Tool Turned Me Into A Kick Butt Graphic Designer
Those who know me know I love pretty web things.
Gorgeous themes, beautiful banners, eye-catching infographics.
If you have those, I’m hooked. Sadly… I can’t design good graphics to save my life.
This doesn’t stop me. You may have seen the tutorial how to create Pinterest graphics using Pixlr. I can make something passable but it takes a long time to come up with the concept. That part, I’m horrible at and am always looking for ways to make it simpler, faster, better.
Last week, I came across a brand new tool called Canva.
If you view the home page itself, you will get a glimpse at how awesome this tool is. Their design is fresh and totally unexpected.
What I love about this tool, it lets me create awesome social graphics really quickly. Graphics like this:
and this:
You can also make Facebook timeline headers
Presentations – I made this one for a private event I’ll be attending this weekend
You can also make some really nice infographics, although I’ve not done that yet.
What I Love Best
Besides these, perhaps the best thing is – easy access to premium images. Among my biggest frustrations is having to search, buy and download premium images at places DepositPhotos separately.
With Canva, if you need an image. You just search from the designer itself. It’ll find matching images and graphics sets in the library. If it is a premium item, it only costs $1 – not more than what you’d pay at a stock photo site.
You get to insert and use that premium image in your design immediately. Only when you share or download your finished creation do you pay for it.
This is cuts down the graphic creation process considerably and is a brilliant way of doing things in what I think is a competitive market.
Canva is in private beta right now which means you need an invite and I only have 5 to give out. However, I got in touch with them and they gave me a super special link where you can jump ahead of the queue and get right in. Thank you Canva!
Claim Your VIP AccountOh and did I tell you it is free? Try it and let me know what you think.
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Thanks Lynette, I tried using it but it seems like I can’t download the image I create to my computer and can only ” share” the image. That’s where I got frustrated. I see you were able to, how did you do that?
Best thing since peanut butter! I’m horribly graphicly challenged. I just quickly created the most basic fun graphic for one of my fanpages. Big hugs Lynette for sharing this! It’s going to save me so much money.
Lynette,
Thank you!!! Love this. 🙂
valselby No problems Val! It works so nicely when you need something in a hurry.
imie I’m not sure why you aren’t given the option. How long ago did you try that? Maybe since they are in beta they hadn’t added that option when you tried. There is an option now. I have a screen shot here. When you click Link & PUblish you will be given the option to grab a link or download an image or PDF
https://techbasedmarketing.com/wpengine/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/link-publish.png
MaryParkerBernard You’re welcome Mary 🙂
LChandler imie It was glitchy but it did share to mycomputer. I had to click the link and publish a couple of times. Beta, I can work with that 😉
Oh my gosh Lynette! I love this! I spent quite a while checking it out and creating some graphics. This is so easy to use and the quality of the stock photos is very good. I love that you can create it to your liking before you have to pay. And if you use your own photos its free. Very cool! I’ll be using this quite a bit I’m sure.
The graphics you made are awesome!
valselby imie Yeah on the part where its cranky – I sent a ticket in to them just last night because I couldn’t publish.
They said they were implementing new updates. I had a really good run all week until now – figures just when I publish a post right?
The good news is, so far their support has been very responsive to me.
Samantha Angel I was thinking about you and how much you’d like this Sam. Hope it works out well for you and yeah. LOVE how the premium stock photo purchase works.
Thank you @Kim Phoenix . I didn’t spend a lot of time on them either.
Wow Lynette, what a cool tool. Thank you for getting us a deal to get in on their Beta, I really appreciate you.
I saw this earlier in the week and just got an account today. I haven’t had a chance to play around with it yet. I’m graphically challenged too. Cool to see your post and what you did with it! I see you can also upload your own photos. I’ll have to get busy and have some fun!
Hi Lynette,
I spent some time playing with this this morning and it’s AWESOME! I’ve studied Graphic Design in the past, but when it comes to designing from scratch for my own business I get stuck. It’s absolutely wonderful to have a tool that gets you started. Thank you!
Thanks so much for sharing! Works like a charm!
Sweet!! Worked like a charm, thanks so much Lynette.
I also had problems publishing on Saturday but support got back to me within hours and even gave me a $5 credit. Love this tool, I love that the photos are right there, you don’t have to go looking for them, also the design layouts are awesome. I will definitely be using this tool a lot! Thanks Lynette for this great resource.
No problem DeboraHumphries
Yes, you don’t have to buy anything from them. I uploaded some of my own screenshots for an image where I have it put into a computer shot. As for the share. When you log in, on the right side it should see your invites. melodythacker
ShanWatts I know right? Starting from scratch is the pits. You’re very welcome.
drkavitashaikh You’re so welcome
tinalancio Nice! They are quite responsive.
Unfortunately, the button to register doesn’t work as of Sunday evening.
I stumbled upon Canva from the other side of the equation, as a stock provider. I’ve just been dabbling in stock photography as a hobby and test of its viability as an extra income stream. They are much easier to work with than the traditional stock agencies in terms of submissions, but I expect that to change as their portfolio grows.
The concept is pretty unusual and ground breaking. You’ll probably see a few of the big stock agencies implement something like this if it takes off which I expect it will.
@Riesah Prock sorry about that. I knew I shouldn’t have fiddled with it over the weekend. It’s back up.
Hi @Bill Nickerson , Thank you so much for sharing your insights from a different perspective. I’m happy to hear they are easier to work with. Hopefully it will stay that way. I’m not photographer but have always loved it and thought about submitting some too as you say to find out how viable it is and I imagine it to be a passive stream where you don’t have to baby it too much.
Yup. I love the concept.
I just saw your email today about this. You shared it 6 days ago, I am a little late. Had to comment and just thank you so much for sharing this. I am pretty stinky when it comes to creating images. This has me feeling and looking like a pro. Please, feel free to share anymore sites like this when you come across them. Thanks again 🙂
BrandyRoberts Absolutely Brandy. Happy you are enjoying it.
You are so welcome KymmberlyGail thank you so much for encouraging me!