Graphics play a key role in this digital world. A blog will be too boring if it does not have any pictures, charts or graphs. Even if you are recording videos for YouTube, you need an attention-grabbing thumbnail.
But not all have the capability to design great graphics. Learning a tool like Photoshop is time-consuming. One cannot hire a graphic designer for trivial day-to-day graphics like a Facebook post or a YouTube thumbnail.
Also, Photoshop is a paid tool.
I learned Photoshop long ago and have worked on it for a while. It is a great tool. I personally liked its features a lot and it is amazing.
As the era of social media evolved, several alternative apps started grabbing the attention of the users. But, the only tool that I found extremely simple & quick is CANVA.
I am going to share a series of articles on this amazing tool. In this article, let me share an overview of this wonderful graphics designing tool - Canva.
What is Canva?
Canva is a graphic designing tool that is very easy to use & helps in creating amazing designs quickly.
The beauty of this tool is it does not require any installations on your PC. You can access it at www.canva.com
Alternatively, you can also use the Canva mobile app. But, I would recommend you to use it on PC for designing easily & quickly. Once you are used to it, you can gradually use your Canva mobile app for some quick designs too.
The tool is FREE. Although, there is a paid version - Canva Pro. Canva Pro, obviously has more features than the FREE Canva. But, trust me that you can design amazing graphics even using the free version of this tool.
How to use Canva?
Firstly, create your account or sign up with Google or Facebook
When you will Sign Up & Login for the 1st time, you will be asked "What will you be using Canva for?"
Select the right option so that Canva can recommend you the designs and templates as per your profile.
The various options available are,
- Teacher
- Student
- Personal
- Small Business
- Large Company
- Non-profit or Charity
Select whatever you are and proceed.
Also, you will get an option to try Canva Pro for Free for 30 days. If you are keen to try it, opt for it. Else, skip and proceed with the free version.
In the search bar, start typing the name of the platform for which you want to create the graphic. Or, select the templates from below. There are various options like social media, events, marketing, documents, etc.
If you want to create a graphic with a custom dimension, in the right-hand corner you can find the "Custom Dimensions" option. Click on it and proceed.
When you start designing, you can add the text, image or any other element from the left-hand toolbar. All you need to do is drag-and-drop.
In the next article, I will share about the Canva menubar and toolbar in detail. Until then, create your Canva account and explore its interface.
Happy Learning!