The Magic of Canva Image Editing
I want to start this post by saying I know there are many other platforms for photo editing, but today I will focus on Canva, since it’s my favorite. 😊
If you like to design things, having Canva Pro is worth it.
Over the years, I’ve gone back and forth between the free and paid versions of
the platform, as well as trying out different design platforms, but I always
come back to Canva.
When I’m creating materials in Canva, I’m most often working
on social media graphics, flyers, or presentations. With this variety of
projects, I like to use both templates and my own ideas. So, I’ve put together
my three favorite tools for editing photos (which also work for graphics).
To demonstrate how each of these tools works, I’m using the
same image and showing what each tool can do. The first image shows what
I’m starting with.
- Background Removal – This might feel basic, but it’s a tool I use ALL the time. I find it especially useful for social media posts when I’m trying to create a main focus for the graphic. Photo #1 has the background removed. While it doesn’t do much for this image, it can be set to remove more of the background (like the trees, lawn, and neighboring house).
- Color Adjustments (can also use the app called DuoTone in Canva for different images) – This feature is great for customizing the colors of your images and graphics. You can adjust the colors of the entire image or just the background or foreground. In my example photo, I changed the background sky to a sunset. I also added a little more curb appeal, which I’ll explain more in the next tool description.
- Magic Edit – This tool uses AI for photo editing, letting you add or remove anything from your photos. It’s still a tool that needs some work, but if you’re patient and willing to learn, it can be very useful. In photo #3, I filled in the grass, kept the fence from the previous photo, added more landscaping, and even included a family who just bought a new home. While more editing could be done to make it look more realistic, it’s a good demonstration of what you can achieve with just a few clicks.
Hello, Andrea! I am so impressed in so many areas by this blog post! The set of 3 examples you posted, both text and image, are so well written, arranged, and explained. Your visual presentation has yet to be trumped, including here. I am definitely sold that Canva can be useful.
ReplyDeleteHowever, as I am typing this comment, I have a sense that this post is missing an important component. I will do my best to be succinct and accurate with what I feel is lacking with this blog post. I think what is bothering me here is a lack of specificity. I think that the post could be more helpful in a couple of directions.
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1. (Why is the tool so great?!) In one direction, I believe that the content could be more aimed at a description of Canva and its tools and why they are so useful. This would be beneficial to somebody who knew little about Canva or image editing in general. For example, with the background removal. You state that you use the tool all the time (social media posts). You then provide an example (house and sky) and then state that the example does not accomplish much to the benefit for the goal of the image. Finally, you explain that the tool could do more, but that you chose to not show that more.
This was a little frustrating for me. I know very little about image editing and Canva. Because of that, I really want to see or understand just how useful the tool is. But I feel that this was not delivered, and therefore the first tool description falls short. I would summarize how this read for me:
{[(background tool=remove back ground)(it is good)][(house not a good exampled)(it is useful tool though trust me bro)]}
I would have loved to hear you expound upon, "create[ing] a main focus." Using the tool. Showing one of your edited images which exhibits a high level of focus and then a description and explenation would do a lot towards helping improve the blog post.
2. In the other direction of improvement, a more technical description of tools, their use, and even where these tools are located within the program, would really round out the content delivery here. (In my opinion of course). With my idea here, is that if the audience and yourself are to engage in a more technical or even goal-oriented discussion of Canva, said discussion benefits from stated specifics.
Perhaps you could speak on a project, the techincal difficulties you encountered, and how you overacame them. This example could be geared towards discussion of how you improved through that experience or how Canva's tools assist in a user overcoming any issues encountered. Pereived or otherwise.
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Overall, I think there is nothing wrong with the post itself, merely that it has left me with more questions and wants of the post than I think there should be.
Great write up, Canva sounds like a fun image editing program. I will have to try out the free version so I check out the Magic Edit feature. I can also see the background removal feature being very useful for editing photos you may want to use in the classroom. It really is amazing what some of these image editing programs can do with just a few clicks.
ReplyDeleteMy paper will be on canva and this has helped me immensely. I am really interested in learning more and more about the program and your post got me excited to learn it.
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