Canva: How to use, create designs, Canva Pro & more

Canva is an online design and publishing tool that can be used to create almost any type of digital design. Canva is designed in such a way that anyone can use it without necessarily being a graphic designer. In this article, you will learn how to use and create designs on Canva.

You will also learn the requirements to create a Canva account, if Canva is better than Adobe Photoshop, if Canva Pro (paid) is worth it and lots more.

What is Canva, and how does it work?

Canva is a free online graphic design and publishing tool created in 2013. Anyone with a computer or smartphone can easily create almost all forms of digital design, as long as they have an internet connection.

You can use it to create social media posts, presentations, posters, flyers, banners, tickets, videos, logos, memos, and many other digital designs. And here’s the beauty of it. You don’t have to be a graphic designer before you can use Canva.

Is Canva easy to learn?

Yes, it is. In fact, some Canva users can tell you there’s nothing to learn. As I said earlier, you don’t have to be a graphic designer before you can use Canva.

Just click on the search box and input the type of design you want to create. An endless list of templates will be displayed on the next page.  Select whichever template you want to use, edit it to your satisfaction and save the design to your device.

As simple as ABC… Smiles. 

Is Canva better than Photoshop? Canva vs Adobe Photoshop vs Corel Draw

There’s no direct answer to this. It all depends on the needs, preferences and expertise of the user.

If you’re a graphic designer that wants to create professional images, edit out imperfections, or create works of art, Adobe Photoshop and Corel Draw are your best bets.

If you’re not a graphic designer, or if you’re someone that wants fast and easy designs, then Canva will be more suitable for you. Unlike Adobe Photoshop and Corel Draw, Canva is not only made for graphic designers.

In fact, you can just see Canva as Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest. Yes, it can be that simple. To top it all, you don’t need to read blogs, watch YouTube videos or take online courses before you can become an expert with Canva (although doing these will help).

Unlike Adobe Photoshop, anyone can figure out how Canva works on their own. Also, the interface is more friendly. And did I mention that you can use Canva on your smartphone?

Requirements to create an account on Canva

• A valid email address
• A valid phone number (optional)
• A Facebook, Apple, Google or Microsoft account (optional)

Note: As of the moment of writing this article, Canva is completely online. This means you need to have an internet connection whenever you’re designing, as the design resources are stored on Canva’s own server and not your device.

This is good news because you won’t have to worry about your device’s storage being full.

How to create an account on Canva

Follow the steps below to create your Canva account:

• Visit Canva account creation page or download the standalone app
• On the signup page, click on the email option
• Input the email address you want to use for your Canva account
• Set a strong password for your Canva account
• Verify your email address in the email that Canva will send to you
• Enter the confirmation code from the email you received

Learn more about creating accounts and logging in on Canva.

How to use Canva and create digital designs

Congratulations on creating your Canva account. Now it’s time to create some digital designs, and I’ll show you how.

Canva is available for use on many types of devices. Since your device might have a different layout, I’ll explain how to use Canva and create designs on a desktop browser. 

1. Input Canva.com in the URL address and create an account if it’s your first time.

2. Click on the “Create A Design”  button. It is located in the top right corner.

3. Once the design page loads, you should set a size for your design. You can choose from a range of pre-selected sizes or set a custom size.

4. The next step is to set your background. Every design has a background. You can pick a plain colour, pattern, abstract image or photo. You can also upload a picture from your device and set it as your background. 

5. Add your text. At one point in your design (even if you’re designing a logo) you will still need to add text. Click on the “Text” button on the left-hand menu and choose a text box.

6. Choosing fonts. Click on the “Text” tab in the side panel. You can also create your own font combinations. Remember, fonts have a very huge effect on your digital design.

Using too many types in one design can make it look messy, so it’s recommended to use not more than 2 fonts in one design.

7. That’s all for now, as far as the basics are concerned. There are many parts to Canva, but these are the basic things common to all types of digital design.

Canva Pro: Is it worth it?

Yes, it is. As I said earlier, Canva is free for anyone to use. However, some templates, images, video and audio elements are available only to premium users. You have to have a Canva Pro status to unlock them.

Canva Pro gives you unlimited content access to more than 100 million premium images, video graphics, and audio, at no extra charge. You only need to pay $12.99 per month or $119.99 per year.

There are also other Canva pricing plans. Canva for Teams is suitable for team members and workspaces. There’s also a FREE pricing plan for teachers and educational institutions.

Learn more about Canva’s free and paid pricing plans. 

Conclusion

You don’t have to be a graphic designer or study for hundreds of hours before you can create professional digital designs. This is true, especially if your primary design tool is Canva.

With Canva, you don’t have to take online courses or watch extensive YouTube videos. Also, you can use it on your smartphone without experiencing any significant performance glitches.

Canva is free. If you’re just any random user that needs simple designs, the free version is more than enough. If you’re a freelancer or digital design agency, Canva Pro or Canva for Teams will be more suitable.