Use The Stencil Template in Canva

6 Aug 2024

Use The Stencil Template in Canva

 

Create a simple design instantly with the stencil template.

 

To begin, open Canva in your browser, 'create new design' and set your canvas size to 8.5x11".

Because our stencil is white, and our canvas is white, the next step is to add color so we can see what we are doing.

ADD SOLID COLOR

Go to 'Background' in the side menu and choose a color from the palette selector. The chosen color will be applied to your canvas.

ADD PATTERN

Alternatively, you can use the search bar in the backgrounds menu to look for a pattern background to suit your project. I'm using a solid color as a placeholder for this tutorial and then apply my design from there.

 

 

INSERT TEMPLATE

Now that we have a color background let's add our template.

Click 'Uploads' in the side menu, then 'Upload Files' and choose your template file from your saved documents. Make sure to select the template that has the shapes as 'cut-outs' or 'windows'. This is important.

Once uploaded you will see the template in the images library, select the template and it will appear in the middle of the canvas.

Drag to position and re-size so that the template covers the whole canvas.

You are now ready to begin designing!

If you set a background color or pattern, you can change this at any time by simply going back to the Backgrounds menu.

 

 

Add images or text from here to create your design.

Move inserted images under the template by moving them backward. With the image selected, you'll find this command by clicking the three dots in the mini menu bar that appears under the selected image. pictured right.

Continuing adding images this way to complete your design.

Once you send something backward it can be difficult to re-select it to make edits. By using control+click on the canvas you can toggle between different elements that are stacked to select the right layer needed.

Moving things around can also get tricky once you have many layers so you may need to fiddle with things a bit until you get the hang of it.

Once you understand how to use Canva's tools designing with PNG templates should be relatively easy.

 

 

 

 

 

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Use the Stencil Template in Procreate

5 Aug 2024

Use the Stencil Template in Procreate

 

Create a simple design instantly with the stencil template.

 

To begin, open Procreate on your device and create a new blank canvas sized at 8.5x11".

Because our stencil is white, and our canvas is white, the next step is to add color so we can see what we are doing.

ADD SOLID COLOR

Go to the layers tab and select the Background layer. A color wheel menu box should open when you do so. From here move the two small circles so random select a color.

If you want a very precise color, click Value option at the bottom of the menu box and you can input exact color code you want to use. There are a few other choices and options in here that you can explore if you are not already familiar with the color menu choices.

ADD PATTERN

Alternatively, you can add a pattern image to the canvas instead by using the same steps as below for adding the template file to the canvas.

Either of these options can be changed later so if you're not sure yet what color you need, or perhaps not at all, that's fine. We're doing this purely so we can see the stencil on the page.

 

 

INSERT TEMPLATE

Now that we have a color background let's add our template.

Click on the wrench icon in the top left corner then 'Insert a file' and choose your template file from your saved documents. Make sure to select the template that has the shapes as 'cut-outs' or 'windows'. This is important.

Once  you select the file image it will insert onto your canvas automatically.

If you are using a template that needs to be at the exact size it was designed at, make sure that the template is fitted to your canvas at exactly the size the template comes as (my templates are almost exclusively sized at 8.5x11")

You are now ready to begin designing!

Remember, at any time you can go back and alter the background color or pattern you had originally selected.

See below for template layer and next steps.

 

 

As you can now see, adding the white template layer on a color background allows you to clearly see and work with the template design.

From the layers tab, top right corner, you should have a blank layer above the background but under the template layer. If not just add a new layer by clicking the plus sign and drag it into position. The 'design' layers need to be underneath the template.

You are now ready to begin your design! Procreate has lots of wonderful options for designing. Whether you want to insert images, draw shapes, add text or paint with the brushes. If you're stuck on how to use any of those tools a quick google search will give you a huge range of tutorials to choose from.

I'm not going to cover the design process here, but you're now ready to add whatever strikes your fancy.

 

 

 

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White on White Edits in Photopea

3 Aug 2024

White on White Edits in Photopea

 

White on white editing in free online editor Photopea

I'm often asked why my template shapes are not white...

Well, white on white is a problem, like a polar bear in a snowstorm. Adding an outline to define the shapes would be required but if I were to add that for you, I would be creating bigger problems for everyone else who doesn't want/need an outline.

Because these are templates and are meant to be edited, it shouldn't matter what color they are delivered to you as, since everyone will need/want something different, editing is all part of the process with a template.

So for projects where you require the shape color to be white you simply change the shape color and add an outline to define it on the page - if you need it that way for printing purposes.

What about registration marks you might ask? Why aren't those included? Well, those have a place in certain types of printables, but they work well only for straight edges, they don't work on curves, complex shapes or collage sheets with multiple elements.

Unless you are using a cutting machine and save your work as a PNG file with a transparent background... you're going to need those outlines.

In this tutorial I'm going to show you how to change the shape color and add an outline for the white-on-white method using the PSD file format inside the free online editor Photopea. We'll be working on the assumption that you want to change an entire sheet of shapes like in my example template.

See my previous tutorial on just changing shape colors using an entirely different method for a one shape at time process.

Photopea is comparable to photoshop and is compatible with PSD file formats making it very quick and easy to edit any photoshop file - for free! The process here is nearly identical to that of Photoshop itself so these steps very easily transfer over to both Photoshop CS and PS Elements.

 

STEP 1:

To get started, have your template ready, open your web browser and navigate to Photopea.

Either click "open from computer" to locate and load your PSD template file, or drag and drop the file onto the center of the screen.

This will open the file in Photopea and your screen will appear like in the example below.

Make sure that you have selected the right file format by ensuring you have multiple layers in the lower right layers panel, as marked on the example below.

 

 

STEP 2:

Go to the layers panel in the lower right of your screen and open a folder by clicking on the little arrow next to the folder icon.

In this template example below there are 6 circles, so there will be six separate shape layers, which are organized here by row into 3 folders.

Click once on a shape layer in the layers panel to select it and notice what happens on the canvas. A blue line will appear on that circle indicating it has been selected.

This is how you know which layer you are working with on the canvas. You can use Ctrl + click to choose more than one shape layer at a time which is something we will be doing further along.

 

 

STEP 3:

To add an outline and change the shape color we're to going to use a shortcut method to pull up the 'Layer Style' box. Double click on the shape layer in the layer panel box in the empty space next to the layer name as indicated in the picture.

The Layer Style box should now appear on your canvas. There are many style options to choose from here but we're looking for the Stroke and Color Overlay options.

Starting with the stroke, select it by clicking on the name (and not just the tick box). This will bring up the stroke style options where you can adjust things like color and stroke size.

Leave the other settings as the default, as pictured. 

 

STEP 4:

TIP: The menu boxes float, so you are able to drag them around your screen if you need to adjust your view of things. Just click and drag the top bar of the menu box to move it.

I'm going to use a light grey for my stroke. So I've clicked in the little color box (see picture) which opens the color picker menu. I can choose any color I want from here. I don't need to be too specific for this though so I'm picking a random light grey. I can always go back and adjust it if I need to.

Click OK in the color picker menu box.

For size, I'm going with the default 3px. Depending on your needs though you can go as big or as small as you want.

Keep the Layer Style box open while we go on to step 5.

 

 

 

STEP 5:

Let's change the shape color by using the color overlay option. Click this line the same way you did with the Stroke option and you'll get the color overlay menu choices. (as pictured)

We're going to select white in the color picker using the same process as we did for the stroke. Select white and click OK.

We're all finished with our style choices so you can click OK in the Layer Style box as well. The changes will now be applied to that shape.

Deselect the layer to see it fully just by clicking the background layer in the layers panel. You should now see a white shape with a grey outline.

Let's go apply that same effect to all the other shapes on the page!

 

 

STEP 6:

While you can spend the time to edit each shape individually, if you have many shapes that you want to apply the same layer style options to there is a quicker method.

On the shape layer that we have already edited go to the layers panel and as before, in that empty space next to the shape layer name, this time you'll do a right click instead of a double click. You'll see a whole new menu list.

From 'Layer Style' in this list, open the sub menu and click 'copy'.

Next, you'll need to select each layer in the layers panel that you want to apply the stroke to. Use Ctrl + Click to choose all the other shape layers.

See image below for what that looks like.

 

 

STEP 7:

What we need to do now is paste the layer style on to all the other shape layers.

As before, right click in the layers panel on any of the selected layers. From the pop up menu go back to the Layer Styles sub menu and click 'paste'.

The changes should be applied instantly to all the shapes. If not, it's likely you selected something that isn't a shape layer. Perhaps a folder layer. Adjust your selections and try again.

If the template has a lot of layers I suggest doing this in smaller batches.

For an even quicker shortcut though, you can apply layer styles to an entire folder of shapes by following all these instructions but by clicking the folder line in the layers panel instead of the shape layer.

 

 

That's it. Have fun experimenting with the layer styles!

You're now ready to move on to whatever next steps are required for your project. Whether that's printing as is or adding other elements.

To save your newly edited template go to the top menu bar and in the top left corner click File>Save as PSD or File>Export As and choose whichever file format you need.

For PNG with a transparent background you'll need to turn off the background layer in the layers panel (just click the eye icon).

SVG is not compatible with the type of edits we've made here today, so while it will save, it won't work properly as a true SVG.

JPG or PDF will likely be the most suitable options.

 

 

 

 

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Changing Shape Colors in Photopea

2 Aug 2024

Changing Shape Colors in Photopea

 

Edit template colors using the free online editor Photopea

For projects that require custom colors you might choose to edit a template by changing the color of each object on the sheet.

Whether it's a single object or multiple shapes like the example on the left, the easiest way to change the color is by using a graphic design software program and one of the layered template options provided.

I offer both SVG and PSD as fully layered templates that can be edited with exact precision.

For this tutorial I'm going to show you how to change shape colors using the PSD file inside the free online editor Photopea.

Photopea is comparable to photoshop and is compatible with PSD file formats making it very quick and easy to edit any photoshop file - for free!

The process here is nearly identical to that of Photoshop itself so these steps very easily transfer over to both Photoshop CS and PS Elements.

To get started, have your template ready, open your web browser and navigate to Photopea. (this is more easily done from a desktop computer)

 

STEP 1:

Photopea's home page should look like this when you first open it.

Either click "open from computer" to locate and load your PSD template file, or drag and drop the file onto the center of the screen.

This will open the file in Photopea and your screen will change to the example below.

Make sure that you have selected the right file by ensuring you have multiple layers in the lower right panel, as marked on the example below.

 

 

 

STEP 2:

Layers are likely to be grouped in folders if there are many layers to the template. Each individual shape represents a separate layer in the file.

In this example there are 6 circles, so there will be six shape layers, which are organized here by row into 3 folders.

To open the folder just click on the little arrow icon next to the folder icon.

Do this now for all three rows so you can see each circle shape as a separate layer. Click once on a shape layer to select it and notice what happens on the canvas. A blue line will appear on that circle indicating it has been selected.

Double click that same shape layer in the layers panel and a color picker box will appear over top of the template canvas.

 

 

STEP 3:

This is what your screen should now look like.

This is where you'll select your new color. Just choose a color using one of the color picker methods and click 'OK' to apply the change.

There are a few options here for color selection. If you have the exact color code you want to use, you can enter it in the HEX or RGB value boxes.

You can also use the slider to randomly pick a color you like if it doesn't need to be exact. You have a pretty broad range to choose from here.

You'll notice two tick boxes for web colors and cmyk gamut. Only use these if you know for certain you need this, otherwise the default RGB colors will be perfectly suitable for any project in web or print designs.

 

 

SIDEBAR: Color Picker Eyedropper

I'm going to pause on the instructions to explain the eyedropper tool, because this is a most handy option for picking color options.

If you have a color palette in image form that you want to use, or you want to pull colors from another design or a photo, go to File>Open on the top menu bar and open that image in Photopea.

The image will open in a new tab. From the left hand tools menu, select the eyedropper tool. And from the top of the right hand panels, select Swatches.

Now just click each color, one at a time, and each one will be added to the swatches panel.

STEP 4:

Resuming where we left off at Step 3, if you've set up custom color swatches these will now be available right in the color picker menu box.

All you have to do is click the color choice you want for each shape and click 'OK' for it to be applied to that shape.

And so on for each shape.

You can also click the color choice from the Swatches panel itself, if your colors are not all shown in the color picker menu box.

Once you have changed your colors you can either continue designing in Photopea or you can save and download your new changes as a new file.

 

 

STEP 5:

To save as a JPG or PDF for printing purposes, simply go to File>Export as and choose your preferred file format.

A pop up will appear with saving options such as file name and image quality. Make any necessary adjustments and click Save. The file will automatically be sent to your downloads folder.

If you want to save as PNG with a transparent background you will first need to turn off the white background layer. In the layers panel, click the eye icon to turn off a layer.

Now save as above but choose the PNG file option. In the saving menu box, leave all settings as they have defaulted with the exception of the file name should you wish to change that. Everything else should be left as is.

 

 

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Clipping Mask Edits in Photopea

1 Aug 2024

Clipping Mask Edits in Photopea

 

Insert images into shapes with free online editor Photopea

The clipping mask is one of the most useful tools you'll have when working with templates like these. And once you know how to do it, it is the easiest thing and is super quick to apply.

As you can see from my example image, what we're doing is inserting an image into (or on to) the template shapes.

It's probably one of the biggest frustrations new designers make when faced with "here's a shape' and 'here's an image' - how do you put the two together??

Well, I assure you, it's super easy!

We're going to do this in the free online editor Photopea, but these instructions translate well over to Photoshop CS or PS Elements as well.

To begin, make sure you have your template and at least one image ready to use, then just follow along.

 

STEP 1:

To get started navigate to Photopea.

Either click "open from computer" to locate and load your PSD template file, or drag and drop the file onto the center of the screen. We'll open the image you want to insert in the steps below.

Your screen will appear like in the example below with the editing canvas open and ready to use.

 

STEP 2:

Go to the layers panel in the lower right of your screen and open a folder (if there is one) by clicking on the little arrow next to the folder icon.

In this template example there are 6 circles, so there will be six separate shape layers, which are organized here by row into 3 folders.

Click once on a shape layer in the layers panel to select it and notice what happens on the canvas. A blue line will appear on that shape indicating it has been selected.

Choose the layer you want to insert an image into by clicking that layer to select it now as in the example.

 

 

STEP 3:

Go the top menu bar and Click File>Open and Place. Find and select the image file you want to insert from wherever it is saved on your computer.

Click ok and the image will be inserted into the template file as a new layer right above the shape layer that you selected in the layers panel.

You can see it now in the layers panel. Right click on that layer name in the layers panel to open a popup menu box. In that menu you'll see the option 'Clipping Mask'. Click this and the magic happens.

If the image was not directly over top of the shape it might appear to have disappeared. But you'll still see the image box and controls nodes.

Use your mouse to drag the image into place and re-size as required, just like the example below.

 

 

 

 

STEP 4:

All that's left to do is to fine tune the size and placement.

The repeat for each additional shape/image.

TIP: you can turn layers off if you don't need them by clicking the eye icon in the layers panel for any shape not required, as well as the background if you require transparency when saving as a PNG.

To save your newly edited template go to the top menu bar and in the top left corner click File>Save as PSD or File>Export As and choose whichever file format you need.

SVG is not compatible with the type of edits we've made here today, so while it will save, it won't work properly as a true SVG.

JPG or PDF will likely be the most suitable options.

 

 

 

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Free Vintage Style Winter Bird Postcards

19 Jun 2024

Free Vintage Style Winter Bird Postcards

 

I'm thinking ahead with these beautiful birds that would be so lovely included in Christmas or Valentine designs.

Incredibly I generated these using AI and I am so delighted with the authentic vintage quality they have, can you identify them as AI generated?

I hope you love them as much as I do and I hope you have fun using these in your designs!

DOWNLOAD HERE

 

 

PIN ME

 

Happy Crafting
Shawnna

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Make Vintage Inspired Bookmark Printables

17 Jun 2024

Make Vintage Inspired Bookmark Printables

 

Today's design inspiration is a set of vintage fashion bookmarks that are easy to make in four simple steps. 

This is an inspirational guide and not a tutorial so while I will give you the break down of each step I won't be covering all of the in depth details - this will depend which software tool you are using. I'm using photoshop, if you don't have this you can always use the free online version Photopea.

I'll provide a list of the resources used at the bottom of this post.

Let's get started!

As mentioned already I made these pretty quickly in just four steps. The part that took the longest was actually choosing which digital resources I wanted to use and I chose 3 elements from my shop for the design as well as the bookmark template. You'll find those links down below.

Step 1: I applied an abstract watercolor background to each bookmark using the clipping mask. I used just one paper but positioned it differently on each so they match but aren't identical.

Step 2: Next I added a vignette edge to the bookmark shape. In photoshop I like to use the inner glow style tool with adjusted settings that add a nice uniform blur edge. I've included a screenshot of my settings for that below.

Step 3: For some added detail I picked out a set of flower overlays, changing them from black to white with an opacity of 40% and applied with the clipping mask on top of the background paper.

Step 4: Finally, I added the main element, a series of vintage fashion graphics from the 1940s. I used the clipping mask again and used the multiply blend mode to merge them more into the other layers. This removed all the white parts of the graphics and gives it a really nice look.

And that's it. Just save, print and cutout. 

Here's a visual of each of the above steps as they were applied:

And here is a screenshot of the inner glow settings I used:

All of the resources used are available in my shop:

1. Bookmark template

2. Paper backgrounds

3. Vintage graphics

4. Flower overlays

Feel free to swipe this idea for yourself and have fun making your own bookmarks or other printables!
Shawnna

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Free Vintage 1940s Fashion Illustrations

15 Jun 2024

Free Vintage 1940s Fashion Illustrations

 

 

Enjoy these lovely vintage clipart graphics that feature 1940s fashion. All 6 illustrations are saved as PNG with transparent backgrounds at roughly 7-8" tall.

These vintage graphics were scanned from old catalogues so they may contain imperfections, just a part of the charm of old images.

I hope you have fun using these in your designs!

DOWNLOAD HERE

 

 

PIN ME

 

Happy Crafting
Shawnna

 

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How to Color Change an Overlay in Photopea

13 Jun 2024

How to Color Change an Overlay in Photopea

 

I offer all of my overlay designs in solid black, which can be great when using blend modes and it often works quite well. In other circumstances though you may want a different look or you may not have blend modes available (like in Canva).

In this tutorial I will show you how to change the color of an overlay for saving as a new PNG (to import into Canva for example) or to continue using it in Photopea for your design work.

Please bear in mind, there are many ways to use the tools in Photopea and I am showing just one method here. This is what I consider to be the easiest beginner choice but it is not the only method. Use the same steps in Photoshop as well.

To begin open Photopea in your web browser and either drag and drop your file onto the screen or select 'Open from Computer' to open your file. For this example I'm using an edging frame overlay.

Step 1:

With your file open and ready to edit, double click on the layer box in the layers panel in the bottom right of the screen. This will open the layer styles pop up box with a list of effect options, click 'color overlay'.

 

Step 2.

To change the color you need to click on the little color box next to 100%. Another pop box will allow you to choose the color you to apply and makes changes in real time as you move the cursor so that you can see what it will look like. Once you are happy with your choice click ok to exit from both pop up panels.

Step 3.

At this point if you are done and just want to save the edit as a new PNG file, go to 'File' in the top menu bar (top left corner) and select 'Export As' and choose PNG. Click 'Save' and the file will automatically download to the downloads folder on your device.

If you wish to continue working on a design move on to Step 4. 

Step 4.

In order to effectively use overlays that have been color changed while working on a design there is one last quick step to do in order to be able to use blend modes with the new color. If you aren't using blend modes then you don't need to do this step.

Right click on the layer box in the layers panel to bring up a menu box and look for the option to 'rasterize layer styles'. Just click this to make the layer available for any new layer styles or blends. That's it, super quick. You can do this as many times as you need without degrading the file.

 

That's it! Job done. Use this technique wherever you are applying overlays or black line graphics to change how they look or how they interact with different effects like opacity or blend modes. 

Happy designing
Shawnna

 

 

 

 

 

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Redefining the handmade marketplace as we know it

12 Jun 2024

Redefining the handmade marketplace as we know it

 

When you talk about handmade online you really can't get away from Etsy being inserted into the conversation. They have dominated as the go to handmade marketplace for the past 18 years. But with a litany of issues to contend with (most of their own making) and sellers getting ever more disgruntled, it begs the question - what comes next?

For many years now Etsy sellers have railed against the choices being made at Etsy HQ, outraged at the lack of seller support, the fee increases and the blind eye to products that are not supposed to even be on the site.

Having been a seller myself on Etsy for the past 16 years, one thing that has become very clear to me is that Etsy is not what sellers want or expect it to be. Etsy has chosen a different path for itself that does not align well with the very ethos of the handmade movement or the artistic community. Etsy instead has become a soulless corporate machine that doesn't value the people or the products that make up its site. Despite what they may say to the contrary (because actions speak louder than words).

Last year I listened to Kara Buntin interview Jon Lincoln, the co-founder of Goimagine, and something struck a cord that really stood out to me as an 'ah-ha' moment. Goimagine is attempting to create exactly the kind of space that handmade sellers actually need and want - a space that will be dedicated to actual handmade but that will also be community driven with the support that both beginner and experienced sellers need in order to thrive. And they are committed to staying private while also donating profits to charity. Can we get a round of applause please!

But will they succeed?

You really need to listen for yourself to Jon talk about the company and their vision for the marketplace. It's truly inspiring. But as he explains quite plainly, the site will only succeed if makers embrace it and promote it the same way they did back in 2006 when Etsy was just getting started. If you want a better platform, you have to be part of the team, because you don't have a marketplace if you don't have sellers. And if you don't have sellers you won't have buyers.

Personally, I'm on board. But it took listening to the goimagine team to get there. I didn't look at the site and think yeah, this is the place. The site actually needs a little bit of work still and as a shopping destination its still pretty small. But I love the idea of it and I want it to succeed. It's a risk and a long term project but I'm happy to have my own storefront already setup and ready to go. You can visit me here.

(yes, the shop name is different - long story, same products :)

Right now what I really need for my goimagine shop to be successful is more digital sellers to join the platform so that buyers have a new digital shopping venue to source from - did I mention, no AI allowed!

If you're on the fence or unsure of dedicating your time to a platform that still has some growing to do, please do go and listen to Jon Lincoln talk about the marketplace. You might not be ready yet but if you or someone you know would like to trial the platform you can use my special referral code for a free month, just use it at signup. You do pay a flat monthly rate to have a shop, and there is an application process to be accepted but it's all very easy and affordable. CODE: DQYSCZ

If you have questions feel free to ask here and I'll do my best to point you in the right direction, but also, drop an email direct to goimagine - a real human will happily assist. Imagine that!

Happy crafting
Shawnna

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Free Vintage Letter Paper Seaweed Scans

5 Jun 2024

Free Vintage Letter Paper Seaweed Scans

 

These 6 letter size papers come from authentic vintage prints of catalogued seaweed varieties.

With added worn effects these papers are ready to go for your junk journal or paper craft projects. Use as is or add your own embellishments.

Sized at 8.5x11" in print resolution they'll work well in any paper craft design.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Happy Crafting
Shawnna

 

 

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Start Your Own Digital Paper Business This Summer

Start Your Own Digital Paper Business This Summer

 

If you are looking to start a new business or add to your existing shop, ever popular digital paper designs make an excellent choice for a side income.

This starter bundle makes it super easy to get started right away with minimal software skills. The pattern work is done for you in these seamless repeating designs. Offering basic patterns such as stripes and polka dots you also get novelty and vintage style designs in this bundle of 624 paper overlays.

With an unlimited commercial use license you are free to make any finished paper design that does not compete with the original overlay to sell in your online shop or as freebies for your audience.

Design simply with solid color on color or use multi color combos using the selection tool to choose different areas of the design. Add textures, gradients or other patterns. Or add graphics for additional complexity. You are only limited by your imagination!

PNG files with transparent backgrounds are compatible with almost all design software but you'll want to use a platform that has the tools you need to do any of the above options. Unfortunately at this time Canva does not have the needed editing tools for this type of PNG file but I'm sure they will eventually expand that toolbox. In the meantime I recommend programs like Photoshop or the free online version Photopea.

I've made it super accessible for you to get started right away by pricing this bundle at an amazing 80% discount. You can learn more and add to cart exclusively in my shop here.

Happy designing!
Shawnna

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