Canva For Beginners: 10 Must-Try Design Ideas & Tips For 2021

Let's face it, it's a highly-competitive world out there. Whether you're a business trying to get your products noticed or you're a professional looking for a job, it's not enough that you know you're great at what you do. What matters more is that you are able to show people that you are -- even without personally meeting them.

So how do you do that? A social media post is no longer just photos and captions -- it's animated graphics. A resume is not just text and your photo -- it's an aesthetically-pleasing layout showing that you've adapted to the times.

First impressions last and great design can help you with that immensely. This is where you need Canva. In case you haven't heard, it's currently everyone's favorite all-in-one design tool.

Graphic design for the everyman

Made for the everyman, Canva is an excellent online graphic design tool that is very easy to use, even for beginners. It's perfect for individuals who don't have time to learn complicated design software. With over 30 million users and a $6 billion valuation, it’s clear that Canva has already made a name for itself as a trusted brand in the industry thanks to its uncomplicated features that give great value.

Haven't tried it yet? Here, we listed down 10 must-try design tips that you can do with Canva:

1. Limit your typefaces, but maximize what you use

When choosing a font for your headings and subheadings, limit the style of fonts you’ll be using. Make sure to also choose those that are easy to read. Doing so does not only make your layout more cohesive and pleasant to look at, but would also better convey your message.

Luckily, Canva has dozens upon dozens of different fonts and typefaces that you can use for different graphic design purposes, ranging from traditional to wacky to a more modern aesthetic.

2. 3D typography

But why stop at just traditional fonts? Take it a step further by using 3D typography. It will make your text more eye catching, dynamic and engaging.

You can expect that you'll see a lot more 3D typography in 2021, and Canva’s 3D tools will help you get a headstart in the game.

3. Use emojis!

You read that right. Emojis are everywhere and it makes graphics easily more relatable across all online platforms. Emojis are now such a highly-recognized form of communication that a little wink emoji at the end of a statement can make a big difference. The same can be said for designs, with emojis conveying underlying feelings.

As everyone is familiar with emojis at this point, why not incorporate them in your Canva designs?

4. Go for a nature-inspired aesthetic

This is the year of organic, natural and softer design trends. The popularity of nature-inspired designs is also an effect of the present pandemic. Mimicking nature and making use of natural light along with softer and earth tone colors should help lighten the mood.

This can be easily achieved with Canva’s own filters, image editor, vectors and illustrations. You can choose from a wide range of available illustrations that you can customize for your brand or personal use. If you're feeling extra creative, the editor feature lets you start from scratch.

5. Go animated!

Animation has become very popular, so incorporating this trend into your designs would get your graphics more attention.

Thankfully, you don’t have to be an animator to do this as Canva Pro’s premium animation will provide you with instant animation tools that will bring your visuals to life with just one click. You can choose from 14 animation styles or tweak and customize your own.

6. Contrast is king

When it comes to basic design rules, always remember that contrast is king. Whether layering or color combinations, using contrast will not only make your design standout but also help the different elements breathe.

You can do this by using Canva’s selection of filters and color combinations to enhance your design. For example, if you use a black illustration, set it against a white background. For softer tones, you don’t have to go the complete opposite, as you can still achieve contrast by using different colors from the same color spectrum.

Try out Canva's free image editor for yourself here.

7. Polished retro

Vintage-inspired design will never go out of style. Evoking a sense of nostalgia, familiarity and comfort sells well with people and it's something that brands can use with their designs.

You can easily use Canva to give your designs a vintage look. You don’t have to make use of the templated designs as is, you can make your own by tweaking it based on your personal style.

8. No naked images

Here’s an easy design tip: never go for naked images. We’re not talking about the content in the images you use, but your design's layout.

When it comes to putting multiple images on a page/spread, make sure you align them on grids for a professional look, rather than having them all over the place. Canva provides multiple layout choices for this, giving you more freedom to experiment and find your desired style.

9. Brand Activism

From the global climate movement to Black Lives Matter and calls to stop systemic racism, activism has become more visible in our daily lives. As such, creating graphics in support of your brand's advocacies will give you better reach and recognition especially among the younger demographic.

10. Keep it simple

Last but not the least, keep it simple. With so many things trying to catch our attention these days, things will likely hit a saturation point. Be a breath of fresh air by presenting your information through clean and clear layouts.

If you’re making infographics, statistics or simple illustrations to communicate information, creating something less distracting would actually make it more noticeable. You can use Canva’s customizable layouts to come up with infographics thatb are easy to digest.

There you go, these 10 graphic design tips will surely be useful to you this 2021. Canva’s easy-to-use tools and features make design more accessible even for beginners, enabling them to keep up in a very dynamic world.

Learn more about Canva by clicking here.