I am a big fan of using my own artwork for my blog imagery and social media updates. Stock imagery is fine, it does the job, but it doesn’t exactly make you stand out from the crowd, does it?
Every time I create something, I take step-by-step photos for multiple reasons - content for blog posts, behind-the-scenes updates and, the reason we’re all here today, fodder for social media graphics.
I know what you’re going to say…
“It’s easy for you. You’re an artist.”
“I don’t have the time/supplies/skills.”
Well you’re wrong! Today I’m going to show you five SUPER simple techniques that will help you create your own unique backgrounds which can then be edited using apps such as Canva, A Beautiful Mess or Picmonkey:
- Using cheap kiddy markers, scribble on a piece of card. Spritz with water. Once the colours have started to merge a little, wiggle the card a little so that the colour runs and creates interesting patterns.
- Brush craft paint onto a piece of card. Once this dry, print a design over the top using a foam stamp.
- Grab a black biro and scribble over a piece of card. Pull out a couple of colours of felt tip pen, and scribble in layers over the top.
- Snip shapes from an old magazine, and glue down to create a patchwork effect.
- Drip three paint colours onto your surface, and scrape across with a plastic card.
So there you have it - five backgrounds you can use as a springboard for your graphics!
Here are my top tips for making the most of them:
>> Tailor the colours and shapes you use to match your website’s branding.
>> Crop different sections out, so that you have a series of backgrounds that “go” but aren’t quite identical.
>> Experiment with different filters and overlays.
>> Add text with your favourite image editing app.
I’d love to see any of your creations, tag me @dairecharlotte so I can have a nosey!
Daire (pronounced Dara) is a mixed-media artist, writer and art journaler with a penchant for TV binges and talking to the cat. You can find more of her ramblings (and a fun FREE creative ebook) on her website, openwaydesigns.com