How to Customize a Free Lead Magnet Template for Visual Artists, in Canva: Step-by-Step Instructions.
As a creative business owner, I know, from first-hand experience one of the things we all struggle with at one time or another is building an email list. And, because I work with a lot of artists, I know that coming up with a lead magnet (or opt-in freebie) that is right for their particular audience can be challenging. I’ve heard from some of you that offering a discount in exchange for an email doesn’t feel like the best option, even if it is standard practice in so many other industries. So, I got to work, and created a lead magnet specifically for visual artists that is better aligned with what you do, and also addresses an audience ‘pain point’ or FAQ.
Enter “The Art of Framing” — a (free) 14-page framing guide for visual artists that can be customized or personalized in Canva, based on your own needs and aesthetics. Do as little or as much customizing as you want. It’s all written and designed with your creative business in mind, so if you choose to use it, you can simply add your name and contact information, and you have something you can begin to offer right away; or you can customize the document to include a list of the local frame shops you recommend to your art collectors, as well as replace photos with images of your own work— in the studio, in place, and with the type of framing you generally recommend for your art. We all want our work to look its absolute best, and sometimes a little extra guidance really makes what can be a confusing process, so much easier!
If you’re interested, and you haven’t yet downloaded the template, you can get it here.
Preview of the free lead magnet framing guide for visual artists
If you’re new to Canva, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to use, even for first-timers. Canva is a powerful and intuitive graphic design tool that enables anyone to create stunning designs for various purposes. With Canva, you can quickly create social media graphics, posters, business cards, flyers, presentations, and more. Canva has an extensive library of templates that you can customize to fit your needs. In this blog post, I'll guide you through the process of editing a shared Canva template - using the framing guide as an example. Let's get started!
What is a “Shared” Canva template?
A "shared" Canva template refers to a template that has been created by one user in Canva and then shared with other users. The template creator can share the template by generating a unique link that they can send to others via email or messaging app. Once the recipient clicks on the link, they will be taken to the shared template and can make a copy of it to edit and customize as they wish. Sharing Canva templates is a convenient way to collaborate on design projects or to share pre-designed templates with colleagues or clients who may not have access to Canva.
For example, if you’re here, you may have downloaded my shared template: “Framing Guide” a lead magnet for visual artists who want to grow their email list. This post will walk you through how to customize the document to increase its relevance to your own art, or to increase its consistency with your own branding or visual aesthetic.
To Get Started: Create a Free Canva Account
Before you can start editing a Canva template, it’s helpful to create a free Canva account. Go to www.canva.com and click on the "Sign up" button. You can either sign up with your email or your Google or Facebook account. No credit card is required.
Step 1: Open the Shared Canva Template
The first thing you’ll need to do is open the shared Canva template link you received via email. Once you click on the link, you'll be taken directly to the Canva template.
Step 2: Click on “Use Template”
To edit the template, you’ll need to click on the "Use template" button. Canva will then create a copy of the template and add it to your own Canva dashboard. You can then edit this copy as you please, without affecting the original template.
Step 3: How to Edit Text
Once you’ve made a copy of the template, you can start editing the text. To edit text, simply click on any text box and start typing. Notice the purple ‘box’ below, which indicates that it has been selected. Click on the text you want to delete or edit, and start making your changes. You can also change the font, size, color, and alignment of the text using the toolbar at the top of the screen.
Step 4: Change Colors
To change the color of individual items in any document, simply click on the item, and then head over to the color swatch in the upper left corner of the dashboard. In the example below, I’ve clicked on the ivory background (block), and then clicked on the ivory color swatch to select an alternate color.
In this example, I’ve clicked on the ivory background. Then, I clicked on the ivory color swatch in the menu bar above it, in order to select an alternate color. That action opens a new dialogue box, to the left, where you’ll be able to make alternate color selections.
If you want to incorporate specific brand colors, the best way to do that is to click on the plus sign in the top left, and type in a Hex color in the box below. That will pull up the specific color and automatically add it to the block you’ve selected within the document.
Many Canva templates come with pre-set color schemes or palettes. This feature impacts color selection across an entire document. To explore that option, head over to the “Styles” feature (circled above) and then select a color palette from the preset options available. Apply them to preview your layouts in various palettes before selecting a final choice!
Step 5: Upload Your Own Images (Optional)
If you want to use your own images in the template, click on the "Uploads" tab in the left sidebar. You can then drag and drop images from your computer or click on the "Upload media" button to select images from your computer.
If you want to replace any of the images in the template with images of your own artwork, simply click on the uploads icon, and select your media source (desktop, dropbox, etc.). You can upload multiple images at once, for greater convenience.
Step 6: Replace Existing Images
If you want to replace the existing images in the template with your own images, click on the image you want to replace and then click on the "Replace" button in the toolbar that appears. You can then select an image from your computer to replace the existing image.
To select one of the images of your work you’ve uploaded to Canva, simply click on the image (in the left dialogue box), and it will added to the current page you are viewing on the right. You can then resize and drag and drop the image into place, either to replace an existing image, or to incorporate a new image block within the current layout. You can also choose images by clicking on the “photos’ icon in the lower left column, which will allow you to search for copyright-free images and graphics.
Step 7: Download the Final PDF
Once you've finished editing the template, you can download the final PDF; your customized framing guide.
Click on the "Share" button at the top right corner of the screen and the scroll down to select the “Download” option.
Select the file format you want to download (in most cases you’ll want to select a standard PDF for electronic download), but you can also select a jpg file of the cover page (page 1 only), for promotional purposes.
There you have it! Editing a Canva template is a straightforward process that anyone can do. By following the steps above, you can easily customize a Canva template to fit your needs. Don't be afraid to experiment with different colors, fonts, and images to create a design that stands out. With Canva, you can create professional-looking designs even if you have no prior design experience. So, get started today and see what you can create!
Questions?
Canva offers a range of resources to help users learn how to use their platform effectively. Their online training courses cover everything from the basics of design to advanced techniques for creating professional-level graphics. These courses are available for free and can be accessed from the Canva website. Canva's training also includes a library of tutorials, blogs, and design guides that offer practical tips and tricks for using the platform. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced designer, Canva's training resources can help you take your designs to the next level. Check out Canva's training resources at https://www.canva.com/learn/.
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