Introduction
Canva is a popular graphic design platform that makes it easy for anyone to create beautiful designs, even without professional design experience. One of Canva’s most useful features is the ability to remove and replace backgrounds on photos and other design elements. With a few simple steps, you can delete backgrounds and add new ones to entirely transform the look of your designs.
Why Would You Want to Change a Background?
There are many reasons why you might want to replace a background when designing with Canva:
– To remove a cluttered or distracting background from a photo
– To change the color scheme or style of your design
– To make one element stand out by giving it a different background
– To create a cohesive look by using the same background on multiple elements
– To insert your design into a new environment or scene
– To remove branding, watermarks, or text from the original background
– To customize a design by adding your own unique background
Having the ability to control and modify backgrounds gives you more creative flexibility when using Canva. You can adapt any of Canva’s templates, graphics, and photos to suit your specific needs.
Step 1: Select the Graphic Element to Change
The first step is simple: select the photo, shape, or text element that you want to change the background on. You can do this by left clicking on the element once to open the toolbar on the left side of the screen. This will allow you to start making edits to just that selected piece.
When you’ve selected the item you want to alter, you should see dots around the edges indicating that it is ready to be edited. The background can now be removed and replaced on this specific graphic without affecting the rest of the design.
Step 2: Remove the Original Background
From the toolbar on the left side of your screen, click the “Background” option. This will open a tab with background editing options.
Choose the “Remove” button to delete the current background on your selected graphic element. The background will now become transparent and disappear.
Alternatively, you can use the eraser tool to manually erase parts of the background. Select the eraser from the toolbar, choose your brush size, and erase sections by holding left click and dragging. This gives you more precision if you only want to erase certain areas rather than the entire background.
Step 3: Add a New Background
After removing the original background, you can now add a new one from Canva’s extensive background options.
From the “Background” tab, click the “+” icon to open a menu of background choices, sorted into categories like Colors, Textures, Uploads, and more.
You can choose a solid color background, an image like a landscape photo, an abstract geometric pattern, and much more. Uploaded images from your computer can also be used as custom backgrounds.
To add the new background, just left click your choice and it will automatically fill in the transparent area around your selected element.
Step 4: Modify and Adjust the New Background
Once your new background is added, there are a few other options to adjust it further:
– Change background color: For solid color backgrounds, you can click on the color rectangle to open a color picker and choose something else.
– Adjust size/position: Drag the dots at the edges and corners of the element to scale or move the background into the desired position.
– Add background effects: Try different filters like Blur, Overlay, Multiply, and more to create interesting effects.
– Adjust transparency: Use the opacity slider to make the background more or less transparent as needed.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with these tools until your new background looks just right behind your chosen element. The Undo and Redo buttons at the top of the editor allow you to easily revert or repeat steps if needed.
Step 5: Save and Export Your Design
Once you are satisfied with your new background, the last thing to do is export your completed Canva design.
Click the big “Download” button at the top of the editor window. You can then choose to download your design as an image, pdf, or svg file. PNG is recommended for photos and JPG works for simpler designs.
The transparent background will be preserved in your downloaded file. This allows you to easily save graphics with custom backgrounds you created in Canva so you can use them in other projects and documents.
Now you have a completed design with a brand new background added in just a few clicks! The simple Canva editing process makes it fast and easy to customize the backgrounds of any images, graphics, logos, and more to suit your needs.
Tips for Changing Backgrounds in Canva
– Use Canva’s eraser tool for selective background removal rather than deleting the entire thing.
– Pay attention to contrast between foreground and background colors. They should be distinct enough to make the focal point stand out.
– Match background style to the overall aesthetic you’re going for in your design. A whimsical doodle illustration might pair well with a solid bright color or playful pattern.
– Start with a high quality image with good resolution if you plan to enlarge it or print it. This prevents pixelation.
– Look for backgrounds with subtle textures rather than busy patterns to avoid clashing or overwhelming your main design elements.
– The Transparent Background tool can be used to create a see-through effect rather than an opaque background.
Conclusion
The ability to remove and replace backgrounds is an incredibly useful Canva feature. With just a few clicks, you can delete distracting backgrounds from photos, change color schemes, customize templates, and make images blend seamlessly into any new design.
Taking the time to find the perfect background can elevate your Canva creations to the next level. The right background can help make focal elements stand out, tie together your overall visual theme, and look professional.
So get creative exploring Canva’s extensive background options to transform any photo, logo, or layout into a beautiful, personalized design! With this simple yet powerful tool, the possibilities are endless for enhancing your images.
| Step | Instructions |
|---|---|
| 1 | Select the graphic element to change |
| 2 | Remove the original background |
| 3 | Add a new background |
| 4 | Modify and adjust the new background |
| 5 | Save and export your design |
Tips Summary
- Use Canva’s eraser tool for selective background removal
- Pay attention to contrast between foreground and background colors
- Match background style to overall aesthetic
- Start with high quality images
- Avoid busy patterns
- Try the Transparent Background tool
