Trying to make blog post graphics, but have NO idea where to start? Or you’ve tried, but your end result doesn’t do your blog post any favors?
You see other blogs with graphics that look so good, and you wonder why you’re struggling with something that seems like it should be so easy. All you want to do is make a blog post graphic.
Well, grab some coffee (tea, cocoa, any form of caffeine…) and pull up a chair. We’re about to set you up with a blog post graphic that looks great AND works as a template to make future graphics easier. Sound good?
Want a simple way to make blog post graphics?
This is for you if:
- You’re short on time
- You’ve never opened Photoshop (or never finished a project)
- You’re not sure if you’re setting up your blog post graphics correctly
Here’s what we’re making:
Why Photoshop?
Because it’s awesome. Seriously – it’s quick to learn, and you can get a 30-day trial for free (and it’s as low as $10 a month after that). But better yet, learn a few basics in Photoshop, and everything you do will be fast, on-brand, and customized just for you. Make blog post graphics, social media posts, branding, opt-ins – basically, you can build yourself an inventory of I’ve-got-this.
Ready? Let’s tackle your first blog post graphic:
Follow along in the video, or see each step below.
1 – Open a new Photoshop document
Set the size of your new document to 750 width & 1100 height, using pixels as the measurement. Enter 72 for the resolution. Make sure the color mode is RGB.
This is a good size for Pinterest, where vertical (tall) images perform the best.
Click images to enlarge.
2 – Choose a photo for the background
Choose a photo that has plenty of space for your text – this is called COPY SPACE. You’re looking for photos with large areas of light or dark. If you take your own photos, think about this during your next photoshoot and take plenty of photos with copy space.
Open the folder that contains your photo, and drag it onto your canvas in Photoshop. Resize the photo so that it covers your canvas.
PRO TIP: If you’re using Photoshop 2018 or earlier, hold the shift key to resize photos. That will keep you from squishing the photo! (In Photoshop 2019, you no longer have to hold shift)
Before we go any further, let’s save the graphic. Go to File and Save As, and choose a name for your graphic. Save it in a folder you’ll remember.
Want to use the same photos and fonts I am? Check out the handy list at the end.
3 – Add your text
Time for your blog post title. Select the type tool (the “T” in the tool panel on the left), and in the options at the top of your screen, choose your font & color. If you like fancy fonts, the main part of your blog title is the perfect place. Just make sure it’s still easy to read!
Now, click anywhere on your canvas to start a text box. Type out your blog post title. You can center the text or align it to the right or left (see the options at the top of the screen when you’re using the text tool).
To make your text bigger or smaller, click the Move tool (the 4-arrow icon at the top of the tools panel), and click on your text.
You’ll see a faint rectangle around your text – that’s the text box. If you don’t see the box, look at the top of your screen and make sure you check the option “Show Transform Controls”.
Click one of the corners of your text box. Drag it to make your text bigger or smaller. (Hold down the shift key if using Photoshop 2018 or earlier.)
If you want to add a second text box (for example, a tag line in a different font), just follow the same steps to add a new text box. For contrast, use a simpler font.
Trouble choosing fonts?
See this simple trick for font pairing.
4 – Add your blog name
Do yourself (and your readers) a favor, and add your blog name to the bottom of your graphic. You want anyone browsing Pinterest to see at a glance where your post is from.
We’ll use a shortcut for this.
Here’s the goal: we want your blog name to be in the same simple font we just used for the tagline, but much smaller.
You could make a new text box like you’ve been doing, but this is much faster: with the move tool, hold down the OPT/ALT key, click on your tagline, and just drag a new layer off of the old!
Cool stuff.
With the type tool, select your text and change it to your blog name. Resize it and move it down to the bottom of your graphic.
Click images to enlarge.
5 – Save for the web
Now we just need to save your blog post graphic so you can upload it.
Go to File > Export > Export As… (if you’re using Photoshop CS6, see the note below.)
Choose JPG for the format.
For quality, choose somewhere between 70-100 percent. This determines how big your file will be in kilobytes. (The bigger the file size, the longer your blog will take to load.)
You want to get as close to 100kb as you can, without sacrificing too much quality. But if it’s up to 300kb or so, it’s not the end of the world.
Get as close as you can to 100kb, but don’t go below 70% quality.
For Photoshop CS6 users:
Go to File > Export > Save for Web.
Save the file to a folder you’ll remember, and you are SO done.
Congrats, you! Hail the conquering design hero.
Want to see how cool your graphic really is?
The next time you need to make blog post graphics, start with the one you just made. This is our template. SAVE IT UNDER A NEW NAME! You don’t want to lose your old graphic.
Let’s see how this format works for light-colored text.
Drag in a new photo, just like you did before.
Click images to enlarge.
Resize it by dragging from the corner. (Hold down the shift key if using Photoshop 2018 or earlier.)
In the bottom right corner of your screen, you have the Layers Panel. Everything you add into your project, from a photo to a text box, gets its own layer.
And you have complete control of them. Don’t let it go to your head – too much.
Your new photo layer will probably be on the top. Drag it down below your text layers.
Use the type tool to change your existing text boxes. Select the text, and change the font & color from the options at the top of the screen.
Change the text for each text layer, and arrange it to your liking. If you get stuck, see the video.
STYLE TIP: Once you settle on a few fonts you like, it’s a good idea to keep them consistent in your graphics. People will begin to recognize your style.
I used several different font styles in these examples (instead of sticking to just a few) to show you how this template can work for any niche, any style.
Almost done…
One more touch – This photo doesn’t have super dark copy space, which makes the white text just a bit difficult to read.
We’ll make it stand out with a drop shadow.
Select one of your text boxes. At the bottom of the layers panel, click the Layer Style icon (looks like a tiny “fx”). Click “drop shadow”.
Adjust the distance, spread, & size of the drop shadow. If you can’t see the drop shadow while you’re working, make sure that the “Preview” box is checked.
Don’t go too far with the drop shadow – the goal is to make the text easier to read.
In the image below, I’m adjusting the drop shadow for the tag line. In a moment, I’ll copy that to the big title & the small blog name.
Time for another shortcut.
We want to add the same drop shadow to the other two text boxes.
In the layers panel, right-click on the text layer you just added a drop shadow to, and click “Copy layer style.”
Do you see where we’re going with this?
Now, right-click on one of the other text layers, and click “Paste layer style.” Instant drop shadow.
You are officially awesome.
Repeat on the last text layer, and win the day.
Want more options?
Check out a few more examples of the power you now possess with your Photoshop magic.
How easy was that? Even if you’ve never opened Photoshop before, you can make blog post graphics (that you actually like!) in just a few minutes. Honestly, the longest part is finding a photo. Speaking of which, if you need a great source for FREE stock photos, I’ve got you covered.
You write awesome blog posts that serve your audience well. There’s no reason you can’t make blog post graphics just as awesome!
And, if you want to use a photo that doesn’t have copy space, all you need is an overlay. Check out this tutorial to make a blog post graphic – it’s simple and fast!
Look at you go – you’re building a stock of go-to design templates. Watch out, world!
Design Assets I used:
- 8 Healthy Breakfast Ideas
- Clean Your Desk
- Counting the Stars
- Plan Your Day
