DESIGN SCHOOL WORKSHOP THREE

Backgrounds,
Shapes & Layouts
 INTRODUCTION

Why backgrounds, shapes, and layouts matter

BACKGROUNDS take a blank canvas and set the stage for your design.
An effective background, whether it's an image or thoughtful
manipulation of white space, will create visual appeal and harmony.

SHAPES are versatile tools in your Canva tool kit. Be creative and use
these elements as an alternative to photographic images to create visual
flair in your layouts.

LAYOUT DESIGN draws upon an understanding of alignment, white

space, and hierarchy. A sound grasp of these principles will allow you to
create beautiful compositions of graphics and text.
 TODAY'S

Agenda

Backgrounds Shapes Layout Design

Brilliant Backgrounds
 MARRY TEXT AND IMAGES

Consider the empty space

ELECTRIC PARROT ISLAND

LADYBUG Bird s anctuary

Alberta, Canada

Caf e an d Bistro
Sao Paul o , Br az il

Identify the empty spaces in your photos and add text to those areas.
 MARRY TEXT AND IMAGES

Using transparency

pop+pack
architects
F OR T H E MODERN H OME

poppack.com

Make your text pop by adjusting the

transparency of your image.
 MARRY TEXT AND IMAGES

Work with image features

Flipper
A beautiful tale 
about a boy and his sea friend

By resizing and adjusting the placement of your images, you can work
with specific photo features to place your text in creative ways.

Proceed to tutorial
 BRILLIANT BACKGROUNDS

Utilize contrast

Difficulties are just things to overcome.
Er nest Shac k leton (187 4 – 1922)

When using photos as backgrounds, choose ones which provide

sufficient space and appropriate coloration to contrast against your text.
 BRILLIANT BACKGROUNDS

Use borders with text

Adding borders around text can help frame and bring focus
to the message in your design.
 BRILLIANT BACKGROUNDS

Create your own textures

A desert is a place
without expectation
A desert is a place
without expectation

By resizing an image within your grid, you can use a texture within
the image itself as your background.

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 CREATIVE BACKGROUND TOOLS

Use blocks of color

B E T T Y'S   B A K E RY JOHN DEERE

Ravishing Raspberries
BRINGING HARVEST FARM TO TABLE  Yo u r  nei g h b o r h o o d  f a r m
eq u i p m ent  d ea l er

Adding a solid colored square can provide a clear backdrop

for the message you want to communicate in your design.
 CREATIVE BACKGROUND TOOLS

Blur your backgrounds

Thanksgiving
Harvest
NOVEMBER 2015

Choose a photo with rich textures and then adjust the blur on the image
so that you can place text on top that stays sharp and readable.
 CREATIVE BACKGROUND TOOLS

Desaturate your images

TH E LILYPA D
CAFE
11 Barnes Street | Brooklyn, NY
BIG BEN
LONDON, UK

By decreasing the saturation in your images, you can create distinct

contrast by overlaying bright and bold text.

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Shapes
 DESIGNING WITH SHAPES

Resizable squares and circles

JANE GREY
ART IS T RY
Elegant stained glass windows 
for the modern home

With resizable squares and circles you can draw emphasis to certain
components of your text or provide interesting framing.
 DESIGNING WITH SHAPES

Use shapes to highlight text

Go beyond squares and circles and opt for interesting shapes that
draw attention to important text elements on the page.

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 INFOGRAPHICS

Use infographics to represent data

Aver ag e r ainf all in the Amaz on

Braz ilian Dept of Meteorolog y

175mm 210mm 420mm

Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sept

By adding infographics to your presentations, you can add visual

interest to otherwise dry statistical information.
 INFOGRAPHICS

Use infographics to represent data

25 % 50%
75%

2013 2014 2015

Me a d o w Pu b l i c Hi g h S c ho o l graduat io n rat e s

Infographics can also serve to present complex information and relative

data points in a way that can be quickly and clearly understood.

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 STARTING WITH SCALE

Consider the text size

P r e t t y i n

PINK
The Breast Cancer Society Annual Gala

Adjusting the scale of your text will help you enforce specific
elements or sentiments of your message.
 STARTING WITH SCALE

Consider the image size

Enlarge your images to bring additional emphasis to the content

that's conveyed in your text.

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Layout Design
 THE ART OF ALIGNMENT

Center the elements on the page

E l e g a n t s ta i n e d g l a s s w i n do w s
fo r the m o de r n ho m e

Whether you're working with shapes or text, you can center the
elements on the page to create a clean and focused design.
 THE ART OF ALIGNMENT

Use consistent margins

New York City
S &G   D e s i g n
Elegant stairs since 1969 SLEEPS

Use the same margin spacing around your text to maintain balance
and consistency in your design.

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 WORKING WITH WHITE SPACE

Create clarity and emphasis

White space can be an effective way

to draw attention to an element on
the page or clarity to your text.
 WORK WITH THE WHITE SPACE

Use color to create white space

SAVE THE LEAPORDS

savetheleapords.org
Blowing from
the west
Fallen leaves
gather
In the east.
A H A IK U PO E M
White space doesn't have to be white. Use
color to bring pop to your images or text.

Proceed to tutorial
 HARNESSING HIERARCHY

Use text hierarchy

Milk
With variable sized text,
you can create more
dominant elements which
attract the eye first,
AND COOKIES
125G BUTTER
1 CUP BROWN SUGAR followed by smaller subtitle
1/4 CASTER SUGAR 
1 EGG and body text that should
1 TSP VANILLA ESSENCE
1 CUP SELF-RAISING FLOUR
3/4 CUP PLAIN FLOUR
be read later.
1 TSP BAKING POWDER
1 CUP CHOCOLATE CHIPS
 HARNESSING HIERARCHY

Use color and type treatments

Use fonts and text colors that embody the message you're
conveying, like with the playful "Waffles" typeface or the
"Tennis season" varsity lettering.
 HARNESSING HIERARCHY

Contrast large and small images

Bring emphasis to an image by enlarging it and contrasting

it against several other smaller images.
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