Architekwiki
  • Home
  • WIKI
  • Start Here
  • Resources
  • Other
    • Reading List
    • Ochre >
      • Ochre
      • Ochre KB
      • Ochre FAQs
      • Ochre Help
    • Details
    • The 3 Aspects
    • About
    • Subscription FAQs
    • Terms of Use
  • Subscribe
  • Home
  • WIKI
  • Start Here
  • Resources
  • Other
    • Reading List
    • Ochre >
      • Ochre
      • Ochre KB
      • Ochre FAQs
      • Ochre Help
    • Details
    • The 3 Aspects
    • About
    • Subscription FAQs
    • Terms of Use
  • Subscribe

Architekwiki

A Resource For Architects
Click here to get good stuff in your inbox

Categories

All
Business Development
Business Management
Design
Detail
Miscellaneous
Project Management
Resources

Archives

January 2023
November 2022
October 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
June 2021
May 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012

I'm Pretty Sure You Need This App

6/4/2017

 
Canva logo
I have been using this free graphics tool for three years. Canva is a graphic design program that anyone can use. It is drop-dead easy. Check it out here.

Canva has proven itself to be so helpful that I recently started using the Canva For Work version that has a few bells and whistles I like. $12.95 a month saves me at least an hour a month, but you won't need that. Canva is free and really powerful.
The App is browser based, so there is nothing to maintain and any modern browser can handle the app. There is also an iPad version that works very well, too. Elements are drag and drop with the recognizable 'handles' to re-size, rotate, or re-position. You can change the color and transparency of each element too. Add or change the background. Upload and insert your own photos, graphics, logos, maps, screenshots. As you add these items, crop and re-size on the fly. Add text, change font, change size and color of the text, even the orientation. As I said, it is easy. Unless you have never even played with 'WordArt' in MS Word, the learning curve is about 15 minutes. But there are plenty of tutorials and How-To demos to help you expand your capabilities. 

You start your graphic by determining the size you want. There are standard templates for 
blog graphics. Facebook covers, Pinterest, Invitations, letter size (brochures or newsletters). You can also specify a custom size. There are lots of icons, text bubbles, and standard graphics to pull into your masterpiece. Plenty of these are free. Some are a buck to use. 

So if you have been steering clear of graphics, you ought to try this out and open up a whole new thing.
Example Project Logo
Thinking about how architects could use Canva gave me the idea of creating a logo for every project. Impress your client. Besides, a project logo gives you something to blog or post or both. Use it on drawings and report covers. 

Here's one I threw together to illustrate the idea, but I'm sure you can do lots better.

I grabbed an 'exercise' icon from the Canva archive. Added the Project Name. Imported a screenshot of a Google Map, which I cropped as I brought it in, and added the red star for location. Total time - 15 minutes. Total cost - $0.00.

The 'artwork' is saved in the program. You can download it in a couple of formats, and you can go back and edit it or duplicate it for another version. 

There is really no reason for not adding graphics to every deliverable you turn out. After all, your client will probably be using this free app, too.
I have been encouraging you to start a blog and use it as a simple, cheap and easy marketing tool. Canva opens up lots of opportunities to enhance your blog posts. Easily add text of the right style and color for legibility to your photos. Add backgrounds for interest. 

Keep in mind that Canva is so easy that anybody could be pressed into service to help increase the graphic appeal in everything that you produce.
Canva

My tools that you might find helpful because they helped me:

Trello-PM - project management system

FeeCalqs - fee estimating system

OFFPLAN - work load projecting system

MyCorbu - timekeeping and project bookkeeping system

###

Comments are closed.
    Resources

    Start Here

    YouTube Channel

    Join The Mailing List

    Terms of Use
    Your use of Architekwiki is implicit agreement with the 
    ​
    Terms of Use.
    Thank You for your donation

    x
    Get Good Stuff in Your Inbox
    Picture
    Subscribe

    RSS Feed


    Archives

    January 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012

    Categories

    All
    Business Development
    Business Management
    Design
    Detail
    Miscellaneous
    Project Management
    Resources

Picture

Picture
VISIT ARCHITEKWIKI'S RESOURCES
​
START HERE
ABOUT
SIGN UP
TERMS OF USE
Architekwiki | Architect's Resource | Greater Cincinnati 
© 2012-2022   Architekwiki​