How to Create a Printable Using PicMonkey

I really don’t know how I survived without PicMonkey! I used to rely entirely on Photoshop or PowerPoint when I had to create images – both of which are not so easy to work with. With PicMonkey, if I have the right idea, creating a new image just takes minutes.

PicMonkey allows us to create simple printables with ease, yet making it look very professional. Today, I share a simple tutorial on how to create a free printable using PicMonkey. But before we get into that, I want to alert you about a few things you need to consider when creating a printable.

1. Who is it for? Once you have brainstormed an idea for your printable, you need to identify whom you are targeting. Is the printable for men, women, boys or girls?

2. Decide on colors. Your printable should have color combinations that appeal to the people you are targeting. Try to include at least one color from your brand or logo.

3. Finalize the fonts. Your fonts need to be readable and combine only fonts that will go with each other. Try not to have too many different fonts in your printable. I try to stick to a maximum of 3 unique fonts.

4. Pick your graphics. Choose an ideal background image or clip art that will go with the idea for your printable, and will appeal to your audience. For example, flowers have a feminine appeal, and would be an excellent choice for a printable meant for women.

5. Leave enough spacing. There should be enough white space between the elements in your printable, so whatever you’re showcasing is seen clearly. Too many elements such as text and clip art will make it look very crowded. So, try not to cram too much into your printable. There are always exceptions, though. Altogether, the positioning of your individual elements should add to the overall appeal of the printable.

Don’t worry if you have no experience in creating printables. You will get the hang of it as you keep doing it; don’t beat yourself up. I am not a graphic person, but if I can do it, anyone can!

Now, let’s get into the core topic of this post: how to create a printable using PicMonkey. I will be creating a printable To-Do Today pocket card, and will be using screenshots to show you exactly how I do it. This is just one method; as you play around on PicMonkey you will discover many other options.

Step 1: Create a wireframe

Create a wireframe – a visual representation of how you want your printable to look. It need not be very elaborate, just a rough sketch on paper will do. This is not the final design and might change as you improvise on it in PicMonkey. Here’s what my pocket card wireframe looked like.

Create a wireframe

Step 2: Open PicMonkey

Open PicMonkey in your browser and mouse-over the ‘Design’ option.

Mouse-over the 'Design' option

Note: If you want to use a background image, you will have to choose the ‘Edit’ option and upload your image.

Step 3: Select the Canvas

Select a canvas for your printable. I chose a square canvas.

Select a canvas for your printable

Step 4: Change the canvas dimensions

Under the ‘Basic Edits’ menu, select the ‘Resize’ option. This is if you want to change the dimensions of your canvas. The default size for a square image is 2000 x 2000.

Under the 'Basic Edits' menu, select the 'Resize' option.

Enter the exact dimensions of your printable. I’ve used 285 x 385 to create 3 x 4 inch pocket cards.

Enter the exact dimensions of your printable.

Step 5: Select the background color

If you’d like to change the background color of your printable, select the ‘Canvas Color’ option under the ‘Basic Edits’ menu. You can choose a shade from the color selector, or enter the hex code. I’ve left mine as white which is the default. 

Select background color

Step 6: Add the text

Click on the ‘Text’ menu and click ‘Add Text’ button.

Click text men

A text box will appear on your canvas.

Text box

Type in your text in the text box. I entered the word “Date” followed by dots which serves as space for the user to enter the date.

Type in your text

Select the text box and drag it to it’s corresponding place on your printable. I wanted the date to be at the top of the printable, so I moved it there.

Drag the text box

Change the text color. I used the palette on the right to select a pretty shade of blue.

Change text color

Add more text. I wanted more lines, so I added another text box and followed the same steps outlined above.

Add more text

Duplicate the text as needed. When you right-click a text box, it will give you the option to duplicate it. I used that option to add more lines of dots.

duplicate-text

If you are not happy with the font you have, you can always change it from the left sidebar.

Change the font

Step 7: Add the graphics

Click on the ‘Overlay’ menu and choose the type of graphic you want to include in your printable.

Click overlay menu

When you select an overlay, it’s immediately added onto your canvas. I’ve selected a vintage blossom for my printable cards.

Select overlay

You can then resize your overlay and move it around to where you actually want it. I’ve added two blossoms to the bottom of my printable.

Two blossom overlays

Note: If you have a PicMonkey Royale membership, you can add your own graphics from the ‘Overlays’ menu and work with it.

Step 8: Add a border

Click on the ‘Frames’ menu option on the left.

Click on the 'Frames' menu option

Select the ‘Simple Edge’ border.

Select simple edge border

Play around with the color and thickness of the border, until you’re happy with the overall look of the printable.

Adjust the border

Step 9: Save it

Your printable is now ready to be saved. Click on the ‘Save’ option at the top.

Save the printable

Save your image as a JPEG file.

Save image

You can either offer this printable as an image download, or you can convert it into a PDF document using a PDF creator.

Today’s Challenge: Create a simple printable using PicMonkey. Even if you’re not planning to give it away to your audience, it is still good practice!

Have you tried creating a printable with PicMonkey?
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