Are you planning on hiring a graphic designer for a project you're working on? To save yourself some money, it might be worth using Crello to become your own designer instead.

Crello is a graphic design tool for anyone who needs appealing visuals for their business or freelance projects. This article will help you get started with Crello, and will go over some of its most popular design tools.

Getting Started With Crello

Crello is an easy-to-use graphic design platform based on templates and pre-configured design formats. You can preview its rich template repository by visiting the templates section of the site.

To start using Crello for any design project, follow these steps:

  1. Sign up for Crello, and go to the Crello home page.
    Crello templates homepage
  2. You can find a template by entering a niche or type of design in the search bar.
  3. Alternatively, you can choose a design format from the Design your story for section.
  4. Click on the template to start editing it.

Let's go over some of Crello's best graphic design tools, and how to use them.

Related: Is Crello Really the "Graphic Design Tool for Everyone"?

1. Image Background Eraser

You can use stock photos from Crello to create designs. However, you can also customize those stock images to create a unique look, such as removing the background.

Here is how you can erase the background from any image:

  1. In the editor, click on Photos from the left side menu to view Crello's library of stock images. Alternatively, you can also upload your own photo by clicking My Files > Upload Image or Video.
  2. Select any stock photo that suits your vision.
  3. On the artboard, select the photo, and then click on Remove Background at the top left corner.
  4. After a few seconds, the background will disappear.
    Removing background from images in Crello

2. Add Frames to Your Photos

To add more character to a photo or design, you can try adding frames on Crello. Here's how:

  1. Upload an image from your computer from the My Files section. Or, choose a stock photo from Crello's library.
  2. Click on Templates on the left panel of the Crello editor.
  3. In the Search templates box, type Frame.
  4. Select a frame to open it on the artboard.
  5. Now, drag and drop your image onto the template to create a frame around your photo.
    Elevate photo's value by adding frames in crello

3. Apply Photo Filters

Choose from numerous photo filters in Crello to make appealing visuals in a flash. To add photo filters from the photo effects editor, follow these steps:

  1. Drag and drop a stock image into the artboard, or upload your own.
  2. Select the image and click on the glowing square icon (Filters) on the top panel. To add a filter to a template or graphic, you need to select each object separately to add the filter.
  3. Select any of the preset filters from the Photo Filters section.
    Applying photo filters in Crello
  4. You can also customize your filter from within the Photo Filters menu. From here, you can change the Filter IntensityBrightnessContrast, and more.

4. Create an Image Overlay

Add multiple designs or messages to a single image by using Crello's transparency and layering tools. The following steps will walk you through the process:

  1. On the Crello editor, drag and drop the images you want to work with onto the artboard.
  2. Select an image, and then click on the stack (Layering) icon on the top-right corner of the artboard. Layering allows you to bring an image to the front or send it to the back. It also enables you to turn an image into a background.
  3. To make an image transparent, select the image in the top layer, and then click on the checkered square icon (Transparency) on the top-left panel.
  4. Set the transparency anywhere between zero to 100, as per your design plan.
    Layering and transparency adjustments in Crello
  5. You should now have a unique image overlay.

5. Add a Speech Bubble

You may want to add speech bubbles in your design to add dialog or a caption. Here is how you can do this in Crello:

  1. On Crello editor, add an image to the artboard.
  2. Click on Objects from the left panel.
  3. In the Search objects box, type Speech.
  4. Select any speech box from the search result and drop it on the image.
    Showing speech bubble feature in Crello
  5. To add a message, select Text on the left menu bar.
  6. Drag and drop the Add text element on the speech box.
  7. Click on the text to customize the message.

Related: Best Apps to Create Fast Graphic Designs

6. Create Brand Kits

Effortlessly customize templates to suit your brand using the Crello Brand Kit feature. All you need to do is upload your logo, and add your brand's color palette and text style on the Crello Brand Kit center.

After that, you'll be able to easily access your brand's preferred color scheme and font from the Brand Kit section on the Crello editor.

7. Reimagine Designs Using Objects

If you don't plan on using stock photos for specific design projects, you can illustrate your ideas using the premade shapes, icons, and graphic elements from Crello. The Crello editor has a variety of objects that you can use in invitations, posters, social media posts, business cards, and more.

To locate these shapes, click on Objects on the left sidebar menu in the Crello editor. You can either search using keywords or select any shape from the Objects menu.

8. Add Stickers to Create Adorable Designs

If you want your design to grab people's attention, try using stickers. Crello offers many customizable stickers that will add character to your design. Here's how to add stickers in Crello:

  1. Open your project in Crello.
  2. Now, click on Objects, and then scroll down to the bottom of the list to find Stickers. Click on Stickers to view all of them.
  3. Drag and drop the sticker you want into your design.
    Illustration of stickers feature in Crello
  4. Customize the sticker color and text using the tools at the top panel.

Related: Best Design Apps for Designers on a Budget

9. Design Eye-Catching Badges

Crello offers numerous templates for badges. You may want to create badges for your social media fans or to highlight a date for an upcoming sale event. Here's how to create a badge in Crello:

  1. Open your project in Crello.
  2. Click on Objects and then search for Badges.
  3. Drag and drop any badge from the menu into the artboard.
    Showing how Crello helps create unique badges
  4. Select the text inside the badge to change what's written.
  5. Use the menu at the top of the screen to change the color of the badge, as well as the font. You can also select the Text menu on the left sidebar to use a different font style.
  6. Lastly, adjust the size of the text and badge to fit your design needs.

10. Use Animated Effects

Spruce up your social media or marketing designs by adding animated effects. Here's how to incorporate animation into your Crello designs:

  1. Open any design in the Crello editor artboard.
  2. Now, click on Animations on the left side panel.
  3. You’ll find several types of animations, like Animals, People, Geometry, Abstraction, etc.
  4. Drag and drop an animation onto the artboard, and resize it to your liking.
    Crello animated icons
  5. When finished with your design, hit the Download button, and be sure to save it as a GIF to preserve the animation effect.

11. Trim Videos With Ease

In Crello, you'll find video editing features that are super easy to use. You can trim videos, adjust the transparency, as well as rotate them. Crello also has a variety of stock videos that you can use. To access the video editor:

  1. Pick a template geared towards videos in Crello.
  2. Once in the Crello editor, choose My Files > Upload Image or Video to upload your own video.
  3. To use a stock video instead, click on Videos on the left sidebar. Select any video and place it on the artboard.
  4. As soon as you select a stock video or a video of your own, Crello will let you trim its length. When finished, hit Confirm.
    Video resizing interface of Crello editor
  5. You can now rotate and resize the video to your liking, as well as adjust its transparency from the top toolbar.
  6. When downloading the design, make sure to download it as an MP4.

12. Make Animated Logos

You can show off your style and brand by creating an animated logo. Crello has many animated logo templates. You can also build one from scratch.

On the Crello editor's Templates option, search for "animated logos" to get cool professional logos. You can also go directly to Crello's logo maker to get started.

13. Attach Music to Still Photos

Crello has more in store than your average image editor. You can utilize Crello to design advanced content, like music-embedded images. Follow these steps to add audio to your designs:

  1. Open or create a design on Crello.
  2. Now, click on Music from the menu on the left.
  3. You can add your own music by choosing the My Music tab, and choosing Upload Music. Or, you can choose music from Crello's library.
  4. Click on any audio, and Crello will automatically add it to your design.

Download or Share Designs From Crello

Once you finalize your design, select the Share icon to post it to social media, or choose Download to download it to your computer.

Showing the way to share or download files from Crello editor

Depending on your design, you can download the file as an MP4, GIF, JPG, PNG, or PDF.

Re-Discover Yourself as an Awesome Graphic Designer

You don't need to be a graphic design expert to make designs. With Crello, all you need to do is edit a free template, adjust the color scheme, and pick your favorite font. After that, your design is complete!