Master the art of web design with Canva: Detailed guidelines for building your own website
Making a website on Canva is a breeze, laddie! While it might not be the perfect pick for small businesses (it's more like a goldmine for artists, really), it offers a user-friendly and straightforward platform for independent creative folk.
First, head on over to https://www.canva.com/website-builder/, click the big purple "Create a Canva website" button, and you'll be whisked away to the editing room. One of the perks of utilizing Canva is that if you happen to mess up or change your mind about something, simply press on Windows, or on Mac, and Bob's your uncle!
After that, it's time to find a template. There are loads of them, but the titles can be quite similar – so it might take a bit of time to find the right one. The key here is to use as many search terms as possible. Type in something like 'travel photography portfolio' in the search bar and choose a template that catches your eye. When you find one, go ahead and apply all the sections it offers.
Now, it's temps to replace those template images with your own. Click 'Uploads' on the left-hand side, then hit the purple 'Upload' button until you find the images you want from your computer. Drop them into your library, and you'll see them at the bottom of the left-hand panel.
Next, let's spruce up the homepage background. Clear out the existing background by right-clicking on the image and selecting 'Delete Background,' then drag and drop one of your uploaded images over the empty spot and resize it to fit.
Now it's time to edit the text, starting with the generic name of the photographer included in the template. Click on the text, a box will appear around it, indicating it's selected. Once the text box is highlighted, double-click inside it, and you'll be ready to start typing relacing the old text with your own.
Once you're done typing, feel free to play around with the font, size, color, alignment, spacing, effects, and animation options in the top toolbar to make things look just right.
After you're finished editing and formatting, simply click anywhere outside the text box to deselect it. Now let's move beyond the homepage and edit other sections following the same principles – click on elements, drag and drop images, play with fonts and colors, etc.
Want to change the basic structure or layout of your website? Go ahead! Squint your eyes and spot the options on the side of each "page" (section) in your website template. Duplicate, delete, or add new sections as needed.
Finally, once you're satisfied with your masterpiece, hit the "Publish Website" button in the top-right corner of the Canva editor, choose your preferred domain, and you're all set, mate! Just remember that Canva Websites does have some limitations, like the inability to connect a custom domain without a paid subscription and the relatively basic SEO features compared to other website builders.
If you're on the hunt for alternatives, give Wix, Squarespace, Shopify, or even WordPress a spin, depending on your business needs and what kind of features you're after. Get creative, soldier! The world wide web awaits!
- Explore various design possibilities with Canva's extensive collection of templates, using search terms like 'travel photography portfolio' to find one that suits your needs.
- Customize your homepage by replacing the template images with your own uploaded photographs, creatively adjusting their size, color, and alignment to make them visually appealing.
- Enhance the visual storytelling of your website by playing with the font, size, color, alignment, spacing, effects, and animation options in the top toolbar.
- Leveraging technology, easily duplicate, delete, or add new sections to the layout of your website, giving you the flexibility to tailor it to your specific artistic vision.
- With a click of a button, publish your project to the web and choose a domain name – but be aware that Canva Websites has limitations, such as the inability to connect a custom domain without a paid subscription and more basic SEO features compared to other website builders.
- Discover alternative platform options for your creative endeavors, such as Wix, Squarespace, Shopify, or even WordPress, depending on the unique features your business requires.
- Embark on a journey of continuous learning, exploring tutorials and resources in art, UI/UX, photography, and animation to hone your skills and elevate your online presence in a creative industry.
