FYC Podcast Episode 008: FREE Photoshop for Churches, Non-Profits and Businesses

Podcast Resource Links

> Canva.com
> GracewayMedia.com
> iStockPhoto.com
> IconFinder.com
> Pexels.com
> FindingYourChurch.com/Toolbox

Podcast Episode Text Version

Welcome to the Finding Your Church Podcast from FindingYourChurch.com. My name is Jeremy Phillips and my goal is to help you make it a challenge for people to live in your community without finding your Church.

Creating graphics can be extremely challenging. In this episode, we are going to look at what is currently a FREE alternative to Photoshop, and I will give you a resource to have graphics created extremely cheaply if you do not want to mess with creating graphics.

I have been in a position both while working in Churches, and now with developing website and social media graphics, where that is part of the job description.

However, I am not what I would consider to be a Graphic Designer. I know very few rules of Graphic Design. There are rules about Thirds and contrast and layering and whatever else.

I think most people think the rule of Thirds is something you do to a pie when having dessert.

But regardless, I am not a Graphics Designer. My approach to Graphic Design for Church or whatever project I am working on would more resemble the process of elimination than creation.

I know what looks bad more than I know what looks good.

So I start creating something and realize that it looks bad, then I continue to work on it until it looks at least tolerable or good. The end result may look fine. But, it definitely was not because I had some great design plan from the start. The result is more like evolution than creation.

So I use tools to help me get started. Resources like www.GracewayMedia.com, iStockPhoto.com and some free places IconFinder.com and Pexels.com to at least have background images to start with.

I can use Photoshop, so that is what I typically use to create the actual graphics with.

But, you may not be skilled in the Photoshop arts, or you may not have the budget for those types of paid tools.

There is an alternative that you can use for your Church that at least at this time is 100% FREE. I say at this time, because anything can change and their pricing is 100% out of my control.

This site is Canva.com

Not only can you create any size custom graphics that you want, they also have starting point templates for nearly any type of social media, book cover, info graphic, and website header that you would need to create.

They have many backgrounds and icon images that you can use, and they have have different sizes and styles of text already pre-formatted. You just click on the template and it shows up in your editing area ready for you to make changes to it.

In addition to the free backgrounds and graphics, you can purchase premium options for $1 each. If you create a graphic with a premium options however, your graphic will only currently be available for download for 24 hours at this time.

They have a lot of great paid options, and those might be worth using for certain projects. But, the way you can get around this is to use the “Uploads” section.

You can upload any graphic,