NINJA TRICK no. 1

screenshots

Using Jing (a free screen capture tool) grab a screenshot to use as your background.

Here I used a screen shot of one of my Pinterest boards as the background for my blog image.

NINJA TRICK no. 2

seamless patterns

Using a seamless pattern is a quick way of creating images without using stock photography! A seamless pattern will give your image contrast and texture as well as really make your headline or text POP, and the best part is that you can adjust the size of the pattern repeat to fit the different size images you need. Meaning, you can make the pattern repeat larger (less repeats) for something like a cover for your PDF guide or you can make the repeat smaller (more repeats) to fit a smaller image, like your blog post featured image.

Here I used a quatrefoil seamless pattern that I grabbed off Pattern Cooler (my favorite custom seamless pattern tool) and dialed the scale of the repeat to 50% to make the pattern smaller so I’d get more repeats.

NINJA TRICK no. 3

FLAT ICONS

Creating a killer image without using stock photography can be as easy as using an icon. Using an icon in your image will help easily convey your message without having to be too obvious.

Here I used a fork & knife icon to grab the attention of foodies and food bloggers. It’s a subtle visual that ties in perfectly with the subject matter and target reader of the article. It’s simple, yet effective, which is the perfect kind of shareable image.

My two go to spots for grabbing killer icons are Endless Icons and Noun Project.

NINJA TRICK no. 4

TRANSPARENT SHAPE OVERLAYS

My last go to trick for creating images without using stock photography is using a shape overlay. A shape overlay is just a fancy way of saying shapes with varying degrees of opacity or transparency.

Here I’ve used a frame shape with the transparency dialed down a bit to create contrast between the shape and the background, which are the same color. It’s a very subtle but stunning trick to employ in your images.