Creating Custom Graphics from Stock Photos

by | Jan 29, 2018 | General Business | 0 comments

Custom graphics are a critical part of any social media presence, marketing campaign, or branding effort. The data proves it: we’re visual creatures. Customers respond better to messages when they’re accompanied by attractive imagery.

But what if you don’t have a fortune to drop on custom photography or graphics? Not a problem. With the help of some free and inexpensive tools and a little ingenuity, you can create your own custom graphics for your website, social media account, or product.

Determine Your Needs

Before you dash off to download a ton of stock photos and accompanying resources, set aside some time to sit down and figure out how and where you’re going to use your custom graphics. Are you making a blog header? A graphic for a social media post? An infographic for your product page? Having a clear idea of your purpose will save you a lot of headache later.

You’ll also want to get familiar with licenses before you download any photos. Stock photo sites offer different licensing options, from commercial licenses to Creative Commons licenses, and should take the time to learn the advantages and limitations of each before you use a photo for your business or product. Ignore this at your peril. You don’t want to be the next Internet horror story about the person who just “took photos off Google.”

This is also a great time to think about what you want to say with your stock photo. There are thousands of stock photos of people sitting around offices or at their laptops. How can you take a seemingly incongruous photo and make it fit your brand or statement?

Choose Your Software

Once you know what you want to say with your custom graphic, you’ll need to decide what tools you’ll use:

If you already have access to pro editing software (and know how to use it) then your decision is easy. Photoshop is one of the most popular and powerful photo editing tools in the world, and will give you the widest range of options. But you can still create compelling, eye-catching graphics with free online tools. Many online services even include templates and tutorials to make creation easier.

Craft a Color Palette

What makes graphics really stand out from the crowd? A well-crafted color scheme. Cunning use of color can make even the most average stock photo eye-catching and memorable. You can brush up on your color theory before putting together your custom image, or browse through the ready-made palettes at colourlovers to find just the right color scheme for your needs.

Pick a Stock Photo

Once you have a solid concept in mind, it’s time to find a great stock photo that fits your needs. Whether you choose to use free stock photos or pay for a license is up to you. Just make sure you have permission to 1) modify the photo as you see fit, and 2) use the photo for commercial purposes.

If you’re not a graphic designer, don’t worry. There are tons of free resources to help you get started if you need a crash course in design.

Find a Great Font

Along with color, slick typography is another way to bring style and energy to your custom graphics. If you’re using your own photo editing software, you can find thousands of free fonts online from sites like 1001fonts, dafont, and fontspace. If you’re using an online service, you’ll probably have to choose from whatever fonts they have to offer, but that should be plenty.

When it comes to font use, keep these principles in mind:

  • Do your best to match your font style to your brand or product. If you want to make a bold, aggressive statement, don’t pick a delicate handwritten font.
  • Limit yourself to one or two fonts to avoid visual confusion and clutter.
  • Less is more. Focus on readability and clarity above all.

As with stock photos, check your licenses when downloading fonts for your own use — many are free to implement as you like, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Bringing it All Together

Once you have all the elements assembled, it’s time to make your custom graphic. By the time you’ve put together your concept, stock photo, color scheme, and font, you should have a strong idea of how to bring it all together. If you still need some inspiration, you can look at some example templates for inspiration, or browse social media to see what the competition is doing.

Don’t be afraid to experiment, remix, and flex your creative imagination. Draw inspiration from brands and sources you love to create your own unique statement.

Share, Test, and Re-share

Once you’re happy with how your creation has come together, it’s time to release it into the wild. Post it on your social media feed, add it to your blog, or spruce up your product page. Then it’s time to start making your next custom graphic!