Adding a gradient to your design in Canva is easy! First, find the “Elements” button on the toolbar on the left side of your screen. Click on it and find the “Search” field at the top of the toolbar. Type “gradient” and hit enter key to see all the results. Choose a graphic element or frame with a gradient and add them to your project.
Hello there! My name is Yana and I’ve been working with Canva daily for the last few years. I have made graphics for blogs, social media, and advertisements using this design tool. I’m pretty familiar with creating gradients in Canva and know how they can enhance your design.
Today, you’ll learn the easiest way to create a gradient in Canva, as well as how to edit it to make your project even more interesting.
Contents
Key Takeaways
- Not all the elements in Canva can have gradients, so you need to choose one from the Canva gradient library.
- You can create a gradient background, add gradient elements, choose an image or video with gradients, or even find a frame with a gradient border.
- Experiment with various gradient types, adjusting the colors and transparency to achieve the desired effect.
How to Make a Gradient in Canva
In Canva, you can add a gradient to a background, or add an element with a color gradient inside. Follow these steps to make a gradient in your design file.
1. Find Elements with Gradient
So we would start by adding a gradient element to your design. You can not add a gradient to any of the Canva elements, so first, you need to choose one from the gradients library.
Open your design file in Canva or create a new one, and find the menu on the left side of the screen. Hit on the Elements button and start searching for the “gradient” keyword in the search bar to see all the options available.
You can filter your search, by clicking on the Filters icon. Select the colors, orientation, and animation (if needed) and click on Apply filters button.
2. Add a Gradient to Your Design
At this point, you suppose to see the list of gradient elements in Canva that can be used in your design. There are graphic elements, images, videos, and frames.
Adding a background gradient
If you want to have a background with a gradient, check the available shapes, that you can customize later. There are options with transparency and without, with 2 or three colors.
You may notice that some options are only available for Canva Pro users, but there are still plenty of elements free for usage.
You also can find images with gradients and add them as a background. This way you can change the brightness, the temperature of the colors, contrast, and saturation. You also can adjust an image manually or add some filters.
Adding a gradient element
If you want to make your design more interesting by adding some graphics with gradients, check the Canva recommendations with elements of different shapes and colors that you can use.
Adding a frame gradient
When you need to insert an image into a frame with a gradient border, check the Gradients frames available in the Canva library.
3. Resize and Fit Your Gradient
When you decide which element you need for your design, tap on it to add to your project and start editing. If you want to have a gradient background, resize the shape so it will fit your design.
Also, don’t forget to place it backward, so it will be behind the main elements. To do it, find the Position button in the top menu or click with the right button of your mouse to open the additional settings and choose to Send to back.
One of the drawbacks is that most of the squares, can not be changed randomly and always keep their ratio. In this case, use a Crop feature to change the size of the visible part of the element.
Another drawback is, if you need a gradient background with rounded angles, there is only a couple of options available.
4. Customize the Gradient
Once you place your gradient element the way you want, you can start editing it. Change the colors, add transparency to the element, or flip or crop it. You also can add an animation to the gradient to make the design file more dynamic.
5. Save Your Design Project
Once you placed your gradient element the way you need, you can save the element in a PNG format or MP4 Video if you have a video or animation in your design.
How to Make a Gradient in Canva Mobile
You can proceed with the same steps we discussed for the Canva web version to make a gradient in Canva mobile app. Let’s see how to do it step-by-step.
1. Find and Add Elements with Gradient
Open your design project on a mobile device and tap on the purple button in the left bottom corner of the screen. In the opened tool menu, hit the Elements button and type “gradient” in the search input field.
2. Choose the Gradient Element
Now you can add any of the gradient elements available in the Canva library. Choose a photo or square shape element with a gradient, if you need to create a background.
Select an irregular shape element, if you need to add some creativity to your design, or frames with gradient borders, to insert an image or video.
3. Add a Gradient and Start Editing
Hit on the element that will work best for your design project and start editing. You can flip, crop, and change the transparency or colors of an element. The gradient can also have animation or be placed in front or backward.
4. Save Your Design
When you’ve positioned your gradient element correctly, you can save it as a PNG image or an MP4 video file if your design includes a video or animation. Tap on the Share button (with an arrow on it) in the corner of your screen to download your project to your device.
FAQs
Below you can find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about making a gradient in Canva.
Does Canva Have a Gradient Tool?
No, Canva does not have a gradient tool, but you can make a gradient by placing one of the gradient elements available in the Canva library. Search Gradients in Canva, to see all the elements that can be used.
Can You Fade an Image in Canva?
Yes. To do it, select the image and click the Transparency button in the top-right corner of the menu. Move the Transparency slider to make the image fade.
Can You Do Gradient Transparency in Canva?
In the same way, as with an image, you can change the appearance of the gradient. In the top-right corner of the Canva design file, hit the Transparency button. To make the image fade, move the Transparency slider to 0. You can come back to 100% to remove the transparency.
Final Thoughts
Adding a gradient to your design in Canva is easy. Once you figure it out for the first time, you will be able to use it in your design frequently. You can play with the colors, opacity, or location of the gradient.
How often do you use gradients in your design? Do you think it is a user-friendly feature or does it have some drawbacks? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
