Generating Graphics/infographics for Social Media

Graphics are an important tool to promote your brand or product. Visuals have been a great way to communicate ideas for ages. So it is safe to say people like pretty pictures; having pretty pictures of your own can be very helpful. In this tutorial, we will explain how to create your very own professional looking graphics, using three different programs.

Step 1: Choosing a Program

The program chosen will depend on the level of detail needed and expertise of the user. More complex graphic works are best accomplished using dedicated applications like Adobe Photoshop, while medium to low complexity graphics needs can be met using GIMP and Microsoft Word. The features available in each program will vary, and so it is a good idea check for desired features before choosing any one application. You may end up needing to use more than one program.

Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is the de facto standard for image editing, but it can be used for graphical design as well. Although it costs money, there is a lot of support for it online, from tutorials to templates.

GIMP
GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a free alternative to Photoshop. It shares the layered editing concept to Photoshop, and its overall features are quite similar. GIMP does not have all of Photoshop’s features, but for non-professional image editing it should fill most needs.

Microsoft Word

We also found Microsoft Word to be quite powerful for graphics/infographics. Features like graphs, charts, shapes, templates, clip art, image editing and OCR tool (used to extract text directly from image files), make all the difference when compiling a report or presentation which requires graphics. Although Microsoft Word is capable of a doing lot, it is especially useful when the emphasis is on written content and not graphics.

Step 2: Basic Editing - Photoshop, GIMP & MS Word

Photoshop

Photoshop's layout is split into many parts, but you're going to want to focus on the tool bar at the left, and the layers panel. The tool bar may look intimidating, but you only really need to use a few tools, most of which are fairly intuitive. For making infographic styled images, the select, move, shape, and fill tools should suffice. If you've ever used paint before, you should already have some idea of what to do. The layers panel represents the image as though it were layers of paper sitting on top of each other, each layer can be edited and moved seperately, allowing images to be carefully organized, and more easily editable.

In addition to the tools mentioned above, the text tool is a very powerful tool that requires a bit more explanation. Draw the text box as though using the rectangle tool, and double click with the text tool to open the box for editing. At the top of the screen, there will be a new toolbar with options for text. The text tool has many complex options which are beyond the scope of this tutorial, but if you want to learn more advanced text, I would recommend Photoshop Essentials' in depth tutorial on the subject.

GIMP

Mac and Windows users can download GIMP for free here. GIMP comes pre-installed with most Linux distributions, or can be acquired with a package manager.

GIMP has three windows: the main image editing window, a palette for editing tools, and a palette for layers and brushes.

To start editing, you can create a new blank image, or load an existing image in. Next, using the tools provided you can draw on your image using various brushes, use editing tools to alter the image (such as changing the image’s colour), or create shapes and letters. GIMP uses a similar layer concept to Photoshop, allowing for more advanced editing techniques, such as making part of an image transparent.

GIMP has many features, so it can be a bit difficult to start out with. Luckily, there are several official tutorials provided, as well as other unofficial tutorials you can find online. Used properly, almost any type of graphic can be created, such as social media icons and images, printed posters, and more.

Links

www.gimp.org/downloads/

www.gimp.org/tutorials/

MS Word

For the examples pictured above, we inserted a picture and then used format tools, like crop and temperature to get desired effects. We also used format tools to remove background and unwanted items in images. Textboxes and shapes as well as smart art, were used for the cool looking structures. For the page background, we used the ‘Watermark’ option under ‘Design’ menu. And to make sure the space was sufficient, a custom page size which is accessible through the ‘Layout’ menu was used.

The features in Microsoft Word (especially those relating to graphics) seem to be as hidden as they are extensive. A quick google search however is all you need to set you on the right path.

Although working with Microsoft Word to create graphics can be tedious, MS word's multitude of simple and clear already-made design options make it a breeze to work with. Someone with little or no graphics background should be able to whip something up quickly using Microsoft Word. It is also worth noting that some universities, like the University of Manitoba for instance, offer Office 365 to students for free or with some discount.

Video Demonstration

Here's a video example using MS Word and GIMP to make simple images:

Step 3: Exporting Images

If you’re using a layered program like Photoshop or GIMP, you should merge all your layers into one image by using an “export” option. This’ll combine every part of the image into one small image file, such as a JPG or a PNG, allowing you to quickly upload it to social media websites, which won’t allow files like a PSD to be uploaded. Exported image files can also be printed out to create posters or handouts.

In Microsoft Word, you can save your file (preferably single page) as an image or PDF file by selecting 'Save As' under the 'File' menu. The image shows all formats available. The image file can then be deployed as one would a regular image.