Canva Tutorial: How to Design your Creative Art self-portrait with Canva (without AI)

Do you have  lack of good portrait pics of yourself? 

Here’s how you can repurpose old portraits. I personally prefer this over AI generated images. Because this is more creative and fun. With a bit more effort you can create epic images that will stop the scroll.

1. Collect your art images in the PUBLIC DOMAIN

The Rijksmuseum and Getty Museum, for instance, have special pages where you can download art and use it for your own needs. How cool is that! I'm an art historian and the art institute of the university in Amsterdam used to be on the 'Museum Island'. 

Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh museum, Rijksmuseum, Museum Overholland and het Concertgebouw. I have spent hours and hours in each museum.
You find the RijksStudio here  

P.S don’t steal, read the rules!

Look for art that is meaningful to you.
Art that makes you cry, sigh, opens your heart. Art that brings back memories. Think about that beautiful day you spent in Amsterdam at the Rijksmuseum. Or the old print at your parents' house. Find the stories. We go for an authentic connection here. Everything matters! You can also use photographs of art that you took yourself. And of course, the art that you have created yourself!

This is a part of my Rijksstudio collection

2. Collect/take a couple of portraits

Collect/take a couple of portraits that have good lighting we need to see your face and neck and possibly (part of) your shoulders. This is to avoid that you look like a floating ghost (though that might be fun too)

3. Drag all images into Canva

• Drag all images into Canva and create an ‘Instagram post’ (you can change this later). Don't have a Canva account yet? Go run and create one yourself.
• Drag your portrait on the IG post. 
• Click edit photo and ‘remove background’. You need the paid version, otherwise, you need to find a ‘remove background’ option elsewhere (like Photoshop, etc., or ask a friend who has paid Canva to do it for you) If you're in my The Real You sisterhood (or in the Wonderfully Weird Sisterhood that is coming very soon and you haven't had the opportunity to get the paid Canva version, just ask someone to do it for you)

4. Okay, now the magic can happen.

Okay, now the magic can happen. Choose your art background. This is trial and no error. You and your beloved art are playing. How do we look together? Does it make me softer? Or stronger? Is it fun? Or beautiful? Is this the feeling, the personal, the power of softness I want to share with my soul audience?

5. Frame and crop your Rijksstudio or Getty Museum art.

•  Frame and crop the art. 
• Drag your art background until it has become a powerful background 
• Look at the light, colors that match (or clash) with your clothes, face, hair, etc. You can ‘use’ one single artwork multiple times.
• Like a gold border for a portrait with a black dress, and the flower elements for your flower suit (or the other way around).

6. Feeling peachy?

Feeling peachy? Give yourself flowers, birdies, etc from the Canva elements. There are loads of options even in the free version. This is one I did earlier. I use an old portrait photo, art from the Rijksmuseum and elements from Canva. 

7. Do you love creating your own art self-portrait in Canva ?

You can add endless amounts of layers to your photos and achieve beautiful results. It's a great way of telling the story of The Real You to your soul audience.

That concludes the lesson: LOVE Marketing fun with Canva

P.S. you can try it all out in the trial version of The Real You

•  Do you know that in the New and Improved The Real You program, you get your brand, sales pages, social media and much more all Ready-Made? all you have to do is click, adapt and send it out!
• You can now try out your first 10 days in The Real You at no cost and without any obligation 
  

MORE CANVA TUTORIALS?  Here you go. LOVE Canva? Me too!!