The Ultimate Guide to Highlighting in Canva: How to Stand Out with Your Designs

Canva is a versatile design platform that empowers users to create stunning visuals for various purposes. While Canva offers a plethora of design elements, sometimes you need to emphasize specific text or elements to grab attention and convey your message effectively. This is where highlighting comes into play. This blog post will guide you through the ins and outs of how to highlight in Canva, enabling you to elevate your designs and make them truly stand out.

The Power of Highlighting in Canva

Highlighting is a powerful design tool that can transform your Canva creations. It allows you to:

• Draw attention to key information: Highlighting important text or elements helps viewers focus on the most crucial aspects of your design.
• Create visual hierarchy: By strategically using highlights, you can guide the viewer’s eye through your design, creating a clear flow of information.
• Add visual interest: Highlights can break up monotony and add visual appeal to your designs, making them more engaging.
• Enhance readability: Highlighting can improve readability by making specific text or elements stand out, particularly in busy designs.

Method 1: Highlighting with Canva’s Built-in Tools

Canva offers a range of built-in tools to highlight text and elements effortlessly. Here’s a breakdown of the most popular methods:

1. Using the Highlight Tool:

• Locate the tool: In the Canva editor, look for the “Highlight” tool within the “Text” or “Elements” panel. It’s often represented by an icon resembling a highlighter pen.
• Select your text or element: Click on the text or element you want to highlight.
• Apply the highlight: Click the “Highlight” tool and choose from a variety of colors and styles. You can adjust the thickness and opacity of the highlight to suit your design.

2. Utilizing Background Colors:

• Select your text or element: Click on the text or element you want to highlight.
• Apply a background color: In the “Text” or “Elements” panel, you’ll find options to add a background color. Choose a color that contrasts with the surrounding elements to create a clear highlight.

3. Emphasizing with Shadows:

• Select your text or element: Click on the text or element you want to highlight.
• Add a shadow: In the “Text” or “Elements” panel, look for the “Shadow” option. You can adjust the color, blur, and distance of the shadow to create a subtle or dramatic highlight.

Method 2: Unlocking Creative Highlighting Techniques

While Canva’s built-in tools are efficient, you can explore more creative ways to highlight elements in your designs:

1. Using Shapes and Lines:

• Add shapes or lines: From the “Elements” panel, drag and drop shapes or lines onto your design.
• Position and style: Position the shapes or lines strategically to frame or surround the element you want to highlight. Adjust the color, thickness, and opacity to achieve the desired effect.

2. Employing Color Contrast:

• Choose contrasting colors: Select colors that stand out from the surrounding elements. For example, a vibrant pink highlight would be effective against a dark blue background.
• Apply color to text or elements: Change the color of the text or element you want to highlight. This creates a visual contrast that draws attention.

3. Harnessing the Power of Texture:

• Add texture: From the “Elements” panel, search for textures like patterns, gradients, or even images.
• Apply texture to backgrounds or elements: Place the texture behind your highlighted element or apply it directly to the element itself. This adds visual interest and creates a unique highlighting effect.

Best Practices for Effective Highlighting

To ensure your highlights are effective and visually appealing, consider these best practices:

• Keep it simple: Avoid excessive highlighting, as it can overwhelm the viewer. Focus on highlighting only the most important elements.
• Use contrasting colors: Choose highlight colors that stand out from the background and other elements.
• Experiment with styles: Don’t be afraid to try different highlighting styles to find what works best for your design.
• Maintain consistency: Use a consistent highlighting style throughout your design to create a cohesive look.
• Consider the context: The effectiveness of highlighting depends on the context of your design. Think about the overall message you want to convey and how highlighting can best support it.

Beyond Highlighting: Enhancing Your Canva Designs

While highlighting is a valuable tool, there are other ways to enhance your Canva designs:

• Typography: Experiment with different fonts and sizes to create visual hierarchy and interest.
• Images and graphics: Use high-quality images and graphics to add visual appeal and tell a story.
• White space: Don’t overcrowd your designs. Leave enough white space to allow the viewer’s eye to rest.
• Color palettes: Choose colors that complement each other and create a harmonious design.

Elevate Your Visual Storytelling with Highlighting

By mastering the art of highlighting in Canva, you can elevate your designs, create visual hierarchy, and effectively communicate your message. Remember to experiment with different techniques, follow best practices, and combine highlighting with other design elements to make your visuals truly stand out.

Questions We Hear a Lot

1. Can I highlight multiple elements at once in Canva?

Yes, you can highlight multiple elements at once. Select all the elements you want to highlight by holding down the Shift key and clicking on each element. Then, apply the highlight using the methods described above.

2. How do I change the color of a highlight in Canva?

Once you’ve applied a highlight, click on the highlighted element. You’ll see a “Highlight” option in the “Text” or “Elements” panel. Click on the color picker to choose a new color for your highlight.

3. Can I add a gradient to a highlight in Canva?

While Canva doesn’t have a built-in gradient option specifically for highlights, you can achieve a similar effect by using a gradient background behind your highlighted element. Add a gradient from the “Elements” panel and position it behind your element.

4. What are some other ways to emphasize elements in Canva?

Beyond highlighting, you can emphasize elements using bold text, italics, underlining, different font sizes, or even adding borders or outlines.

5. Are there any free Canva templates that use highlighting effectively?

Yes, Canva offers many free templates that utilize highlighting techniques to enhance their design. Search for templates related to your project and explore the different highlighting styles used.