Hi y’all! Coloring is one of our family’s favorite pass times. Family and friends know they can’t go wrong with a new coloring book and crayons as birthday gifts. But sometimes the kids want a particular theme or just something different to color. This is where Canva comes in handy!
I am going to show you step by step how to make a coloring page in Canva for FREE!
As you probably know, unicorns are extremely popular right now. So I decided to use that as my example. However, these same steps apply to whatever character or design you are wanting to create.
What you need:
- A Canva Account (Free or Pro version)
- A Laptop or Computer (Canva also has a free app for your phone.)
- Printer
How to make a coloring page in canva
Step 1:
First you will need to either set up an account or log into your account. Canva provides a Free version and a Pro version. I have the Pro version, so my screen may look a little different. But the steps will be the same.
Once you log into your account you will need to search for the US Letter Document template. (This is just your typical 8.5″ x 11″ printer paper or card stock.)
Step 2:
Secondly, you will choose the blank template. Canva offers a template for just about anything you can imagine. But for this purpose we will start with a clean slate.
Step 3:
This step comes in 3 parts. You will first click on the Elements icon. Then click on Graphics (which is located under the Search bar). Lastly, type in unicorns (or whatever graphic you are looking for).
How to make a coloring page In canva using Free graphics
Step 4:
Like I said earlier Canva offers a few different subscription plans. I started out with the FREE version and now have the Pro plan. The Pro plan comes in handy for my business. However, I feel the Free version is still incredible, especially for something like this.
The Pro graphics, fonts, etc. will have a small crowns beside them. You can use these, however you will be asked to pay for them before you can download your design.
If you want to narrow your search to strictly the FREE options simply click on the Filter icon, click on FREE, then click Apply Filters.
Step 5:
Next you will simply click on the Graphic that you want.
*Note: this unicorn does not have a crown in the bottom left corner, which means that it is FREE. Another cool thing Canva does is give you Magic Recommendations. It is a group of graphics that are similar to the one you chose.
You can also Resize the graphics (make them larger or smaller) by clicking and dragging the corner.
And while this unicorn graphic is cute, we can add a little more pizazz to it! Simply follow the previous steps for finding and resizing graphics. Once you find a graphic you like and adjust the size, you can Duplicate it to save time while keeping the exact copy. Simply click on the graphic you want to duplicate, then click on the double rectangles in the upper righthand corner. (Or simply Copy and Paste.)
*Hint: when searching for graphics for coloring pages, add the word “outline” to it. (Example: star outline, rainbow outline, etc) This will eliminate the “filled in” graphics.
how to add text to your coloring page
Step 6:
In this step I am going to show you how to add text to your coloring page. I like to add a cute or inspirational saying. So first you will click on the Text icon, located on the left side of your screen. Then you will click Add Heading.
Once you have your saying typed you can change the size and style of the font (which is located behind the instructions in the photo above). To search for a particular font type it in the Search bar. (I like block fonts so the kids can color the words too). Then click on your desired font. (Remember, the fonts with crowns beside them are NOT free.)
Step 7:
You may find that you need to Reposition some graphics after you add text. (In the photo above I wanted to move the unicorn and the eye at the same time.)
You can easily do that by clicking on a Graphic, Press and Hold the Shift Key, then click more Graphics. Then you can release the Shift key and move all of the Graphics at once. (The selected graphics will be highlighted in blue.)
*Note: if you want to create more coloring pages simply click Add Page, which is located under your design. You can follow these steps to create an entirely different coloring page. Or click on the Duplicate Page, which is located directly above your design. Then just make tweaks to your current design.
how to download your design(s)
Step 8:
Lastly, you will need to Download your design(s). To do so simply click on the Downward Arrow, Select PDF Print, then click Download. If you have multiple designs you will see where you can select which ones you want to download. Once you have downloaded your design(s) you will find them in your computer’s download folder.
I truly hope you found this easy, fun and insightful! If so, please leave a comment below. Or if you would like me to do another Canva tutorial, I would love your suggestions!
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Canva Tutorial: How To Make A Daily Planner.
Canva Tutorial: How To Make Nursery Wall Art For Free!
FREE Printable Worksheets For Kids! I created these worksheets in Canva to help my twins prepare for kindergarten.