This blog has introduced readers to other graphic design tools. Pablo, BeFunky, FotoJet, and PicMonkey are just a few of them.
This post will explain the benefits of using Fotor for bloggers and offer a tutorial explaining how to use the site.
What is Fotor?
Fotor is a cross-platform photo editing and graphic design tool with over 200 million users worldwide.
You can use Fotor to make a Facebook cover, an Instagram post, or a collage. These are just a few of the graphic choices available to you.
However, most bloggers use graphic design programs to edit photos or place them in already designed templates. Therefore, this post will only deal with the “editing” and “design” functions of Fotor.
Why You Should Use Fotor
- Fotor has over 200 million users worldwide. All those people can’t be wrong about Fotor’s power.Â
- You can use Fotor on your iPhone or Android device.
- Fotor is free to use. A paid version is available to you that contains more features and is ad-free. Any feature marked with a diamond is for premium accounts.
- You can use a double exposure effect which is rare to find.
- If you make a mistake, you can just click the back arrow.
- You can zoom in on your photo for easier viewing as you work. Just move the bar toward the plus sign at the bottom of the screen.
- A menu of edits exists if you want to modify a face in a photo. For example, you can get rid of blemishes. You can even select to make the subject of the photo look thinner!
- Fotor provides an area where you can experiment to the side of your canvas.
- If you like filters, there are exciting choices that come with the free version.
- Fotor offers many font selections and allows you to preview the choices before you select them.
- Stickers are available. If you want to put a dialogue bubble on your photo, you’d go here to choose it.
How to Use Fotor
How to Use Fotor to Edit a PhotoÂ
Graphic 1:
This is what the original photo looked like that I am going to edit with Fotor.
Step 1: I chose a photo I wanted to edit since I was planning to use it for an upcoming blog post. Â I previously straightened it using my Snapseed app.
Step 2: I downloaded the photo I wanted to edit.
Step 3: I went to Fotor.com.
Step 4: I clicked “Edit.”
Step 5: I clicked “Open.” I brought in the photo I want to edit. I keep the photos I want to edit for easy access on my desktop, so I clicked “desktop,” and then opened the photo.
Step 6: I clicked “Resize.” I made sure the size was 683 x 1024. That way, I know it will be the right size for both Twitter and Pinterest where I like to promote my posts.
These are the basic edits available with the free version.
The “Crop” tool was available to me. I was tempted to crop out the baggies that are in the picture. However, I was having trouble keeping the dimensions I wanted for the photo. Then, I realized they were supposed to be there since they have pins in them, so I left the baggies and kept the dimensions I wanted.
Step 7: I clicked “1-Tap Enhance.”
Step 8: I put the contrast up to 50. When I did, the aqua in the clock’s frame became more noticeable. I chose the photo since I liked the aqua around the clock.
Step 9: I clicked “Fine Tune,” and I put the highlights up to 76. Brighter photos get noticed and clicked on at Pinterest and linky parties.
I considered increasing the shadows. When I tried, it made the photo look like it had a Vintage-style which was interesting. However, Pinterest photos need to be crystal clear, and the clock lost that clarity when I increased the shadows, so I dropped them back to zero.
Step 10: I clicked “Colors,” and I increased the temperature to 77. The photo became brighter which I preferred.
Step 11: I increased the tint to 28. The photo did become more Vintage-looking, but the colors are definitely brighter. At a linky party or Pinterest, you want your graphic to stand out. The colors on the right look more neon now, definitely more noticeable at Pinterest or a linky party.
Step 12: I started playing with the Curves tool. Curves is a tool used for adjusting tones to brighten, darken, add contrast and shift colors. My photo turned extremely yellow. Remember my goal– to have my graphic stand out at Pinterest and at linky parties. Because the photo is much more yellow, it’s more noticeable than it was. Also, I feel the area that says “Love” at the bottom became much warmer.
Step 13: The effect tools are important if you prefer Instagram-like filters. I chose “Classic-Dallas.” I left “Intensify” at 50.
I clicked apply.
I went to RGB (Red, Green, Blue) and clicked “Red.”
I went to “Tilt Shift” and blurred the background. I felt since the clock was the important element, I’d only make the clock stand out.
I added two fonts. I put letter spacing up to 14 for the important words. I resized my letters and made the important letters red.
Then, I added a frame.
Here is the finished product:
Compare this graphic to the original photo above. I hope you agree with me this is more vibrant than the original.
I was hoping by making the colors brighter, the graphic would get noticed at a linky party. It actually won the 87th linky party at MarriageReset.com!
How to Make a Double Exposure Image with Fotor
Graphic 2:
I have a post coming up on video use for bloggers. I wanted to show off Fotor’s capacity to make a double exposure image.
- Go to Fotor and click “Edit.”
- Bring in a photo containing a large, empty area. This is the photo I brought in.
- Go to stickers. I chose to bring in my own photo. I found an old photo of purple flowers. Maybe it would look like the video camera was in the flowers or like the video camera was filming the flowers. Who knows? Let’s find out.
- Go to “Transparency, Blending Options.” You have many choices here, but I chose “Lighten.”
- Drag the sticker over the picture choosing the area you want to display in the background.
- I then modified the video camera, that was now in the background, by turning the “Transparency” up to 40%. This brought the camera out more.
- I then cropped the image.
- After, you can apply filters like you would to any photo. Since I already demonstrated the use of the filters in Project #1, above, I next chose to add text and a frame. Can you tell this time I chose a frame with a film strip border? I felt it was appropriate for a post about video use.
Here is my finished product:
Compare this to the original photo. I hope you agree with me it is head and shoulders better than the original photo.
My goal was accomplished. I wanted the camera to look like it was buried in the flowers, and it does.
I had so much fun, I thought to design a graphic unique for this post.
Graphic 3:
I wanted my camera to look buried in the grass.
I turned up both the saturation and the contrast. I lowered the tint since it made the camera stand out. I also used “spacing” to separate the letters. As you see, I used different colors and font styles depending on the importance of the word.
How to Use Fotor to Design a Graphic
Graphic 4:
- Go to fotor.com.
- Click “Design”.
- You have many choices of templates to use. I chose “Pinterest Graphic Short”. I was tempted to pick Blog Title, but the dimensions were smaller than I wanted.
- The scroll bar will enable you to scroll through your template choices. Any template marked with a diamond comes with a paid plan. Select a template and place it in your work area.
- Find a photo you want to design into a graphic. Save it to your computer.
- Click “Import Photos.” Select the photo you want to use. Drop it into the template.
- Clicking on the “A” will allow you to change the size and style of your font.
- I moved the text box with my blog’s name since it was too high.
- I liked what I saw, so I saved my graphic to the desktop and uploaded it to my post. Â
Making this graphic was extremely easy and quick. All I had to do was place my photo and change the text. Making this graphic took a matter of moments. Busy bloggers shouldn’t have to take more than that for photo-editing. You have content to produce. Like Graphic #1, the post that went with this graphic also won a linky party since it was one of the posts clicked most often.
Graphic 5:
I uploaded my photo.
I went to “Design” and I resized the graphic.
Screenshot Courtesy of Fotor
I brought in the solid square, made it white, changed the size, and added text.
I used two font styles, changed the sizes, and made the important word red.
Wanting to try different looks, I was able to push the text I was experimenting with off to the gray area at the right.
Bam! Done in seconds! Here is my finished product.
Are You Ready to Use Fotor To Enhance Your Blog Graphics?
In closing, this tutorial only scratched the surface of all you can do with Fotor.
In the mood to spruce up your Facebook cover? Use this link:
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