You have a church event to promote, and you’re stuck. The leader wants a graphic for Sunday Slideshow, Facebook image, Sunday program and you’re just trying to get through the day.
You didn’t go to school for design, but the responsibility is on your shoulders. What can you do?
In this week’s #AskRADIdeas Debi asks the question plaguing so many church staff members.
How do I create graphics when I’m not a graphic artist?
Thankfully, there are several options for your church.
Here are…
4 Ways for Non Designers to Create Church Graphics
1) Hire a designer
A graphic designer will be able to take your project and create something uniquely tailored to your church.
You can expect the process to include a project overview where you share your topic, goals and details. The designer will then get back to you with design options. When you’ve settled on a design they will deliver the finished graphics to you.
If you are looking for custom visuals this is a great way to go. You get the experience and knowledge of a designer, without the expense of another employee.
2) Library of designs
Several companies have created “done-for-you” design libraries that your church can use.
Pick a design, download the visuals and start using them immediately. You get the quality of a professionally designed graphic, in the time it takes to download the files.
The cost for download access depends on the company. Look for monthly, yearly or life-time access plans when determining the best fit for your church.
Recommendations:
3) Templates
Using templates will take away the frustration of staring at a blank screen and creating a design from scratch. They give you the flexibility of customizing your promotion, while speeding up the design process.
The process is simple:
- Download a Word, Publisher, InDesign or Photoshop template
- Add your unique information into the editable regions
- Save the file
- Start your promotions
Recommendations:
4) Image Editing Software
A number of online tools are available to help you create designs without needing Photoshop. You can pick a design size, add your elements (text, images, etc.) and save the file for use.
The trade off is your time. You should expect to spend time learning the tools and then creating the graphics themselves. If you need different versions of a design (Sunday Slideshow, Facebook image, Bulletin announcement) you will need to recreate it in each format.
Recommendations:
How is your church creating visuals? What other options would you suggest? Let me know in the notes below.