Graphic showing Canva erase tool changing a beach photo with many people to a beach photo with only one person

How to Create Custom Animations and Use Magic Editor + Eraser in Canva

April 3, 2023

By

Kyra Goodman

Level up your social media graphics with Canva's new features - Create an Animation, Magic Edit and Magic Erase

Canva recently hosted Canva Create where they announced a TON of new features that will help you take your graphics and presentations to the next level. Some of my favourites include Create an Animation, Magic Edit and Magic Erase.

They’re really leaning into AI and I’m here for it. With a few words and a few clicks you can animate your mascot jumping off a diving board, transform a flower into a bouquet of chocolate covered strawberries and erase pesky photobombers. The possibilities are endless!

How to create custom animations in Canva

Step 1: Create your design

Start your design like normal by creating a Canvas. Think about how you want to incorporate animations while you're designing. Place the element you're going to animate in the position you want it to start in.

For this example, I wanted the Sked mascot, Quirky, to jump off a diving board into a pool. I found a good pool image, added a diving board, layered a second pool image over the bottom half of the graphic and made it transparent (so it'll look like he goes under water), and placed Quirky in his starting position on the diving board.

Step 2: Open the animation options

Select the element you want to animate by clicking on it, click Animate from the option bar. Here you'll see the preset animations available but to customize your movements, click Create an Animation.

Step 3: Design the path of the element

Click the element and drag it around the design in the path you want it to take. When you stop dragging the element, your animation will stop.

Step 4: Perfect your animation

After you create the path for your element, play around with the settings to get it exactly how you want it. Choose between original, smooth and steady paths, decide if you want to orient the element to the path and adjust the speed using the slider bar.

Step 5: Download and share

Once you're happy with your animations and your design is complete, click the Share button in the top right corner, scroll down to Download, choose MP4 and choose your download settings. Now you can share or post your animation wherever you need - website, socials, emails, etc.

Tips for using Create an Animation in Canva

Straight lines: Hold shift while dragging your element to create straight lines.

Speed: Control the speed of the element by dragging faster or slower. You can also change the speed of the animation after you create it by sliding the bar.

Orient element to path: If you want the element to flip or spin along with the path (like Quirky flipped off the diving board), toggle this button on.

How to use Canva's Magic Edit tool

Canva launched some major improvements to their image editing tools and Magic Edit is going to be a fan fav. With Magic Edit, you can brush over an element in a photo, describe what you want to generate in its place, and Canva will provide you with different results that you can then insert into the image.

Step 1: Select your image

Upload your desired image to Canva or choose from Canva's extensive image library.

Step 2: Open Magic Edit

Click on the image, click Edit Photo and select Magic Edit from the Tools section on the sidebar. Note that the feature is still in beta testing so it may not work perfectly yet and expect improvements in the future.

Step 3: Select the part of the image you want to edit

Brush over the parts of the image that you want to edit. You can change the brush size by using the slider.

This doesn't have to be perfect (your brush stroke can go outside the lines of what you're trying to replace but try to keep it contained as much as possible). If you make a mistake you can reset the brush strokes by clicking Reset Brushing.

Once you've brushed over the desired part, click Continue.

Step 4: Describe what you want to generate

Next, tell Canva's AI what you want to insert in place of your selection and click Generate. The more specific you are with your prompt, the better your results.

Canva warns that some things, like hands or faces, may not look right so this probably isn't the right tool if that's what you're looking for. If you need some inspiration, Canva will suggest some prompts based on the elements of the photograph.

Step 5: Select a result

Canva will generate four different options for you to choose from, but if you don't like any of them you can click Generate New Results.

You can click through the different options to see how they'll look in your image. Once you find an option you like, click Done.

Step 6: Download and share

Once you're happy with your image and your design is complete, click the Share button in the top right corner to choose how to share or download.

How to use Canva's Magic Eraser tool

Canva's photo background remover has long been a favourite tool of mine, but the Magic Eraser takes this to the next level. If there's just a small piece of your image you want to erase, Canva's Magic Eraser tool will get rid of it, and fill the space to look like there was nothing there to begin with. (Awesome for removing photo bombers or unwanted distractions).

Step 1: Select your image

Upload your desired image to Canva or choose from Canva's extensive image library.

Step 2: Open Magic Eraser

Click on the image, click Edit Photo and select Magic Eraser from the Tools section on the sidebar.

Step 3: Brush over the part you want to erase

Select the size of the brush and use it to highlight the part of the image you want to erase. Canva will begin erasing the element when you let go of the mouse so don't lift up until you've brushed over the entire part that you want removed.

If you make a mistake, click Reset Erasings.

Step 4: Download and share

Once you're happy with your image and your design is complete, click the Share button in the top right corner to choose how to share or download.

Sked's integration with Canva

With all these awesome new editing tools in Canva, I'm sure you'll want to be sharing your design on social media. With Sked's integration with Canva, we make that process simple. Start your free trial today.

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