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🎨 Design with Canva · The Skills Lab

The Basics: Text, Colour, and Images

The three building blocks of every design. Learn how to use them well and avoid the most common mistakes that make designs look amateur.

⏱ 10 minutes 📖 Reading + activity 🎯 Lesson 3 of 8
Your progress
3 of 8
✓ What Is Canva? ✓ Set Up 3 Text, Colour, Images 4 Templates 5 Fundraising Poster 6 Social Media 7 Sponsorship 8 Your Flyer
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Text: the most important element

In most fundraising designs, text is the most important element. It carries your message. Here is how to use it well:

❌ Common mistakes
  • Too much text on one design
  • Font too small to read quickly
  • Too many different fonts
  • Text colour that blends into background
✅ What works
  • One big headline, one small subtext
  • Font large enough to read at a glance
  • Maximum two fonts per design
  • High contrast between text and background
💡
The 3-second rule: Someone walking past your poster has about 3 seconds to read it. If they cannot understand the main message in 3 seconds, the design needs simplifying. Test this by stepping back from your screen and glancing at it quickly.
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Colour: how to choose and use it

Colour sets the mood of your design. Here are the rules that make colour work:

🎯
Stick to 2–3 colours maximum
Choose one main colour, one accent colour, and white or black for text. More than three colours looks chaotic.
⚡
Contrast is everything
Dark text on light background, or light text on dark background. Never grey text on white — it is almost impossible to read.
🌡️
Colour communicates mood
Blue = trustworthy and calm. Orange/yellow = energetic and fun. Green = nature and growth. Red = urgent and exciting. Choose colours that match the feeling you want to create.
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Images: finding and using them well

Canva gives you access to millions of free photos and illustrations. Here is how to use them effectively:

1.
Click Elements in the left panel, then search for a photo or illustration
2.
Look for images without a crown icon (🔒) — those require Canva Pro. Free images have no icon.
3.
You can also upload your own photos — click Uploads in the left panel
4.
Use images that support your message — an adventure photo for an expedition fundraiser, a food photo for a bake sale
💡
Your own photos are always best. A real photo of you on your expedition, or your Scout group at camp, is far more powerful than a stock photo. If you have photos from previous trips or events, upload them to Canva and use them.
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Lesson 3 of 8The Basics: Text, Colour, and Images