5 Really Cool New Things You Can Do with Picmonkey.com

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I’ve been really, really freaked about Picnik closing.
I just didn’t think Picmonkey was going to have what it takes.
 
Turns out I was wrong.
It’s so awesome. And getting better every day.
 
So I’m done grieving.
And ready to max out everything Picmonkey offers!
 
I’ve recently discontinued my design services, which was sad.
But I’m ready to start posting those DIY design tips and tricks I’ve been promising you!
 
Picmonkey.com seems like a great place to start.
I’ve used Picnik (and nothing else) to do all of my designing. 
 
I really believe that you don’t need to buy or learn how to use fancy (and expensive) editing software to create a beautiful and custom blog design!! Not necessary!
 
So first things first: get to know and LOVE picmonkey.com!
 
These are 5 really awesome new features that Picmonkey.com is offering. Check it out!
 
1. MERGING IMAGES: I was dying for some merging action in Pinick was ecstatic to discover it in Picmonkey! Merging images is awesome when you’re working with lots of layers (like when you’re designing a blog header). It allows you to work on one layer and merge all the images together, and then continue to add more layers and images without accidentally moving around (and messing up) the images in the back.
 
For example: text. Text can be really difficult to grab and move around when you’ve got it on top of another image. Because the text is small, you usually end up grabbing (and moving) the image behind it– frustrating. I used to click a million times over a letter, trying to pick it up with no success. Problem solved: I merge the back layers together, which only leaves the text to grab!
 
Caution: make sure all the layers you’re merging are exactly where you want them to be! You can’t move them around anymore after they’re merged!
 
 

2. I CAN SEE THE EDGES OF MY WHITE IMAGE: This was also super exciting to me. It seems like a small thing, but it makes a huge difference! I’ll show you…

When you’re using an online editing program for blog design, you’ll want to use a white image as your “blank canvas.” The Picnik screen made it impossible to see the parameters I was working with! As you can see, Picmonkey’s view is a trillion times easier on the eyes!

Using Picnik:

 

Using Picmonkey:

3. FILM EDGE FRAME: This is my very favorite effect on instagram, so I was really excited to see it on Picmonkey too!

4. SERIOUSLY COOL STICKERS: I’m not sure if their stickers are still a work in progress– they may be, because it seems like I’m always see new additions! And I’ll bet they’re still going to add lots of seasonal stickers. But I love what they have so far. I think Picmonkey’s stickers are way more useful than a lot of the ones they had in Picnik.

Here’s a recent example I saw and really liked of how to use some of their cool “scrapbooky” stickers in your day-to-day photo editing for your blog: Cookies and Cups.

5. LABELS: Technically, these fall under the “seriously cool stickers” category. But I thought these labels were cool enough they deserved their own mention! I love, love, love the scalloped circles and squares! And the square makes it so much easier to make a scalloped line for dividers in blog design (which is one of my favorite details… obviously :)!

I hope this post has made you a little more excited to use Picmonkey and a little less sad to lose Picnik. And just to seal the deal, I’m doing a post later this week about creating collages in Picmonkey without using an actual “collages” function (which Picmonkey will be releasing later)
… like this one:
 
 
 

 

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65 thoughts on “5 Really Cool New Things You Can Do with Picmonkey.com”

  1. I’m loving PicMonkey so far! They added curves, which I was super happy about. And they totally respond on FB too – I asked for Pupcat…and they answered and said they’d try to get it. (Here’s hoping!) How do you do the white backgrounds? I can’t wait to hear about the non-collage collage!

    Reply
  2. There are some things that I am going to totally miss but I am so happy that we have an alternative!! Thanks for sharing these tips because I didn’t know all of these things!

    Reply
  3. PicMonkey rocks my socks too:-) I am slowly learning how to use it…can you believe that I actually didn’t use picnik other than for text?? I can’t wait for more fun tutorials!!!!

    Reply
  4. I have been using picmonkey too but had no idea there about all the other exciting features! Thanks so much for sharing these great tips!

    I noticed that you have my old button on your post for my pinning & singing party. I really appreciate your support and just wanted to let you know that I have renamed my party! It is now the Say G’day Saturday party and it is not just about Pinterest any more. This post would be so good to link as I would love to showcase more tutorials so I sure do hop you can pop by and join in!

    Best wishes and thanks again for a great post!
    Natasha in Oz

    Reply
  5. Great post! I’ve explored PicMonkey a little bit since it opened but I’m holding onto Picnik for as long as possible. Would the merging layers allow you to add a pre-existing watermark if it’s a second image? That’s the one thing I will be missing for sure when I switch over.

    Looking forward to more PicMonkey tips in the week!

    Claire @ alittlesomethinginthemeantime.blogspot.com

    Reply
  6. Love your tips! I,too was super FREAKED out when PIcnik announced it’s closing, but I should have had more faith! Picmonkey is far faster and easier to use and upload to. I couldn’t be happier! Glad I followed your link on Not Just A Housewife ๐Ÿ™‚

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  7. Thanks for this! I am sadly counting down the days as I use Picnik for everything for collages! I can’t wait to hear about a white background and hope they do a photobucket soon too!!!!

    Shannon
    The Enchanted Yankee

    Reply
  8. I just found your blog through Show me what you got link party. I am a new follower and I love this post. I am a new blogger (a couple of months) and just when I was getting used to using Picnik and learning how to edit my pictures it went away.I have been using PicMonkey and I really like it. Cannot wait to learn from your post on how to use PicMonkey to do better editing of my pictures and update my blog.

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  9. GREAT! I was sad at Picnic closing also. I was gonna wait and see if they were going to just come out with an updated site or sometin but Im not waiting….Im gonna go check out picmonkey! Thanks for sharing.

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  10. YOU are amazing! Thank you so very much, you are making me feel a little less sad about loosing picnik. Lots of people don’ believe how much I use Picnik, I do use an editing software for my photography, but almost nothing would go public without passing by picnik for a last retouch.

    Reply
  11. Thank you so much for this awesome tutorial!! And for linking to my party. This is amazing information. Thanks again.

    ~Gay~
    itsahodgepodgelife.blogspot.com

    Reply
  12. I’ve been tinkering around with PicMonkey. I like the features but I am not sure about where you can upload photos from. I’m not an expert on these things so please forgive. Right now when I download pix from camera they go directly to Picasa. Most then go to the Albums. I don’t know how to access those pix from the Monkey. When I upload it shows Picasa as an option … but it isn’t an individual picture. I can download a pic to my desktop and then to the Monkey… but that’s a lot of work for all my pix. Is there a way to upload my pix directly from my Picasa albums?

    Reply
  13. WOW, awesome post I’m so glad I stumbled upon (no pun intended) your post on Pinterest. I’ll be heading over to PinMonkey now! I’ve been using Picasa and I think it’s great for photo’s but they don’t have any cool effects like these. Thanks

    Reply
  14. I was so sad to see Picnik close down. I was a premium member and hadn’t even touched all the doodads available on it. I have never heard of PicMonkey. Thanks for the tips! I’ll be watching your blog design posts closely. ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Reply
  15. I did my re-vamped blog button with Picmonkey and I LOVE it!! I am going to link this tutorial into that post, with full credit to you, of course…along with a great little blurb about how fantastic you are to generously donate your time to figure all this out and share it FREE OF CHARGE! Aren’t you fantastic? Yes, so I will tell the 1000’s of readers who ready my blog. (Well, only 72 at this point, but fingers crossed!)

    ~joy
    Vicky @ sleeping in an unmade bed

    Reply
  16. Oh, hi, I love you for this! I am soooo excited to try out the stickers… I love the notebook sticker on Cookies and Cups’ site!!! I didn’t know they had those kinds of stickers. I love them for adding font and the title of my recipe. I used to HATE grabbing text in picnik too so I’m excited to learn about the merging layers ๐Ÿ™‚

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  17. Wowww thank yo usooo much for referring us to picmonkey~it is just AWESOME and finally I have another good way to edit my photos. ๐Ÿ˜€ I don’t have the money to get “nice” programs, so this is perfect! I love how artsy that site is too.

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  18. I totally agree with you that Picmonkey is pretty awesome. The only issue I have is that there aren’t Holiday effects that Picnik offered. I used some of the overlays a lot throughout the year. I would love if Picmonkey started that as well.

    Reply
  19. wow I love this! I have used Picmonkey only for basic collages, but now I can’t wait to try more!
    This is my 1st time to your site. I’m gonna be a regular now. ๐Ÿ™‚
    thanks!

    Reply
  20. I cannot tell you how excited I am to have found you and your super helpful posts on Blog Design. I have been blogging for just ovr a year and have been driving myself crazy trying to figure out this whole DIY blog design… I like the idea of doing mine myself! I need to perfect my current Blog bc once I do I am going to start anoher totally separate Blog as well. So…. Thank You!

    Reply
  21. I just started my blog about 2 weeks ago and was not happy with my header. Thanks to your article I was finally able to do it so that I am proud to display my name next to it! I will eventually get the advanced program when I can afford it, but for now I am tickled pink with the results. Let me know what you think. And may I make a suggestion… please change the typeface for comments. It is very difficult to see it clearly so as to avoid typos. Thank you again for helping a newbie out. I will be pinning this on my pinterest board on blogging! http://pinterest.com/patinaparadise/

    Reply

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