How to Self-Publish Your Book: Step 8, How to Create a Cover with Canva

1. Get your cover template’s overall dimensions (highlighted above)

2. Create a new design in Canva with those dimensions (highlighted above)

3. Upload your cover template

4. Drag your template into the design

5. Lock the template in place

6. Upload your cover art (I found it easier to have front and back cover as separate files)

7. You can also use Canva’s photos and graphics

8. Drag and drop your cover art into the template

9. Use Canva’s tools to resize the cover art. Stay within the template guidelines.

10. You can decrease the opacity of your art to check (upper right corner)

11. Use Canva’s text tool to create the spine text

12. Use Canva’s tools to rotate the spine text and place it (you may need to adjust the text size)

13. You can zoom in and out (and decrease opacity) to make sure your art is within the guidelines

14. Use Canva’s text tool to create the back cover text

15. Download as PDF Print