Guides & Tips
General usage guides
& YouCreate features.
Utilise our simple guides to discover YouCreate features, shortcuts and tips to ensure you get the most out of your new intuitive creative platform. Check back for more guides as we continue to build out the platform
General Guide - Canvas
Our team’s aim is to keep YouCreate as intuitive to use as possible, but like all applications there are some “unspoken rules” and shortcuts you can use to make life easier. As YouCreate evolves and more features are added, you can check back here for usage guides.
Editing Text
To edit a text box simply double click on it. This will put the text box into editing mode; once in editing mode, you click and drag to highlight and delete text, enter new text etc.
Using 3D Renders
YouCreate uniquely offers one of the only web based platforms that allows for the use of static 2D and 3D objects on a single canvas.
When using a 3D render you can control them with:
- Right click and drag to rotate the render within its container.
- Scroll to zoom in and out of the render/change size.
Drag & Drop Upload
You can drag and drop to upload any of your assets into the canvas, this includes any images (.png, .jpg, .jpeg) and any 3D model (.glb) – Once uploaded these assets will also appear in your assets tab for later use.
Scaling & Resizing
You can scale and resize any image, text, shape or render by selecting it. This will show the objects container, grabbing any of the white handles will resize or distort the object.
- To scale while keeping the objects ratio, resize from any of the corners
- To distort or skew the object, click and drag any of the central handles.
Layer Panel
The layer panel gives you a central tab to manage your creation. To ensure best practice for creating we recommend naming each layer for easy identification, especially when you create with multiple objects and assets. Additional notes:
- Hovering over a layer will highlight the container of the relative object, you can utilise this to keep track of what’s what.
Undo/Redo
Like most applications you can press CTRL+Z to undo, or use the small menu in the top-middle of the screen to undo and redo with the arrows.
General Guide - Dashboard
Managing Your Files
To edit a text box simply double click on it. This will put the text box into editing mode; once in editing mode, you click and drag to highlight and delete text, enter new text etc.
Using 3D Renders
YouCreate uniquely offers one of the only web based platforms that allows for the use of static 2D and 3D objects on a single canvas.
When using a 3D render you can control them with:
- Right click and drag to rotate the render within its container.
- Scroll to zoom in and out of the render/change size.
Drag & Drop Upload
You can drag and drop to upload any of your assets into the canvas, this includes any images (.png, .jpg, .jpeg) and any 3D model (.glb) – Once uploaded these assets will also appear in your assets tab for later use.
Scaling & Resizing
You can scale and resize any image, text, shape or render by selecting it. This will show the objects container, grabbing any of the white handles will resize or distort the object.
- To scale while keeping the objects ratio, resize from any of the corners.
- To distort or skew the object, click and drag any of the central handles.
Layer Panel
The layer panel gives you a central tab to manage your creation. To ensure best practice for creating we recommend naming each layer for easy identification, especially when you create with multiple objects and assets. Additional notes:
- Hovering over a layer will highlight the container of the relative object, you can utilise this to keep track of what’s what.
Undo/Redo
Like most applications you can press CTRL+Z to undo, or use the small menu in the top-middle of the screen to undo and redo with the arrows.
Pop-Ups Guide
While using YouCreate you will come across various pop-ups when creating, here is a brief visual breakdown of them:
Appearance
Clicking on the appearance bar will bring up the colour picker pop-up; this menu can then be as extensive or simple as you want it to be.
- Use the light grey bar at the top of the pop-up to move it around the screen.
- Select any of the items under the main colour picker window to bring up additional options (as seen above)
- Use the inputs at the bottom for precise colour values
Renders
Uploading a 3D render (.glb) to the canvas will trigger the interactive render pop-up. Based on the render uploaded and the .glb file setup, you will notice your asset may appear anywhere from tiny to large.
- You can use your scroll wheel or track pad to increase and decrease the size of the render in its container.
- Right clicking and dragging will allow you to rotate the 3D render into any position you need.
Font
Clicking the font bar (default Poppins) will bring up the font picker, which allows you to search and change the font of text boxes.
- Similar to the appearance pop-up, you can use the light grey bar at the top to move the pop-up around the screen.
- Use the search bar in the pop-up to look for available fonts.
- You can also manually scroll or use the slider on the right to navigate through fonts.
Managing Your Canvas
1. Canvas Dimensions
Using these inputs you can change the dimensions (W & H) of your canvas in pixels. These dimensions will be the final size of your output file when exporting.
3. Canvas Appearance
Selecting this menu item will bring up the colour picker, you can use this to change the colour of the canvas background.
2. Clear Canvas
Selecting this will clear your canvas completely of anything you have added. Any assets uploaded will still be available in your assets tab and dashboard.
4. Export Options
You can use the export options to change your export file name, export file type (PNG, JPEG, WEBP), select the “Export Canvas” button to download the canvas to your computer or the “Save” button to save your file to your dashboard. “Back to Dashboard” will return you to the dashboard page.
Create with Your Assets
1. Search Assets
Using the search function in the assets tab you can search through your uploaded assets. The burger menu to the right of the search bar can also be used to filter through your assets for 3D models and images.
2. Your Assets
You can simply click on an asset to add it to the canvas, any images or 3D models that you upload via the image or render tab will be saved to your account and appear in the assets tab for future use. These assets will also appear in the dashboard where you can upload or delete.
Add Your Images
1. Upload Image
Selecting this will allow you to upload an image to the canvas from your computer, you can also simply drag and drop an image onto the canvas.
3. Position
You can use the position options in the menu to align your image around the canvas (left, right, centre, top, bottom) or rotate and flip the image.
5. Exposure
Using the exposure slider you can change the brightness of the image. To increase exposure drag the slider to the right and to decrease drag it to the left, or simply input a value into the input next to the image name.
2. Shutterstock
Don’t have the image you need? You can click to go straight through to Shutterstock!
4. Layout
Using these inputs you can change the dimensions (W & H) of your image in pixels. Use the lock icon on the right to ensure your image scales while keeping its ratio.
Create with Interactive 3D Renders
1. Upload Render
Selecting this will allow you to upload a render (.glb) to the canvas from your computer, you can also simply drag and drop a render onto the canvas.
3. Layout
Using these inputs you can change the dimensions (W & H) of your render in pixels. Use the lock icon on the right to ensure your render scales while keeping its ratio.
3. Position
You can use the position options in the menu to align your render around the canvas (left, right, centre, top, bottom) or rotate and flip the render.
4. Exposure
Using the exposure slider you can change the brightness of the image. To increase exposure drag the slider to the right and to decrease drag it to the left, or simply input a value into the input next to the image name.
Text Customisation
1. Add Text Box & Edit
Selecting this will allow you to add a text box to the canvas. Simply double click on the text box to go into text editing mode.
3. Font Styling
Using these items in the typography section you can change font size, font weight (bold, thin etc.) as well as the letter spacing and the line height.
5. Position
You can use the position options in the menu to align your text box around the canvas (left, right, centre, top, bottom) or rotate and flip the text box.
7. Appearance
Selecting this will bring up the appearance pop-up, in here you can choose your text color.
2. Font
Selecting the font name (default Poppins) will bring up the font pop-up, in here you can search and select a font to use.
4. Text Alignment
Using the text alignment you can align your text around the text box.
6. Layout
Using these inputs you can change the dimensions (W & H) of your text box in pixels. Use the lock icon on the right to ensure your text box scales while keeping its ratio.
Create with a Mix of Shapes
1. Add Shapes
Choose a shape to start with (Square, Circle or Triangle), selecting a shape will then add it to the canvas.
3. Layout
Using these inputs you can change the dimensions (W & H) of your shapes in pixels. Use the lock icon on the right to ensure your shape scales while keeping its ratio.
2. Position
You can use the position options in the menu to align shapes around the canvas (left, right, centre, top, bottom) or rotate and flip the selected shape.
4. Appearance
Selecting this will bring up the appearance pop-up, in here you can choose your shape color.
Manage Your Creation
1. Layer Panel
Here you can manage your canvas layers.
- To rearrange your items from front to back simply drag the layer to where you want it.
- To hide a layer select the eye icon to toggle visibility
- To rename a layer click the pencil icon and enter your new layer name.
- If you want to jump straight to the options for an object, image or textbox you can click on the layer and you will be taken to the corresponding menu.