How to Take Cool Profile Pictures to Build Your Personal Brand

alyssa bermudez poster — Want to add a bold touch to your profile pic? Try incorporating graphics and hand lettering.

For most profile pics, you won’t need to do extensive editing. However, if you want to change up the style of your profile picture—for example, creating cool anime profile pictures or more creative aesthetic profile pics—you may opt to use some additional editing software or even add hand lettering or graphics. Try the following tools:

Filters

In general, it’s best to avoid using filters for your profile pictures. Why? It’s simple: You want your profile picture to look like you. Filters can add effects that distort your true appearance. In some cases, a subtle filter can be appropriate (e.g., a black and white filter), but in general, keep them to a minimum.

What About Nontraditional Profile Pictures?

orange graphic face — This avatar made in Procreate by Ariel Nine isn’t traditional—but it is striking and cool.

The tips above will help you generate a profile picture that’s appropriate for most social media sites (e.g., Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn). But for some websites or online games—like Discord or Fortnite—many users prefer profile pictures that are more creative, like memes, GIFs, or cool anime profile pictures.

To generate cool Fortnite profile pictures or profile pictures for Discord, try using an online profile picture generator to create your ideal graphic. You can also draw your own avatar using a digital illustration platform, like Procreate.

Your profile pictures serve as a window to your personal brand. Take the time to create professional, cool profile pictures to create a memorable online presence.

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