Learn Figma: Introduction for Beginners – Create an Instagram Story & Post Design

1. Introduction the Figma online class: Hello, I am Billie's. I have been a graphic designer for small and big companies and today I will be your teacher. In this online class, you will learn how to create Instagram stories and pose designs with, in my opinion, the best free design tool available with Figma. This course is for beginners who want to start creating awesome designs in Figma. I will teach you how Figma works. The lessons will cover all the basic tools for starting to work in Figma. Your class project will be to create an Instagram story or pose design. You shouldn't forget about posting it after this class here, after the lessons, you will be able to create teams, projects, files, pages, and frames, create different shapes, create and modify text. Zan, a simple character, import and modify images. Design an Instagram story and design and Instagram or Facebook posts. Start the class and learn powerful design skills. Now. 2. Introduction to Figma – Best free design software: Welcome to the first lesson. When we start using Figma, the first thing we need to do is go to figma.com and sign up. You can sign up with Google account or you can sign up with your email. As I have already done this, I just login. When you login, there are two different ways how you can walk. The first way is using this website and working online from your browser. But this would not be the full version of Figma. So what we will do is install Figma and then go to Figma, which is installed. For installing it, go to Features, downloads. And here you can see that there is a MacOS installer and Windows installer. So go through all the steps to install Figma. And then we can open the app. When you open the app, it should look something like this. You can create a new team. So go to create a new team where the team I will name it, name. So we create a team and we can add other people who will also be able to see the projects in this team. Now, there's only one member, which is me. So I will skip it for now. I will choose the starter plan. So now we can start creating a new project. To create a new project. You can go here and click New Project. And now we can name the project, let's say my first website and create a project. So when we have created a new project, we can add a new file by clicking Add New file. And we can choose whether we want a blank Canvas, something that already has been built, and then edit it. Or we can choose one of these frames, which is an iPhone or a desktop frame. For now, we will click blank canvas and create a file. So now we have our file. It is from the project. My first website. In the team named, team name. We can rename the file by double-clicking here and writing. Let's say just a website. Now the file is called website. And we can start working. There should be two panels here. So if you don't see one of them, you can go to the Settings View and go down to Panels and open Layers panel. When he opened the layers panel, you can see that there are pages. We can create a new page. So we have one end, another page. And let's say we want to create a new website design. We go to the first page and right website. And how Figma works is that there is a page, then there is, there are frames. Let's say we create a new frame. And we see on this right panel that there are different types of frames. Let's say we choose the stop. And it creates automatically a frame that is in the size of an desktop. And in this frame, we will create the design. And we have also the second page. So we will name it visuals. And here we can create a frame. And let's say we want a bigger frame, retake and I MAC frame. Now we can swap the pages and see that each page is a different page. Now we will vote in the website page. It will also rename, rename the frame by double-clicking and writing. Let's say home. Now we have the home frame. We can build something inside it. Let's say V square command D, WK The section, and make it blue. So we have a project, then we have the file, then we have the pages, and then we have the frame in which there are elements. The elements are arranged just like in Photoshop, in layers. So here are the layers. And if we want this red square to be on top of the blue square, we can just take the square and move it up. Also, you can see that the elements are called Just rectangle 12. We can also change the name by double-clicking and writing rectangle. And the rectangle blue. So now we see that the blue is on the bottom. When if we move it up, it's on top of the red. As you can see. Everything that is below the top layers is also below the object. Let's clear these and I will start to show you the tools that can be used in favor. 3. The tools shapes text images - Learn the UI of Figma: I have shown that there are frames. There are also shapes. And if we use the shape tool, we can choose to create a rectangle. As we made one, it is not a perfect rectangle. And to create a perfect rectangle, you can hold Shift and then drag it as big as you want. Now it is perfect. And what we can do with an arrow rectangle is also changed the radius of these corners. So it can take and change it like this. Or go to the right panel and change it here. Bigger or smaller radius. We can also rotate rectangle. If we hold Shift, it rotates it with steps. So if you want it perfectly rotated, let's go with 40, 45 degrees. You can also change it here. Let's say 90, and it goes back to this position. We can also change the color here. Let's say we wanted to be red and also show it. Don't show it. Change the opacity and also change the layer mode. So now it's passed through normal gouache. You can also change styles by holding command and clicking D E, we will create a blue square. And now when we change the blues curves, layer modes, it changes the way how it looks. We can also add a stroke. Let's say we add and orange stroke and increase the size. You can also choose it to be in the center, inside or outside the lines of the square. So usually we use inside. And then there are effects. There is this drop shadow effect, which we can change by clicking here. And let's say horizontally, we want it to be to the right. And vertically down here also blur it a lot and change the opacity of it. You can also change the spread so that it looks bigger than the object itself or smaller than the object. Well, this doesn't look good. If I reduce this effect, I would usually go for a white rectangle without a stroke, then go to the Effects and change the shadow. Blur it. Not as much smaller. I'm just as 0 and actually reduce it. So here, there is a subtle shadow. And if we take this radius, we can see that shadow creates this effect bag that there is some kind of paper or something. You can also move it up so it creates the effect are all around it. There are also other effects. For example, inner shadow. That means that the shadow is not outside of the object but inside it. And we can, so you can see better, increase this. And it looks like it is cut out of the website. Also layer blur. Now it is not visible because the layer is not an image or something that could be blurred. But there is this layer blur background, but we will use, let's say drop shadow. So this is about the rectangle. We can also create a line. We can create arrows. And let's say if we create this little arrow and you can make it bigger and, and change whether this element is inside the center or outside the line. To change the arrow, we can click here and use a cap. So here is mixed. Me can take non Line arrow, triangle arrow. And we want to change only one cap. You double-click it, click on this circle, and then we can change it here. What we can also take points and arrow like this. Or take we select this point. And then click here. And we can create a curve. As you can see, by clicking again. It takes it off. Quick round, click, not around anymore. Then we can also create an eclipse and again, create a perfect circle. Hold Shift. Be moved here. We can change the color. And that's basically it. You can create polygons. Also change the radius. And we can also change the corner count here. And we can increase it and create different kinds of polygons. We can also change radius here, change the count here. And by double-clicking, we can change also only one part of the polygon and create a Pac-Man or something. So let's create also a star. Star is something similar to a polygon. But here we can also change the way how it looks. Also change the count of these corners and the radius. So we can also create some kind of badge or something like this. And then we can also place an image like this. The image goes here. And we can draw it by holding Shift. It will be just as the original. For images. They are actually a lot of grade settings. So when you click on Fill here, on image, there are settings and you can adjust the picture as you want. You can make the exposure brighter or darker. You can increase the contrast or decrease it. Use saturation or make it black and unwise. Change your temperature to orange or blue. Tint to green or magenta. Change the highlights and change the shadows. Also when we work with images, they are in this frame and our fitted to adjust to the center of it. We can change it here. Use fit to make it always look as the original image. So it doesn't change the aspect ratio or crop it. So we can just crop some parts of it and double-click outside and it is corrupt. Or we can go and create tiles. As this image is very big, it doesn't create tiles, but we will stick with the fill it bigger. You can also rotate it like this. So it rotates inside of this frame that is created. And if we want to choose another image, Let's say we don't like this image anymore in our design, we can choose and put another image inside it. Another way how we can import images is go to the Finder, open your map where the images and just click and drop it here. Now it goes to the background because I drop it on the background. So let's click Kanzi and drop it outside of it. And you can see that the image is here. And we can decrease size, put it inside here, make sure that the image is inside of the home frame or else it won't export if you want to export the project. So make sure it is inside here. So this is about the tools here. You can also use a pen, create some vector shapes. When we have created a vector shape, we can click, escape. Add a fill. Let's say we don't need a stroke. And if we are not happy with this vector shape, it can just change it here, create a new point here. Let's say we want this to be round. And it creates this shape. You can also export it by clicking export vector. And exploited here as a PNG, JPEG, SVG, or PDF. When you want to export, Let's say we create a logo. Let's create a simple logo. We take an ellipse, hold Shifts, created perfectly. Choose color. Some text in here. Let's say we want only like n t. Increase the size of it, center it. And I'll also add some text here. Let's decrease the size. And we want to export this. When we just select all of these elements, you can go to Export and choose what we want. Let's say PNG, export, but it says three layers. So when we export this, save it. It will create separate files for these elements and we don't want it. Whenever you want to export it all as a group, we have to group it. And we can group it by holding command and clicking G. Now it's a group. And when we export it, it creates this file, which is now the whole logo. Okay? You already saw how I created the text. So we can create a text by clicking here, drawing this rectangle and start writing something. Or, or we can just click T, then write something and it will automatically create this frame around it. The faster way is to click. When you click T, it chooses the text tool automatically. Now we can write the text and we have some text. Figma is great with text. Here you can see that we can choose a font, Let's say Roboto Condensed to, we can choose the width, let's say bold. You can choose the line height. Decrease it. He can he can change the letter spacing. Also, the paragraph spacing. Many paragraphs. So a paragraph is when you click Enter and it creates a new paragraph. We can make an outer width or the height and fixed size. So what it is, as I showed you, you can click T and write something here. But the problem is that the guides are using this frame. So we can create this box here like this. To change some text properties. We can go here on the three dots and change the alignment. Okay, you don't see it now, but it's a text. You can see that it is centered on the left or on the right. Are justified. We can use some declarations which are usually not used. Strikethrough. We can create a paragraph indents. So let's say there is some more text here. And it's like a paragraph. We can create indents. Let's remove this. We can also change the case so we can make it uppercase, lowercase, title case, small caps, or forced small caps. Or the original text. You can change the spacing. And we can change the way how numbers look. So if we write some numbers here, you can change it also here. So let's say your normal, normal numbers and monospaced. So the space, so the horizontal space for each number is the same. And there are different letter forms, stylistic sets, horizontal spacing, and more features that we can choose. And so awesome. We can also change the fill. We actually have to select all the text and then we can change the fill. As for other layers, we can also change the opacity. We can add a stroke, a stroke inside or inside, so center or outside. Outside. Usually outside is the best choice. It can make it round so increase the size. You can see that there are different styles for the outline. You can also add effects. Drop shadow, blur it. So there are different kind of ways how we can use this. And then we have the Move tool where we can just move the camera. Also move it by clicking this call button. And it will move all the project. So let's say we take this frame Command D. So these are the basics and biota tools. 4. Creating an Instagram story Design: After learning all of the essential tools for Figma, we can start designing something. As I mentioned before. In this class, your class project will be to create an Instagram story or opposed design. We will start with creating an Instagram story design. So the first thing that we do to create an Instagram story design is creating an Instagram story frame. We go to frames and choose the Instagram story frame. After that, we will create a simple character which is based on Japanese cute styles. We will create a circle. Then choose the color, and create another ellipse. These will be the eyes of the character. We create them very big. So it looks cute. Now I WK the circle and make them both black. I like to use a lighter black or very dark gray color. Now we create some ellipses, which are the reflections of light in the eyes and make them white. Duplicate it, and create a smaller one in the diagonal. Okay, these are made, so I will move them here and replicate them both. And put them also in the other eye. So QR, the ice. Now it's time to create the mouth. So create this line. Click Escape. Make it thicker. And now we go and change the cap to round. Choose the color of the eye, and create a point and move it down so that we create the mouth, make it round, and we will make it smile. This is done. Just some adjustments. Here. Okay, let's replicate the mouth and move it and create a hand. You'll create very simple hands. If you want, you can try to create more detail. Hands made them a little bit thicker, and choose the red color and make it a little bit brighter so that it stands out from the body. Okay, their arm and create another one on the other site. Now we will create the legs. I'm just going to be a little bit bigger. And create the other one. Just hit a little bit different. Okay, and should be okay here. And now we will go and create a rectangle. So this is the first rectangle. We will create the hat. The hat consists of two rectangles. So create two rectangles, put them one bigger, one smaller, and align them to the center of each other. I will make the corners rounded. And also on the other rectangle. Make it quiet drowned. And now choose a color you like. I will go for a blue one. So this is the base color and and I will adjust to a darker color for the hats upper element. Okay, this is done. And we can go for more details and adjusted, but it will leave this class short. And this should be okay. Now we will create some text. So create some copy. I will go for, we create characters. For illustration or graphic design company. We will choose another font. I will choose one that is a little bit cuter than an orbital, and that could be pop pins. So I'm looking for Poppins. It's a free font and you can also download it from Google Fonts. So here we go. Poppins. When we create designs, we want them to be similar to the style of the company. So if it's cute, be choose a cute font and cute colors. I will create a bold. So it's very visible. I think we could put it down here. Because we will later create more catchy phrase on the top. And then we create characters. There'll be the description of our product. So we will choose and more catchy phrase for the top. And it could be, is your brand to boiling. So if there is a brand which seems to be very boring and seems to have bad marketing. This could be something catchy. But copywriters might choose also other rewards. For us designers, it's important to choose the right font, the right colors. Made the whole design balanced and good-looking. Every brand which needs something more interesting for them, could reach out to us and create some correctors for them. So we will make the text smaller. Here we describe what our product is, what we do. I will choose a blue color. Okay, So this didn't work out. Okay, I choose the text and change the color to blue. And also stand out. So we want them to see the most important text first. When we create a design, make it very simple for people to read the most important things so that you don't skip the ad. So we will create some more characters by just double-clicking the already made character beneath the main character. And we're just testing some stuff. So we will see whether this works out or not. Make it in a different color so that they don't go together. Let's go for some huge color. Some bright blue color, and also the hands. And so in Figma, it's very easy to change colors of a selection. If your character. It's easy to change all colors by going on the right panel and choosing the selection colors. So we replicate also the character four times so that there's more than one character. And after that we could adjust also the mouth and that leg and hand width. But we will just experiment and see whether this could work or not. Adjusted so that it is centered and all the characters look balanced. Okay, let's put the text beneath the characters. The characters. Yes, here. And move it. Of course, it's better to name the layers so it's easier for you to understand where you should put something and find a good place for the text. And design is all about experimenting. Okay, Um, now we will create the swipe up text. We always want to tell the prospects what they should do when they are interested. In this design. V1, them to swipe up. Because on Instagram, when you swipe up, you can click link and go to the website or wherever U1 declines to go. Now we create a line and make it round. B will also select the upper point and make it an arrow. Let's see. Me. Triangle on no, this doesn't work. Let's go forward to the line arrow. Make it a little bigger. Oh, no, this doesn't work. You'll create the bigger and might change the color to a brighter color so that it's easier to read the text. Okay, this looks fine. So we want to design to look more interesting. And therefore, you'll create some colors in the background. So we create this triangle and choose a color from our design. We don't want to use too much colors. When we create designs, we want great and simple. And if there are too much colors, it doesn't look balanced. And it creates just a chaos. And people can't easily read and can easily understand your design. Which means that the client doesn't click on the link. Because there are so many advertisements and people wanted to do only the things that they understand. And that seems simple. So we will create also the other side of the background color. And this adds just some interests to the design. Okay, this seems better. Not as boring as before. I think the blue characters are too much for this design. And I'm I to remove them because they doesn't seem to have too much to the design. This one character, oops, this one character will be better. Okay, Make it bigger. It's very important that the text is readable, but it's also K When you cover some part of the text with the character so that it looks that it is in front of the text. I will also change the color of the hat so that it is the same color as for the text. Mag the upper elements darker. Okay, this should work. This was the creation of the story design. The next step will be to create a post. And in the next video, I will show you how to create a post. The design could have been made better, but for now this will work. And if you want to adjust something, you can always adjust something later. And for example, make the character more detailed. Now you could also put it on Instagram and see how it looks on Instagram and adjust things after after you saw how it would look on Instagram. Okay, let's move on to the next lesson. 5. Creating an Instagram/Facebook post Design: Principles for creating a post are very similar to creating and story. But here again, you choose a frame that is for an Instagram post. It usually is 1080 by 1080. But you could also change the aspect ratio of 245, which is the vertical aspect for the post. In this case, we will choose the 1080 by 1080 frame. And let's start working on it. At the start, you can go to Plugins and search for splash, or just draw an image you like from your computer. So I will choose an image for brands that is looking for a new designer, or designers usually work with MacBooks. So I will choose a picture of a MacBook and that will be relatable to designers. I added as a background. And now I will create a rectangle. Will be the overlay over the photo so that the text will be more visible after I added. Make it a dark gray color. A darker one will work better and reduce the opacity. Okay, let's go for darken. Darken will only dark and ours that are brighter than the rectangle you have put on. So the blacks are blacker. Now we will add some text. Let's go for, we are hiring. Make the color white so it's readable. Again, we meant for Poppins bold, but actually we could go with another font. In this case, this could also work fine. And let's complete the text. We are hiring designers. Made the line height so that the text is easily readable. And we will adjust it. Now to add some interests. We can add some colors. And I'm experimenting as I'm doing. So. Now let's try something else. Let's try making the IRS white. And this blue doesn't work. Again. Make the design so that it pops out. Okay, let's go for this green color. Okay? It's readable, so this will work fine. And now we will create some texts for some description. So this is for designers to know one day we'll get if they are going to work for this company. We always want the clients to see it. Reasons why they should click on the link or write a message. Always tried to create the design clean and readable. Don't overdo the design with many elements. Make it so that it pops out and shows the value for the client. We could go for a manger, awesome co-workers tomorrow. And pMOS, a message now. But I'm not sure this would work because people done mainly look for awesome co-workers. They look for more things. So MIT mentioned the main reasons why people would want to apply to a new design job. So the first reason could be earn more money. So you can walk with real professionals. That will make the design process easier and better. People always like free food. And B will also give you our company car if you work for us. Let's stick with these four. Okay, I think we should increase a little bit to the line height. So it's more readable. Okay, this looks nice. But the text is not to readable. So we could create a rectangle which will be the background so that the text is more readable. This green color doesn't look good, but now we will create the text black. This looks better. But I'm not sure. And you can experiment. What love is great for you and where the rectangle should be. It should look balanced. Well maybe we can make the rectangle go to the borders of the post. This looks fine. And now we will create a simple logo for the company. So it will be just the square. Let's change the color to the same green color we have chosen before. And I will also change the background for the description to be white so it's more readable. Okay, this looks okay, magnitude logo, a little bit smaller. The first thing that people should see is that we are hiring designers. And after that, they can look at the description and then see the company that is hiring. So I will call the company Best. Very simple logo. And this is a power that this sign, we might change a little bit how the text looks. We will align the text to the text on the top. So it's balanced. Okay, I will take this background rectangle and make it bigger so that the bottom of the G goes on top and it looks that the designers are just sitting on the description. We also add some interest by making the white ERS go together with the rectangle. The background picture is just catch some attention and show the theme. Indesign. It's very important to look at the hierarchy. The most important thing for people is to see that we are hiring designers. After that, they should look at the description and then they could look at a logo. So this is it. We have created our post design. And again, process could be longer and you could create three different designs and choose which one looks best to you, and then send it to the client or post it yourself. If you own the business yourself. 6. Before you go...: Great, you have completed this class. Now it is your time to take the knowledge you got from this course and create some stunning designs. I hope you are truly enjoyed this course. And if you have any questions, let me know. If you haven't already done so, please leave a review for this course. These reviews really helped me make my classes better and help new students define this course. If you would like to learn more creative skills, check out my other classes. I also teach BAD Photography, photoshop, and useful business skills. And make sure you click the follow button. Thank you again and have a great day.