How To Overlay Images In Canva (My Easy Trick!)

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Want to really make your Canva designs pop by overlaying gradients, colors, photos, and texts in Canva?

But it can be tricky to stack everything cleanly at first. I’ve had my share of messy overlaps and positioning fails!

In this quick tutorial, I’ll show you how to overlay gradients, colors, photos, and text flawlessly in Canva.

We’ll use transparency and positioning tools to create multi-layered designs.

No more messy overlaps! Just eye-catching layers that really make your work stand out.

Let’s dive right in!

Read our massive 34+ Canva Tips and Tricks that will make your daily designing a lot easier

Table of Contents

How To Overlay Images In Canva (Step By Step!)

Below are the steps that you can follow to overlay images in Canva:

1. Create a Design

Visit Canva, login to your account and then click on the ‘Create a Design’ button from the top right corner of the Canva homepage.

Now a menu with various design types will open in front of you. Scroll down various design types or use the top search bar to search for a specific design type.

Once you find a design type that you want to work on, click on it to get redirected to the blank canvas.

2. Remove The Background Of The Image

After getting redirected to the blank canvas, you have to add an image to the design.

If you want to add an image from your computer, then click on the ‘Uploads’ button from the left sidebar and then on the ‘Upload Files’ button.

Now select the image from your computer that you want to upload and it will get uploaded in your upload library.

Then drag and drop the uploaded image on your design.

Or if you want to add a Canva stock image, then click on the ‘Apps’ button from the left sidebar and then on the ‘Photos’ button.

Now Canva’s wide Library of images will open in front of you. Scroll through the available options or use the search bar to search for your desired image.

Once you find a photo that you like, click on it to add it to your design.

Click on the image ones, and then on the ‘Edit Image’ button from the top toolbar. Now a new menu will open on the left-hand side.

Click on the ‘Background Remover’ or ‘BG Remover’ tool to remove the background of the existing image.

Now if you still feel that the background of the image is not properly removed, then you can again click on the background remover tool to get access to further editing tools such as ‘Erase’ and ‘Restore’.

To know how to use erase and restore editing tools in Canva, follow our How To Erase In Canva blog.

3. Overlay Your Image

After removing the background of the image, start by adding another image to your design.

You can either upload your own image or use one from Canva stock photos as mentioned above.

Once you have added another image to your design, drag the ‘Resizing’ handles on the boundary box away from the image to make it bigger in size.

Use Resizing Handles to stretch the image

Use all ‘Resizing’ handles to stretch the image from all sides until it fully covers the canvas.

Click on the ‘Position’ button from the top toolbar and then on the ‘Backward’ button from the new menu on the left-hand side.

Now your recently added image will go backward and your previously added image will get at the front.

Then drag and position your previously added image properly on your design.

In this way, you can easily overlay multiple images in Canva.

How To Overlay Color And Text In Canva

Firstly, add an image to your design and then resize it to fully cover the canvas as explained earlier.

Click on the ‘Elements’ button from the left sidebar and search for the ‘Shapes’ from the top search bar.

Now click on a square shape in front of you to add it to your design.

Again, if you are not satisfied with the color of the shape, click on the ‘Color’ button from the top toolbar.

Now a color menu will open on the left-hand side, Click on the color of your liking to change the existing color of the shape.

Once you are done changing the color of the shape according to your liking, use the ‘Resizing’ handles on the shape to stretch the element from all sides until it fully covers the canvas.

Click on the ‘Transparency’ button from the top toolbar and then drag the transparency slider towards the left-hand side to decrease the opacity of the element.

In this way, you will be able to create a nice color overlay on your image.

If you also want to overlay the text, then click on the ‘Text’ button from the left sidebar and then on the ‘Add A Heading’ text style.

Now start typing your desired text in the text box.

After adding a text, start by changing the font style of the text.

Click on the ‘Font Style’ button from the top toolbar and then click on the font style that you like the most from the new menu.

If you want to change the color of the existing text, then click on the ‘Text Color’ button from the top toolbar and a new color menu will open on the left-hand side.

If you can’t find your desired color in the default color section, use the color picker slider to create a new one.

When you find a color that you like, click on it to change the existing color of the text element.

Then resize and position the text element on your design.

Note: Use the top toolbar to change the font style, font size, transparency, etc. of the text.

And voila, in this way you can overlay as many texts as you like on the image.

How To Overlay Gradient In Canva

Open a design type, add and resize the image until it fully covers the canvas as explained earlier.

Then click on the ‘Apps’ button from the left sidebar, and scroll down to click on the ‘Photos’ button.

Now Canva library of stock images will open in front of you, search for ‘Gradients’ from the top search bar.

And then click on the gradient that catches your eye the most to add it to your design.

Again, use the ‘Resizing’ handles of the gradient to make it bigger in size so that it fully covers your design.

Then click the ‘Transparency’ button from the top toolbar and drag the transparency slider towards the left-hand side to decrease the opacity of the gradient.

You can also overlay text by following the process mentioned above.

Note: To save your design in Canva, click on the ‘Share’ button from the top right corner of the screen and then on the ‘Download’ button.

FAQ- How To Overlay Images In Canva

Below are a few frequently asked questions:

How Do I Overlay A Logo In Canva?

Create a design, then add and resize the image until it fully covers the canvas. Click on the ‘Uploads’ button from the left sidebar and then on the ‘Upload files’ button. Now drag and drop your uploaded logo on the design.

Once the logo is on the design, click the ‘Transparency’ button from the top toolbar and drag the slider towards the left hand. After decreasing the opacity of the logo, drag and position it on the image.

How Do I Bring An Image In Front Of Canva?

To bring an image in front of Canva, click on the design and then on the ‘Position’ button from the top toolbar. Then from the new menu, click on the ‘Forward’ button or use the keyboard shortcut Cmd/ Ctrl +].

Before You Leave

And that’s a wrap on layering different elements in Canva!

Now you can blend gradients, images, text, and colors into amazing overlays.

With the right transparency and positioning, you can blend pretty much anything in Canva for awesome multi-layered designs!

Comment below if you need any other Canva-related advice, I am always here to help you out.

Thank You

Rohit Lohia

Hey there! I’m Rohit Lohia, a passionate SEO enthusiast and the proud founder of Branded Bucks. I’m all about helping small business owners achieve success online through my blog. Join me on this exciting journey as we explore ways to make money online and build a thriving digital presence.