5 Really Cool New Things You Can Do with Picmonkey.com posted by Something Swanky Pin Share Tweet Email SomethingSwanky is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. I’ve been really, really freaked about Picnik closing. I just didn’t think Picmonkey was going to have what it takes. Turns out I was wrong. It’s so awesome. And getting better every day. So I’m done grieving. And ready to max out everything Picmonkey offers! I’ve recently discontinued my design services, which was sad. But I’m ready to start posting those DIY design tips and tricks I’ve been promising you! Picmonkey.com seems like a great place to start. I’ve used Picnik (and nothing else) to do all of my designing. I really believe that you don’t need to buy or learn how to use fancy (and expensive) editing software to create a beautiful and custom blog design!! Not necessary! So first things first: get to know and LOVE picmonkey.com! These are 5 really awesome new features that Picmonkey.com is offering. Check it out! 1. MERGING IMAGES: I was dying for some merging action in Pinick was ecstatic to discover it in Picmonkey! Merging images is awesome when you’re working with lots of layers (like when you’re designing a blog header). It allows you to work on one layer and merge all the images together, and then continue to add more layers and images without accidentally moving around (and messing up) the images in the back. For example: text. Text can be really difficult to grab and move around when you’ve got it on top of another image. Because the text is small, you usually end up grabbing (and moving) the image behind it– frustrating. I used to click a million times over a letter, trying to pick it up with no success. Problem solved: I merge the back layers together, which only leaves the text to grab! Caution: make sure all the layers you’re merging are exactly where you want them to be! You can’t move them around anymore after they’re merged! 2. I CAN SEE THE EDGES OF MY WHITE IMAGE: This was also super exciting to me. It seems like a small thing, but it makes a huge difference! I’ll show you… When you’re using an online editing program for blog design, you’ll want to use a white image as your “blank canvas.” The Picnik screen made it impossible to see the parameters I was working with! As you can see, Picmonkey’s view is a trillion times easier on the eyes! Using Picnik: Using Picmonkey: 3. FILM EDGE FRAME: This is my very favorite effect on instagram, so I was really excited to see it on Picmonkey too! 4. SERIOUSLY COOL STICKERS: I’m not sure if their stickers are still a work in progress– they may be, because it seems like I’m always see new additions! And I’ll bet they’re still going to add lots of seasonal stickers. But I love what they have so far. I think Picmonkey’s stickers are way more useful than a lot of the ones they had in Picnik. Here’s a recent example I saw and really liked of how to use some of their cool “scrapbooky” stickers in your day-to-day photo editing for your blog: Cookies and Cups. 5. LABELS: Technically, these fall under the “seriously cool stickers” category. But I thought these labels were cool enough they deserved their own mention! I love, love, love the scalloped circles and squares! And the square makes it so much easier to make a scalloped line for dividers in blog design (which is one of my favorite details… obviously :)! I hope this post has made you a little more excited to use Picmonkey and a little less sad to lose Picnik. And just to seal the deal, I’m doing a post later this week about creating collages in Picmonkey without using an actual “collages” function (which Picmonkey will be releasing later) … like this one: Please visit my Party Page for a more complete index of Link Parties. If you host a regular link party, please add it to my Party Page!
YAY! I have been thrilled to see everything PicMonkey has to offer…not so sad over losing my beloved Picnik now. Thanks so much for the great post! Reply
I’m loving PicMonkey so far! They added curves, which I was super happy about. And they totally respond on FB too – I asked for Pupcat…and they answered and said they’d try to get it. (Here’s hoping!) How do you do the white backgrounds? I can’t wait to hear about the non-collage collage! Reply
Oh my gosh. You’re going to die at how easy the white background is. I’ll post it later this week 🙂 Reply
There are some things that I am going to totally miss but I am so happy that we have an alternative!! Thanks for sharing these tips because I didn’t know all of these things! Reply
PicMonkey rocks my socks too:-) I am slowly learning how to use it…can you believe that I actually didn’t use picnik other than for text?? I can’t wait for more fun tutorials!!!! Reply
Thank you so much for sharing! I have been wondering what I will use to replace Picnic so I will have to check out picmonkey.Paige @ The Sweet Spot Reply
I just started using picmonkey the other day and was thinking it would be pretty cool, thanks for the post! Reply
I’ve been using google+ to edit my pics and love it but I better check out picmonkey to see how it compares. Thanks! Reply
LOVE picmonkey! Can’t wait to see how you make the non-collage, cause I’m really hoping they release that soon :)You rock Ashton! Reply
Thank you so much for sharing this! I have not yet made the move. I had just begun to get used to Picnik when they announced they were closing. So glad to hear that you PicMonkey is a great replacement. I would love it if you would share your great tips on my linky party Dare to Share. I know they were helpful to me. Pam http://pamspartyplanning.blogspot.com/2012/04/dare-to-share-party-3.html Reply
I have been using picmonkey too but had no idea there about all the other exciting features! Thanks so much for sharing these great tips! I noticed that you have my old button on your post for my pinning & singing party. I really appreciate your support and just wanted to let you know that I have renamed my party! It is now the Say G’day Saturday party and it is not just about Pinterest any more. This post would be so good to link as I would love to showcase more tutorials so I sure do hop you can pop by and join in! Best wishes and thanks again for a great post!Natasha in Oz Reply
OK. Now after seeing this I really need to hop over to pic monkey and check it out! You have done such a great job showing off some great features over there!! thank you! Reply
I’ve been using picmonkey but hadn’t noticed the new bits, how fun! Picnik seems kinda old skool now! Reply
Great post! I’ve explored PicMonkey a little bit since it opened but I’m holding onto Picnik for as long as possible. Would the merging layers allow you to add a pre-existing watermark if it’s a second image? That’s the one thing I will be missing for sure when I switch over. Looking forward to more PicMonkey tips in the week! Claire @ alittlesomethinginthemeantime.blogspot.com Reply
You could definitely add a second image (the watermark) over your merged layers– but you’d definitely want the watermark to have a transparent background. Reply
Love your tips! I,too was super FREAKED out when PIcnik announced it’s closing, but I should have had more faith! Picmonkey is far faster and easier to use and upload to. I couldn’t be happier! Glad I followed your link on Not Just A Housewife 🙂 Reply
This is so helpful!! Love your tips. I have been using picnik still and haven’t explored the other options…but time is running out!! I would love it if you linked this post up to my Take it on Tuesday blog hop!! http://romanceonadime.com/take-it-on-tuesday/take-it-on-tuesday-blog-hop-25-daily-goals-list-printables/ Reply
Thanks for this! I am sadly counting down the days as I use Picnik for everything for collages! I can’t wait to hear about a white background and hope they do a photobucket soon too!!!! Shannon The Enchanted Yankee Reply
I just found your blog through Show me what you got link party. I am a new follower and I love this post. I am a new blogger (a couple of months) and just when I was getting used to using Picnik and learning how to edit my pictures it went away.I have been using PicMonkey and I really like it. Cannot wait to learn from your post on how to use PicMonkey to do better editing of my pictures and update my blog. Reply
forgot to mention I have a sweet tooth and your desert look delicious have to try a couple of them Reply
Thanks for sharing the tips. I have been putting off trying out picmonkey until the last possible second – hate change! – but now I am excited to play around with it and give it a try. Reply
Once again…..thank you! I had no idea and I’m about to spend a few hours playing with picmonkey! Thanks! Reply
GREAT! I was sad at Picnic closing also. I was gonna wait and see if they were going to just come out with an updated site or sometin but Im not waiting….Im gonna go check out picmonkey! Thanks for sharing. Reply
Oh I love you! Seriously awesome post! So excited about Pic Monkey! I have Photoshop Elements but nary a second to get up to speed on it and was sad about Picnic’s closing date coming at me so fast. Would love if you’d share this on my linky party! http://teaganstravels.blogspot.com/2012/04/destination-inspiration-linky-party-11.html Thanks, Michelle@ Teagan’s Travels Reply
YOU are amazing! Thank you so very much, you are making me feel a little less sad about loosing picnik. Lots of people don’ believe how much I use Picnik, I do use an editing software for my photography, but almost nothing would go public without passing by picnik for a last retouch. Reply
I love this! I too have been freaking out about picnik closing! I would love for you to link this to my “I Made This” party at Grits & Giggles!http://www.gritsandgiggles.blogspot.com/2012/04/i-made-this_18.html Reply
I have a quick question, how did you get the scalloped line to be long? I have always wanted to use one of those to separate projects in my blog but just cannot figure it out. Thanks Reply
Thank you so much for this awesome tutorial!! And for linking to my party. This is amazing information. Thanks again. ~Gay~itsahodgepodgelife.blogspot.com Reply
Thanks so much for the great ideas! I’ve been tinkering with picmonkey, but haven’t done too much, yet 🙂 We’d love for you to link up to our Finished Friday party. Reply
I saw your post from Pinterest, thank you! I have been so overwhelmed by the thought of having to research and try other editors now that Picnik is dead. This gives me hope! I shared your post on my facebook page 🙂http://www.facebook.com/CleverNest Reply
I’ve been tinkering around with PicMonkey. I like the features but I am not sure about where you can upload photos from. I’m not an expert on these things so please forgive. Right now when I download pix from camera they go directly to Picasa. Most then go to the Albums. I don’t know how to access those pix from the Monkey. When I upload it shows Picasa as an option … but it isn’t an individual picture. I can download a pic to my desktop and then to the Monkey… but that’s a lot of work for all my pix. Is there a way to upload my pix directly from my Picasa albums? Reply
Would love to know how you did the scalloped edge line!!! Oh you have no idea how much this has helped me!!! Thank you!!! Reply
WOW, awesome post I’m so glad I stumbled upon (no pun intended) your post on Pinterest. I’ll be heading over to PinMonkey now! I’ve been using Picasa and I think it’s great for photo’s but they don’t have any cool effects like these. Thanks Reply
Great tips! I need to learn these things! I’ll be featuring this on my blog on Saturday! http://sumossweetstuff.blogspot.com Thanks!Sumo:) Reply
I was so sad to see Picnik close down. I was a premium member and hadn’t even touched all the doodads available on it. I have never heard of PicMonkey. Thanks for the tips! I’ll be watching your blog design posts closely. 😉 Reply
I did my re-vamped blog button with Picmonkey and I LOVE it!! I am going to link this tutorial into that post, with full credit to you, of course…along with a great little blurb about how fantastic you are to generously donate your time to figure all this out and share it FREE OF CHARGE! Aren’t you fantastic? Yes, so I will tell the 1000’s of readers who ready my blog. (Well, only 72 at this point, but fingers crossed!) ~joyVicky @ sleeping in an unmade bed Reply
Oh, hi, I love you for this! I am soooo excited to try out the stickers… I love the notebook sticker on Cookies and Cups’ site!!! I didn’t know they had those kinds of stickers. I love them for adding font and the title of my recipe. I used to HATE grabbing text in picnik too so I’m excited to learn about the merging layers 🙂 Reply
Just gave you a shout out! http://4you-withlove.blogspot.com/2012/07/blogging-tips-9.html Marilyn Reply
Wowww thank yo usooo much for referring us to picmonkey~it is just AWESOME and finally I have another good way to edit my photos. 😀 I don’t have the money to get “nice” programs, so this is perfect! I love how artsy that site is too. Reply
Seriously, I am your newest follower! Thank you thank you thank you for your info!! I am following and finding you on Facebook to follow along there as well!Hugs,Bj Reply
I totally agree with you that Picmonkey is pretty awesome. The only issue I have is that there aren’t Holiday effects that Picnik offered. I used some of the overlays a lot throughout the year. I would love if Picmonkey started that as well. Reply
wow I love this! I have used Picmonkey only for basic collages, but now I can’t wait to try more! This is my 1st time to your site. I’m gonna be a regular now. 🙂thanks! Reply
SOLD! I’m heading back to my blog to link to this post, then over to Picmonkey! Thank you for this! I feel like I can stop mourning over the loss of picnik now. Tanya Rae… Reply
Wonderful, Great to see your blog. It’s a nice topic. Glad to see it was all good. Thanks to share for this blog ………….. Reply
glad I found this! I was scared to death about losing picnic! will definitely try picmonkey.. thanks for sharing! Reply
I cannot tell you how excited I am to have found you and your super helpful posts on Blog Design. I have been blogging for just ovr a year and have been driving myself crazy trying to figure out this whole DIY blog design… I like the idea of doing mine myself! I need to perfect my current Blog bc once I do I am going to start anoher totally separate Blog as well. So…. Thank You! Reply
I just started my blog about 2 weeks ago and was not happy with my header. Thanks to your article I was finally able to do it so that I am proud to display my name next to it! I will eventually get the advanced program when I can afford it, but for now I am tickled pink with the results. Let me know what you think. And may I make a suggestion… please change the typeface for comments. It is very difficult to see it clearly so as to avoid typos. Thank you again for helping a newbie out. I will be pinning this on my pinterest board on blogging! http://pinterest.com/patinaparadise/ Reply
Hey can u guide me via email that how u drew those RED encircles…did u use pic monkey or some other plz guide me:) need help asparklingsparkle@gmail.com Reply
what is that function called kindly guide me plz…or name it so I can google it, aint it available in pic monkey or adobe?
