Canva Hacks Part 8 ➝ How to Create Shadows in Canva

Shadows instantly add realism and polish — no Photoshop needed. Use these four Canva-friendly methods to ground objects, create depth, and elevate your visuals.

Canva Shadows Tutorial – Cover
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1) Easy Reflections App

Create realistic reflections beneath products, posters, or banners in seconds.

How to do it

  1. Open Apps → search “Easy Reflections” and open the app.
  2. Select your image and remove the background (if needed).
  3. Apply the reflection and adjust opacity/fade for realism.
Best for
  • Product shots and mockups
  • Minimal poster layouts
  • Hero banners
Pro tip: keep reflections lighter than the object and cropped close to the base — long reflections look fake.
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2) Black Oval Shadow

A fast, flexible “contact shadow” that lifts objects off the page.

How to do it

  1. Search “Black Oval Shadow” in Elements.
  2. Place the oval under your object and Send to Back.
  3. Scale horizontally for a wide, soft base; reduce transparency to 10–30%.
Why it works

It mimics a soft surface shadow — quick to apply, easy to tune, works on almost any background.

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3) Duotone Effect

Use a gray-tinted duplicate behind your object to simulate a stylized shadow.

How to do it

  1. Duplicate your image.
  2. Select the duplicate → Edit Photo → Effects → Duotone.
  3. Click Custom and set both colors to a light gray; lower intensity.
  4. Offset slightly and Send to Back.
Best for
  • Minimal layouts and headers
  • Flat-color backgrounds
  • Stylized brand visuals
Pro tip: match gray temperature to your scene — cooler for blue scenes, warmer for beige backgrounds.
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4) Duotone + Offset Tilt

Add a slight rotation to the duotone duplicate for a dimensional, floating feel.

How to do it

  1. Apply the Duotone gray treatment to a duplicate (as above).
  2. Resize and rotate the duplicate a few degrees.
  3. Offset behind the original and Send to Back.
Use cases
  • Carousels & covers
  • Hero banners
  • Product highlights
Pro tip: subtlety wins — 1–3° rotation and a small offset keeps it premium, not gimmicky.
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Final Thoughts

Shadows ground objects, create hierarchy, and add realism. Start small and keep them consistent with your scene’s lighting.

Quick recipe

  1. Pick a single light direction for the page.
  2. Use contact shadows (oval) for grounding.
  3. Use reflections/duotone for stylized depth.
Next step

Try one method on your next post and A/B test with/without shadows. You’ll see the lift immediately.

Get the Shadow Toolkit inside the Creative Vault.
Includes oval shadow assets, duotone presets, and a 1-page checklist.
Canva Basics Part 4 ➝ Grouping and Ungrouping Elements in Canva

Canva Basics (Part 4) ➝ Grouping & Ungrouping

December 3, 2025 No Comments

Most Canva beginners waste time dragging elements one by one. Pros don’t. They group. Grouping keeps your layouts clean, consistent and fast to edit — especially for carousels, headers, buttons and logos. In this tutorial, you’ll learn exactly how to group and ungroup elements in Canva, why it matters, and the quick shortcuts every designer should use.

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