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Design basics

The building blocks for a clean, polished design

Written by Karen
Updated today

Once you select a layer you can adjust its appearance using the Design tab in the Property panel.

Design options vary depending on the layer type (text, media, shapes, etc). Here are some of the most common design properties.

Layout

Layout tools help arrange the position, size and angle of your layer.

Position determines where a layer appears on the canvas. You can increase or decrease the X (horizontal) and Y (vertical) values to move the layer left, right, up or down.

Use Size controls to adjust a layer’s width and height. Enter exact values in the Property panel for precise sizing, or resize the layer directly on the canvas using the transform handles.

The Angle property rotates the layer. Enter a value to rotate the layer by a specific number of degrees.

Opacity

Opacity controls how transparent layer is.

To customize opacity, select the layer and adjust the opacity value. 100% opacity means the layer is fully visible and 0% means the layer is completely transparent.

Lowering opacity can be useful for creating soft visuals and subtle overlays.

Fill

Fill controls the color inside a layer.

Enable Fill to apply a color, then use the color picker or enter a HEX value. You can also use the eyedropper tool to sample colors directly from the canvas.

Stroke

A Stroke adds an outline around a layer.

Enable Stroke to apply an outline, then adjust the color, width and position to control how the outline appears. This can help define edges or make elements stand out more clearly.

Shadow

Shadow adds depth to a layer and helps it stand out from the background.

Adjust the shadow’s Offset to control its position, its Blur to soften the edges, and its Opacity to change how strong it appears. You can also change the shadow color.

Blur

Blur softens the whole layer by reducing sharp edges and detail.

A subtle blur can be useful for background elements, while increasing the blur radius can create a more diffused or frosted look.

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