PicMonkey Tutorial: How to Add a Transparent Overlay to Your Image

Everyone seems to be using overlays on their images these days, including me.  I have used PicMonkey for ages and I love that it’s FREE and super intuitive.  It doesn’t take a genius to figure out how edit images, make collages, or add text, overlays or banners to photos.  I’ve even learned how to make basic printable tags which for a dummy like me is pretty amazing.  Recently I’ve noticed a trend towards using transparent overlays or banners with text to compliment photos and I love how it looks.  I wanted to learn how, so I did, and now you can too!  Read on for step by step directions!

What is an Overlay?

Overlays are those pretty shapes you’ve noticed on photos all over the internet.  They tell you what the image is or what to expect in the tutorial so they are useful as well as pretty.  I usually use two overlays on my images.  The first overlay is my watermark, which is transparent.  It allows for a clean background for my text allowing it to standout without compromising the photo.  I have to pay extra to use my own overlay in PicMonkey.

The second kind of overlay I use is the overlay that PicMonkey provides.  I usually use the “banners” and “labels” within the “overlay” category.

How to Add a Velum Overlay to Your Image

It’s easy to add overlays to your pictures using PicMonkey.

First,  click “Edit a Photo” to upload the photo you want to enhance.

In the Overlays menu (butterfly icon) select “Banners”.

Enlarge overlay banner to the size desired.

Next, use the Color slide to adjust the color of the overlay to white.

Next, use the Fade slide to adjust the transparency of the overlay.  (I used 35%.)

After you have changed the overlay to transparent you can save your image.  Click “Edit a Photo” and pull the saved image back up and then add your text.

Easy right?

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