Making a beautiful blog header image doesn’t have to be difficult, even if you’re not a designer. Sure, you could use a stock photo that reflects the subject of your post, but there’s a good chance you will come across another blog post with the same image. With some simple edits, you can take an image and make it your own. Here are 5 blog header image design hacks.
1. Use a transparent color wash over the image
Covering your image with a simple transparent color wash will immediately affect the mood of your image. For example, covering your image with a blue or purple or black wash will make it more melancholic, while covering it with a yellow wash will make it brighter and happier. Putting a color wash over your images will also make text easier to read, as it evens out the background of the image. You can use just a transparent strip across the image if you want to bring the title forward but don’t want to wash out the rest of the image.
2. Divide the header into two sections, one for an image and one for text
Section off a third of the header (your basic 1:3 ratio). Fill the larger section with an image and the smaller section with a solid background using a color that matches the image. Use text that also matches the color scheme of the image. It generally looks better if you keep the text to one side of the header, rather than in the middle, as the eye follows a left to right or right to left track more intuitively.
You can also use an icon to tie both sections together pictorially. You want the sections to still be cohesive, so make sure they use the same color palette.
3. Embellish photos with icons
You can make you header image fun and quirky by adding icons to the image. This style of header image is less common than a plain photo or an image with a color wash, and the surreal feel will catch the attention of readers. The key is to not just throw icons onto the image–make sure that they make sense in the design. If the image shows a blank screen, for example, place icons on the screen.
4. Add a color border
To give your header image a rounded appearance, use a border. This is especially important if you’re using an image with a light or white background, as a borderless header image will blend in with the rest of the page. The thickness of the border depends on your preference. Whatever you choose, though, it is a good idea to keep it uniform across your blog to maintain a cohesive design.
5. Crop and frame images
It’s easy to repurpose stock images by cropping and framing them into interesting shapes. If you use more than one image, try to choose images that go together in terms of subject, theme and color palette. Again, you want to make sure that your design is cohesive. Also, don’t settle for just a black border–using color will do a lot to brighten up the page. Using alternating colors for each blog post will also help your posts stand out from one another. With these 5 blog header image design hacks, you can create eye-catching header images that will draw in readers. Image Credit: Wikipedia
