If you’ve already created your first design in Kittl, the next step is learning how to make your graphics look consistent, professional and recognisably yours.
In this intermediate tutorial, we’ll go beyond the basics and build a repeatable design system you can use for future blog and social graphics.
New to Kittl? Start with our beginner Kittl tutorial first, then come back here when you’re ready to take the next step.
What You’ll Learn
In this guide you’ll learn how to:
✓ Build a simple brand system
✓ Create stronger typography hierarchy
✓ Improve layout and whitespace
✓ Turn one design into a reusable template
✓ Create new graphics faster
✓ Export graphics for WordPress
Anatomy of an Effective Blog Graphic
Before we start building, it helps to understand how the different elements of a professional blog graphic work together.
The example below breaks down a finished Guide Into Place graphic into its main components. Notice how the headline, colours, branding, visual element and supporting text each have a specific purpose.
Instead of asking, “What else can I add to this design?”, ask, “What job does each element need to do?” If something doesn't improve the message, hierarchy, branding or visual balance, you probably don't need it.
Build a Simple Brand System Before You Design
One of the easiest ways to make your blog graphics look professional is to stop treating every graphic as a completely new design.
Start by choosing a small set of brand colours and fonts that you can use consistently across your website graphics. For Guide Into Place, this means using the same core colours and typography instead of choosing something different for every post.
Keep Your Brand System Simple
- Choose one primary background colour.
- Choose one main text colour.
- Use two or three accent colours.
- Choose one main heading font.
- Choose a complementary font for smaller text or accents.
- Keep your logo placement consistent.
Want to follow along?
Open Kittl and create your own blog graphic as you work through the steps.
Example: Using a consistent set of Guide Into Place colours and fonts when designing in Kittl.
Consistency is more important than having lots of colours and fonts. A small, repeatable brand system makes it much easier for readers to recognise your content.
Create a Clear Typography Hierarchy
Good typography is not simply about choosing an attractive font. Your text should immediately tell the reader what to look at first, second and third.
Compare the two versions below. The wording may be similar, but the improved version uses size, weight, colour and spacing to create a much clearer visual hierarchy.
Before and after: Typography hierarchy makes the main message easier to understand at a glance.
- Can you identify the most important words immediately?
- Is the headline readable without zooming in?
- Are you using colour to emphasise rather than decorate?
- Is there enough space between lines?
- Does the typography match the rest of your brand?
Use Layout and Whitespace to Guide the Eye
Adding more elements does not necessarily make a graphic better. Often the biggest improvement comes from changing the position and spacing of the elements you already have.
Your headline and main visual should work together rather than compete for attention. Whitespace gives each element room to breathe and helps guide the reader through the design.
Before and after: Better positioning and whitespace can make the same content look considerably more professional.
Try viewing your design at a smaller size. If the headline, image and branding merge into one busy block, simplify the layout or increase the space between elements.
Turn Your Finished Design Into a Reusable Template
Once you have a design that works, do not start from a blank canvas the next time you publish a blog post.
Instead, keep your successful design as a master layout. The important brand elements can stay in the same position while the content changes from one blog post to another.
Your Reusable Design Can Keep These Elements Consistent
- Logo position
- Brand colours
- Headline font styles
- Background treatment
- Image area
- Spacing and alignment
- Supporting tagline or branding
A reusable design gives you a consistent starting point for future Guide Into Place blog graphics.
Think of this as your master design. The goal is not to make every graphic identical — it is to create enough consistency that your graphics clearly belong to the same brand.
Create Your Next Graphic Without Starting Over
Now the real advantage of your reusable design becomes clear.
For your next blog post, duplicate your existing design and replace the parts that are specific to the article. Your branding and overall visual structure can remain intact.
For Each New Blog Graphic
- Replace the headline.
- Swap the main image or illustration.
- Adjust the text size if the new headline is longer.
- Rebalance the layout where necessary.
- Check that the design still works at a smaller size.
The same design system can be adapted for another article by changing the content while keeping the core branding.
A template should save time, not restrict you. If a new headline or image does not fit comfortably, adjust the layout rather than forcing every article into exactly the same arrangement.
Export Your Graphic for WordPress
Your final graphic needs to look sharp without creating an unnecessarily large image file that slows down your website.
Before exporting, do one final check for spelling, alignment, logo placement and readability. Then choose an appropriate image format and export your finished design.
- Check the headline for spelling errors.
- Make sure important text is not too close to the edges.
- Check the logo and branding.
- View the design at a smaller size.
- Confirm that the image is clear and properly positioned.
- Choose a suitable format for your finished graphic.
Using Kittl Free? Some design and export options vary by plan. See our Kittl Free vs Pro comparison before deciding whether you need to upgrade.
Final check: Export your finished graphic and make sure it remains clear and readable before uploading it to WordPress.
The largest image file is not automatically the best image. For website graphics, aim for a good balance between visual quality and file size so your images look professional without unnecessarily slowing down your pages.
Your Blog Graphic System Is Ready
You’ve now gone beyond creating a single graphic. You have a repeatable system for using consistent colours, typography, layout and branding across future designs.
Keep your master template untouched, duplicate it for each new article, then change the headline and visual to suit the new topic. Over time, this can make creating graphics faster while giving your website a much more consistent visual identity.