How to Create Chalkboard Printables Using Picmonkey

Chalkboard are all the rage now days thanks to Pinterest. 
I am no exception to the craze, illustrated by the fact that I have a whole Pinterest board devoted to “Everything Chalkboard.” 
The number one thing that people have asked me to do a tutorial on is how to create chalkboard printables. This tutorial has been a long time in coming, but it’s finally here! Rather than showing how to make one in photoshop (which is my personal method) I want to show you a super “user friendly” and completely free (no expensive software needed!) way that anyone can create their own digital chalkboard using Picmonkey

If you need a chalkboard background you can use my free download HERE.
If you need free Graphics/Overlays to use on your chalkboard, I have tons of freebies in my Graphics section, found HERE.
First you will need a “blank canvas” to create your printable on. To use the same chalkboard background I use, see the link above this photo. You can crop it down to any size you want.
Click on the “butterfly icon” which will bring you to “Overlays.” You can always use the graphics Picmonkey offers, but if you want to use third party graphics in your creation, click “Your Own.” You will then be prompted to click on the folder where you have your graphics saved. Select the individual graphic you want to upload from that folder, and it will be added to your image on Picmonkey.
Now that your graphic is on your image, you can re-size it by moving the circles on the corner of the graphic up or down. Or you can tilt it by rotating the circle in the middle of the square’s top.
The graphics color can be changed by moving the small circle over the range of colors in the box.
At this point, you can add other graphics to your printable. If you want to duplicate a graphic (and have it maintain the same size & color), right click and choose “duplicate overlay.”
Now that your graphic has been duplicated you can flip it by clicking the “sideways arrows” to flip it horizontally, and the “up and down arrows” to flip it vertically.
To tilt the Graphic, turn the circle on the top of the box.
Add text to your image by clicking on the “text” icon and click “add text.” You personalize it by choosing the specific color & font you want. 

Update: If you want to use your own super cool fonts, just click “YOURS” and it will automatically load your personal fonts into their system Pretty awesome, right? 

When you are finished, click SAVE & you are done!
There are several limitations to this method, mainly that you can’t warp your text & curve it (like in the finished product below, which was created in Photoshop
But overall, this is a great process (and it’s FREE! 🙂 
To get this finished printable, go HERE.
    
 Do you have photoshop & want to learn how to convert your drawings into digital graphics? Visit my post HERE.
To see my collection of the Very Best Chalk Fonts, go HERE.
Have fun!
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  1. Wow! Awesome website and so many great ideas! I found you through pinterest (where else?). Definitely a new fan! Have a great day!

  2. Anonymous says:

    I am really enjoying making my own printable !!! Thank you for this tutorial !
    I just have a question, I was wondering if it is possible to add fonts into the PicMonkey program ? I downloaded a few that you had and really wanted to use them but couldnt find a way to add them.

    Thanks!

    • Hannah says:

      To my knowledge they don't right now. But I would try looking into using gimp- I haven't used it personally, but to my knowledge it's a free photoshop type program… And according to google, you can add fonts. Hope that helps! Let me know how it goes!

    • Zenee Miller says:

      To use your own fonts in picmonkey, select the left text icon. Notice how they have two options, Ours and Yours. Provided you have added these fonts to your computer and use them, you can select yours and use them with PicMonkey!

  3. Svetlani says:

    Whoah! you're just an answered prayer to my curiosity! I've been dying to learn how to make this one but I'm not a photoshop expert much of photomonkey! LOL Thanks for this and I'll try to make one! 🙂

  4. irbuanosraL says:

    THANK YOU SOOO MUCH! I was panicking because I needed to make posters for church. Now I am just going to look awesome!! THANKS!!!!

  5. OK I will admit it. How do you use a printable once you have created it?

    • Hannah says:

      Karyn, you can have it printed out in a normal or poster size at staples and frame it to look like a real chalkboard. It can be used in anyway you want, really! Cards, posters, tags, wall art… Hope that helps!

  6. Heather A says:

    I've been looking for a great tutorial on making printables using picmonkey and found you via Pinterest – yay! So glad I did – love your blog. I am a new follower 🙂 Thanks so much!

  7. Deepa says:

    Thank you so much for this tutorial! I too found you on pinterest and so glad I did! Question – when you print a saved sign from Pic Monkey, does it print as say an 8×10? I need to print/frame a few signs and wondered how sizing works. Thanks!!!

  8. Deepa says:

    I choose 8×10, but till looking a bit funky :-, I'll have to play around with it…

  9. Valerie S. says:

    Thank you so much for a very easy to follow tutorial and your great chalkboard background. I made a super cute chalkboard sign for a friend's wedding using a quote she'd loved on Pintrest. I'm getting a foamboard print made on MPix and think she is going to love it. I also appreciated your font suggestions too.

  10. Great tutorial! I plan on posting some chalkboard prints I have made for free the next couple of days. I am going to link to you for those who would like to DIY. :o) Have a wonderful day! Charlie @PickledOkrabyCharlie

  11. gemma says:

    It's so much fun to see good picmonkey tutorials, I really can't afford photoshop and picmonkey is a decent alternative. I wrote some tutorials myself too, you can see them here:
    http://submarinesandsewingmachines.blogspot.nl/search/label/picmonkey
    I really like your blog by the way 🙂

  12. Demi Bush says:

    Literally you are amazing!! Your tutorials are so easy to follow and in just one night I am already designing amazing chalkboard print offs!! Thank you!! I will defiantly be back to your blog!

  13. I found this tutorial very helpful. And you can use your own fonts in PicMonkey. When you are on the text options there is a choice at the top that says "yours" if you click on that it will load your fonts. I am trying to figure how to get my board to print… I need a 11×14 any suggestions on where or how?

  14. so can you just print these with a normal printer? do you use special paper?

    • I have! Sometimes I rub real chalk over them afterwards for a realistic texture. I recommend using a card-stock paper. Personally, it's going to take up a ton of black ink, so I would just go to staples and get it done on card-stock in B&W for $0.20

      Hope that helps!

  15. Hey Hannah,

    I realize you wrote this a while ago, so you probably already know this, but you can definitely use your own fonts in PicMonkey. You just choose the "yours" tab under fonts and you can use any from your computer. But I didn't realize you could use your own overlays, so thanks for the great tutorial!! I too work in photoshop and illustrator (I'm a graphic designer), but PicMonkey is a huge time saver. One question – when you offer printables, do you offer as jpeg, PDF or other? Do you save as a certain size, or do you just design as a vector and let them print any size they want. I'm a new blogger and would love to offer printables, but I don't really get what makes a graphic a printable. Aren't all visuals… technically printable?

    Thanks!
    Lory

    • Hi Lory!

      Yes, I was so excited when I realized that they changed it so that you can add your own fonts. 🙂

      If I am making a free print, I usually save as jpg at 300 dpi for high resolution during printing.

      The graphics themselves aren't printables, because they are saved as a transparent png. When you add them to a standard printing size page and save them rasterized they technically become a print.

      Hope that helps & have fun coming up with awesome content for your blog! XO

  16. Thanks! Yes, that is helpful to know what is acceptable in the blogging world… 🙂 (When I work with professional printers, they always prefer vectors, so they can be printed at any size without losing quality. But I guess that's not necessary for people printing on their home printers.)

  17. Anonymous says:

    Is there any way to resize a print to 24×30 in PicMonkey? New to this and would appreciate your help! Thanks.

  18. Brandy Boyd says:

    I downloaded your chalkboard background and a few of your wreath designs. When I add the wreath design over the chalkboard background the background around the wreath stays white. I am not getting the wreath image alone. What am I doing wrong? :-/

  19. Anonymous says:

    is it okay to make things on picmonkey to sell?

  20. Anonymous says:

    Do projects have to be completed all at once? Is there a way to re-edit saved documents if you want to make a change?

  21. Nicole says:

    So I followed your tutorial and downloaded one of your wreath images. When I saved it it was a white background and the wreath was black when I added it to picmonkey it was still white with the black wreath. How do I make it so it would be white and you cant see the background?

  22. Unknown says:

    Hi Hannah,

    How big can these overlays be made? I want to make a huge chalkboard with a large graphic on it for a big warehouse space… Help!

    Thank you!

    Mary Helen

  23. Annie Toh says:

    Found your website via Pinterest.
    Keep up the heartfelt honest posts…….

    Enjoys reading them n is inspired to try several projects….
    N God bless your family……tooo……

  24. Hi Hannah,
    Wow, what great information. I am sure the info on your blog will help others, as I am trying to do as well.

  25. J. Fraser says:

    I'm not sure if you'll still see this! But I'm actually wondering what the font is of "Chalkboard" in your initial photo (at the very top…"How to create CHALKBOARD printables" ….if you remember – that would be great! Thanks!

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