Microsoft Designer Tutorial

Kevin Stratvert
31 Mar 202310:59

TLDRThe Microsoft Designer Tutorial introduces a new AI-powered tool that simplifies the design process. Users describe their desired design, and AI generates options to choose from. Features include customization, image and text manipulation, and brand kit integration for consistent branding. The tutorial demonstrates creating an Instagram ad for the Kevin Cookie Company, showcasing the ease of design generation, editing, and finalizing for various formats.

Takeaways

  • 😀 Microsoft Designer is a new tool that incorporates AI to assist in the design process.
  • 🔍 The tool features an AI assistant called Copilot to simplify the design creation.
  • 📝 Users can start designing by describing their design idea to the AI, eliminating the need to start from a blank canvas.
  • 💡 Inspiration can be drawn from sample designs provided, with visible text prompts that generated each design.
  • 🎨 The AI generates multiple design options based on the user's description, including motion graphics.
  • 👀 Users can preview designs in detail and regenerate options if not satisfied with the initial selection.
  • 📐 Customization is possible with the ability to adjust text, colors, and visuals within the design interface.
  • 🖼️ The tool allows for the uploading of personal media, such as logos, and the application of various effects and adjustments.
  • 🔗 Incorporating a website address and other text elements is straightforward, with options to enhance readability with background visuals.
  • 🎭 The AI can generate images, such as a picture of Cookie Monster, and apply effects like background removal.
  • 🎨 Users can create a brand kit to save time by pre-selecting fonts and colors for future designs.
  • 📲 Designs can be downloaded in various formats, with options for transparency and watermark removal.
  • 🔄 The platform supports starting new designs or revisiting past projects with ease.

Q & A

  • What is Microsoft Designer and how does it incorporate AI to assist in the design process?

    -Microsoft Designer is a new tool by Microsoft that incorporates an AI assistant called Copilot to facilitate the design process. It allows users to describe the design they want to create, and the AI generates a design based on that description, making the design process easier and more intuitive.

  • How does Microsoft Designer help users overcome the 'blank canvas' problem?

    -Microsoft Designer helps users overcome the 'blank canvas' problem by providing a text input field where users can describe the design they want. The AI then generates a design based on the text, eliminating the need to start from scratch and providing a foundation to build upon.

  • What are some features of Microsoft Designer that assist in the design process?

    -Microsoft Designer offers features such as text-based design generation, sample designs for inspiration, AI-generated images, customization options within the designer interface, and the ability to adjust text, colors, and visuals. It also includes a co-pilot AI for generating design ideas and a brand kit for consistent branding.

  • How can users find inspiration for their designs in Microsoft Designer?

    -Users can find inspiration by looking at the sample designs provided on the right-hand side of the Microsoft Designer interface. Hovering over any design reveals the text used to generate it, offering a starting point for their own designs.

  • What is the purpose of the 'Generate' button in Microsoft Designer?

    -The 'Generate' button in Microsoft Designer is used to create multiple design options based on the user's text description. It provides a variety of design choices, including those with motion graphics, from which the user can select and further customize.

  • How can users customize a selected design in Microsoft Designer?

    -Users can customize a selected design by clicking on 'Customize Design,' which opens the main designer interface. Here, they can modify elements such as text, colors, and visuals, as well as reposition objects, adjust font sizes, and apply various effects and filters.

  • What options does Microsoft Designer provide for uploading and incorporating media files into a design?

    -Microsoft Designer allows users to upload media files from their computer, phone, or cloud service providers through the 'My Media' section. This enables the inclusion of logos, images, and other media directly into the design project.

  • How does Microsoft Designer assist with creating a cohesive brand image in designs?

    -Microsoft Designer assists with brand cohesion by allowing users to set up a brand kit where they can select specific fonts and brand colors. This ensures that future designs automatically incorporate the chosen branding elements.

  • What are the different download options available for a completed design in Microsoft Designer?

    -Microsoft Designer offers various download options, including different file formats such as PNG, the option to make the background transparent, remove the watermark, copy the design as an image, or send it directly to a phone.

  • How can users access previous designs or start a new one in Microsoft Designer?

    -Users can access previous designs by clicking on 'My Designs' to view and work on any designs they have made. To start a new design, they can either click on 'New Design' at the top or use the dropdown menu on the left-hand side.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Introducing Microsoft Designer with AI Copilot

The script introduces a new design tool from Microsoft called Microsoft Designer, which incorporates an AI assistant named Copilot to simplify the design process. The user, who admits to not being a professional designer, quickly creates an appealing design in just a few minutes. The tool is accessed through a website, and the unique feature is its ability to generate designs based on text descriptions provided by the user. The platform also offers a variety of sample designs for inspiration, with the ability to view the text that generated each sample. The user demonstrates the process of creating an Instagram post for the fictional Kevin Cookie Company, emphasizing the ease of generating design ideas and customizing them to fit specific needs.

05:02

🛠 Customizing and Enhancing the Design in Microsoft Designer

This paragraph delves into the customization features of Microsoft Designer. The user selects a design and enters the main designer interface, which already contains a base design to modify. The user can adjust text, colors, and visuals, and even upload additional media files like logos. The script highlights the ability to reposition and resize elements, change fonts, and apply effects or filters. The user also discusses adding a website address and enhancing its visibility with a solid color background and transparency effects. The paragraph concludes with the user's strategy of including a photo of Cookie Monster to boost sales, demonstrating how to integrate and adjust such an image within the design using AI background removal and size adjustment tools.

10:06

🚀 Finalizing and Saving the Design with Microsoft Designer

The final paragraph focuses on the final steps of the design process in Microsoft Designer. The user discusses the importance of matching the design to the brand's aesthetic by adjusting colors and setting up a brand kit for future designs. The paragraph explains how to download the completed design in various formats and with different options, such as making the background transparent or removing a watermark. The user also mentions the ability to start a new design or revisit previous ones, emphasizing the ease with which AI has made the design process accessible and efficient. The script ends with an invitation to subscribe for more content like this video.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡AI

AI, or Artificial Intelligence, refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions. In the context of the video, AI is central to Microsoft Designer, enabling users to create designs with ease by generating ideas and options based on textual descriptions. For example, the script mentions 'an AI assistant that makes designing things a breeze,' highlighting AI's role in streamlining the design process.

💡Microsoft Designer

Microsoft Designer is a new tool introduced by Microsoft that incorporates AI to assist in the design process. It is designed to help users create professional-looking designs quickly, even if they lack traditional design skills. The video script describes the tool as one of Microsoft's first products to incorporate 'Copilot,' the AI assistant, which facilitates the design generation based on user input, such as 'to describe the design that you'd like to create.'

💡Copilot

In the video, Copilot is the name given to the AI assistant integrated into Microsoft Designer. It aids users by generating design ideas and options. The term 'Copilot' suggests a collaborative role, where the AI works alongside the user to achieve the design goals. The script illustrates this by showing how the AI generates designs based on the text provided by the user, such as 'So, here I can type in some text, and then the AI will generate a design based on that text.'

💡Design

A 'design' in this context refers to a visual composition or layout created for a specific purpose, such as advertising or branding. The video focuses on how Microsoft Designer uses AI to facilitate the creation of designs. The script describes the process of generating a design: 'And check that out, over here on the right, I now have all of these different designs that I can choose from.'

💡Instagram post

An 'Instagram post' is a specific type of design mentioned in the video that is created for social media sharing on the platform Instagram. The script discusses creating an Instagram post for the Kevin Cookie Company, emphasizing the need for a design that fits the platform's square aspect ratio and visually appeals to the audience: 'And specifically, I want an Instagram post.'

💡Generate

In the script, 'Generate' refers to the action of creating or producing something, particularly design options, using the AI capabilities of Microsoft Designer. The AI generates multiple design options for the user to choose from based on the input provided. For instance, the script states, 'I'll click on Generate,' which leads to the AI creating various design proposals for the user's review.

💡Customize Design

'Customize Design' is a feature within Microsoft Designer that allows users to make adjustments and refinements to the generated designs to better fit their preferences or branding. The script explains how the user can select a design and then customize it by changing elements such as text, colors, and visuals: 'I can select this and then I can make further refinements and tweaks right down here by clicking on Customize Design.'

💡Brand kit

A 'brand kit' is a collection of branding elements such as fonts, colors, and logos that define a company's visual identity. In the video, setting up a brand kit in Microsoft Designer allows the user to ensure consistency in their designs. The script mentions how the user can select their brand fonts and colors, which will then be incorporated into future designs: 'I can also set up what's called a brand kit. And this is where I can go through and select my different fonts.'

💡Visuals

'Visuals' in the context of the video refers to the images, graphics, and other visual elements that are used within a design to enhance its appeal and convey the intended message. The script describes how the AI in Microsoft Designer can generate or suggest visuals that are contextually relevant to the design's theme, such as cookie images for a cookie company ad: 'Over on the left-hand side, here I see the co-pilot again. And this is the AI that generates different design ideas.'

💡Download

The 'Download' option in Microsoft Designer allows users to save their finished designs in various formats for use in different contexts. The script explains the different download options available, such as PNG with a transparent background or sending the design directly to a phone: 'In the top right-hand corner, I can click on download, and I have a few different options for downloading this design.'

Highlights

Introduction to Microsoft Designer, a new tool incorporating AI to simplify the design process.

Microsoft Designer features Copilot, an AI assistant that facilitates design generation.

Starting with Microsoft Designer involves visiting a specific website and clicking 'Start Designing'.

A unique feature is the AI-generated design suggestions based on text descriptions.

Sample designs and their corresponding text can inspire users' own design ideas.

Demonstration of designing an Instagram post for the Kevin Cookie Company with a wholesome image.

AI-generated designs offer variety, including motion graphics, for user selection.

The ability to regenerate designs with a single click provides multiple options.

Customizing designs is made easy with the main designer interface.

Users can modify text, colors, and visuals to refine the AI-generated designs.

Inclusion of a company logo and website address in the design for branding purposes.

AI's context understanding provides relevant visuals and recommendations for the design.

Adding a solid color background behind text to improve readability and aesthetics.

Incorporating an image of Cookie Monster to enhance the ad's appeal and drive sales.

AI's capability to remove image backgrounds and adjust transparency for a seamless design integration.

Setting up a brand kit for consistent fonts and colors across future designs.

Downloading the final design in various formats and with options for transparency and watermark removal.

Microsoft Designer's user-friendly approach to tackling the 'blank canvas problem' in design.