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We’ve all seen them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, blogs and other social media sites — the beautiful quotes that inspire you, make you laugh, and brighten your day. You may Share, Retweet and Pin them to enrich the lives of others, but have you ever created your own inspirational quote images?
While the idea of creating your own quote image may sound daunting, you can use these free tools to make the task fast and easy. In no time you’ll be creating your own quote images and enriching the world with your insights and humor. You’ll be enhancing your social media accounts, boosting your blog posts and/or creating inspiration for others when you share your quote images.
Recite This
When you want to share words of wisdom with the world, you can either type them in plain text:
Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud. ~ Maya Angelou
or share them as artwork:
Recite This is a free website that helps you “turn your quote into a masterpiece.” No need to be a Rembrandt, just type your quote into the text box, choose a template and click the Create button. Voila! Instant masterpiece!
You can share your creation directly from the site onto your social media accounts, including:
- Tumblr
- StumbleUpon
You can also email your quote image from the site, download the image, and share it via a link.
At a loss for words? Recite This will even help you find a quote to share. Click on the tab on the right edge of the screen to look through their catalogue of quotes. You can search by topics, such as humor, inspirational, love and leadership.
Some eCards
You’ve seen these before and probably had a giggle when you read their snarky quotes. Some eCards might be on nearly everyone’s Facebook feed for good reason — they’re funny and tend to hit home. Note that some cards might be offensive, some are politically incorrect, but you’re bound to find some that ring true to your life.
You can visit the Some eCards website to find funny cards to share and/or create your own. You can search through the site by category, such as:
- Confession
- Workplace
- Flirting
- Birthday
and more. You can also search by keyword to find a Some eCard on the topic of your choice.
Creating one is easy, go to the Some eCard Create page and the site will walk you through the process. You can choose the background color and image, then begin typing. Save your creation and you’re ready to share it on social media directly from the site.
If the site’s editors choose your card as one of the funniest ones, it may be featured on the home page. Good luck, there’s plenty of worthy competition!
Some eCards is also available as an app:
- iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch for $0.99
- Android for free
The site is free to use and a Some eCards store is available if you’d like to purchase greetings cards and other products featuring their creations.
PicMonkey
If you want to use your own photo in a quote image, head to PicMonkey and upload it directly from your computer, Dropbox, Flickr or Facebook. You can use your photo as the background and add text using your choice of font styles, sizes and colors.
PicMonkey is my “go to” photo editing site for the images I use here at The Wonder of Tech (including the first image in this article).
Great news for fans of fonts! PicMonkey was updated yesterday to allow you to add text using your own fonts! Read about this exciting feature in the PicMonkey blog. See, Fun with Fonts! for more information about how to get your own fonts.
PicMonkey is free, but some features require a Royale membership for $4.99/month or $33/year.
[note] My full review of PicMonkey: PicMonkey – Make the Most of Your Pictures. [/note]
Canva
Canva can guide and inspire you in creating an image quote. The site offers a wide variety of templates, some sized especially for social media sites.
You can learn more about using Canva from their helpful Learn and Do design tutorials that show and tell you how to make and enhance your creations. They offer advice from the basics of how to use the site to design tips such as using color, adding depth and using photo filters.
Be sure to check out Canva’s tutorial on 5 Techniques to Marry Text and Image to make the most of your quote images. Get ideas on layering images, using shapes and wrapping text, then find out how to make the magic happen!
Most of Canva’s images are free, but some premium images will cost you $1 to use them.
ShareAsImage
ShareAsImage makes it easy to create quote images. With this service you can add text to images from anywhere on the web with just a few clicks.
According to ShareAsImage, tweets with images are 150% more likely to be retweeted. Need more convincing? The site also says that images get 84% more click-throughs than text links.
This video shows how easily you can add text to an image from the web.
http://youtu.be/qDz9NfdyDqI
You can type in your own text or copy and paste text from another website. Choose from over 30 fonts, add filters to images and share directly to your social media accounts. You can also see over 350,000 images already created on the website.
Website owners can use this service to allow others to share images from your website. You can choose to have your logo automatically included as a watermark on the image.
A Chrome extension is available so you can access ShareAsImage directly from your toolbar. See, 15 Fantastic Chrome Extensions to Make Your Life Easier for more information about Chrome extensions.
ShareAsImage is free to use, but a Pro account is available for $8/month that gives you added features and the ability to store your creations at their site.
Brainy Quotes
The easiest way to share quote images might be Brainy Quotes. This free site has done pretty much all of the work for you. All you have to do is select a quote image from their vast library and click on the social sharing buttons to post them to your account.
You can search for authors, keywords or topics or just enjoy browsing through the dozens of quote images available for sharing.
Your Thoughts
Do you enjoy reading and sharing quotes? Have you ever created a quote image? Do you have any easy tools to suggest for creating and sharing quote images? Tell us in the Comments section below!
Kaarina Dillabough says
Thanks for this! I was familiar with these sites, but have used only pic monkey and recite this to date. Checking out canvas. Your posts are always so helpful:) Cheers! Kaarina
Carolyn Nicander Mohr says
Hi Kaarina, Thank you for your kind words! Yes, I thought of you as I used my Waterlogue picture for the ShareAsImage quote image. What a great way to use the beauty of Waterlogue images and combine them with quotes.
I meant to tell you that Apple used the Waterlogue app during its WWDC Keynote Address last week to show how iOS 8 will work. We will be able to access Waterlogue from the Photos app to edit photos directly beginning in the fall!
Lori Gosselin says
Hi Carolyn!
Thanks for this! I remembered that I’d used Picmonkey (LOVE it) to add text to a slide for my site and I just took it and posted it on Facebook! I appreciate your sharing the video for that too – I had trouble figuring out how to add the text 😮
As always, a great post with valuable info!
See you later at the Hangout!
Lori
Carolyn Nicander Mohr says
Hi Lori, Yes, I was so excited when I discovered that yesterday PicMonkey is allowing you to use your own fonts. I am going to have a blast with that, I have some very cool fonts, thanks to Ashvini’s article.
The video is very helpful in showing how to add text to photos. Once you know how, you can have much more powerful quotes! :-bd
Mike Maynard says
Hi Carolyn,
I add quotes to my images sometimes! I like funny quotes and misquotes. I’ll read you Monday post in a minute. I forget what it was about, but remember that I intended to read it! I’ve been busy taking photos in a pub again. I’ve been analysing the stock market a lot, I had a losing streak, but it’s back on track now. I’m trying to get a Chinese student a job in the UK too, that’s a challenge!
I’m planning on doing something different in photography soon. It’s sort of like Cosplay, photographing people at the carnival!
Carolyn Nicander Mohr says
Hi Mike, Yes, you will probably enjoy using these tools to add text to your photos. You can get design ideas from them too, such as using two different fonts, as I did in the first picture of this article.
I need to stop by your blog, I’m a week behind! My daughter graduated high school over the weekend so it’s been a busy time.
Monday’s post was cool tech gifts for Father’s Day. I bet you’ll find some things you’ll enjoy, Mike! :-bd
Amber-Lee Dibble says
Carolyn! You know how much I love my photo quotes! LOL, I am off right this next moment to check out “Recite this” ~ Thank you!!
Carolyn Nicander Mohr says
Hi Amber-Lee, Yes, you make great use of quote images. I’m so glad this article was helpful to you. Also be sure to check out ShareAsImage which I think you’ll like too!
Jens-Petter Berget says
Hi Carolyn,
I do enjoy reading and sharing quotes. I mostly do it on Twitter. Well, that’s where I spend most of my time when it comes to social media. But, I can see how beautifully designed quotes will have an effect. The tools sounds awesome.
-Jens
Carolyn Nicander Mohr says
Hi Jens, I don’t know if I’m noticing them more now that I’ve written this article, but this morning when I checked my Facebook News Feed I saw nothing but these quote images! Maybe all my friends read this article yesterday. 😉
Yes, those tweets, Facebook posts and pins all really capture your attention. You get to see a beautiful picture and read inspiring/humorous text.
Quote images are a powerful way to draw attention to your message so why not use these easy tools to create them for yourself?
I hope you enjoy using these tools, Jens!
Lisa says
Carolyn, I love these. I didn’t realize you could create your own Some eCards and that they have a FREE app on Droid. You know I’ll be checking that one out. I haven’t done too many of them but I do love sharing quotes. I’ve been hearing a lot about Canva lately but have yet to try it. Thanks so much for sharing these with us Carolyn and enjoy the rest of your week.
Carolyn Nicander Mohr says
Hi Lisa, Yes, you can create your own Some eCards, then share them on social media. You should check out the Android app and give it a try!
Canva’s tutorials are great, they’re easy to use and will give you a lot of inspiration for creating your own quote images.
I look forward to seeing your creations, Lisa! :-bd
Harish says
Awesome post, just learn some helpful tips to beautify the quotes. Though I was using already edited images for quotes.
Thanks
Carolyn Nicander Mohr says
Hi Harish, Yes, even though you already may be creating your own quote images, you may want to check out some of these tools anyway. These range from the super easy Brainy Quotes to the design-inspirational Canva and everything in between.
Who knows? You might find a new favorite tool for creating quote images!
Shelley Pringle says
Really helpful information, Carolyn. Thanks so much for sharing.
Carolyn Nicander Mohr says
Hi Shelley, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! I’m so pleased you found this helpful. Happy creating!
Maketta says
Hello Carolyn,
I have heard of canva and I have used pic monkey and brainy quote but I have never heard of the rest of the sites. I will be looking into them. I know that I see people utilizing these services online. Thanks for sharing this with us!
Carolyn Nicander Mohr says
Hi Maketta, I’m glad you discovered some new sites here. If you enjoy making quote images, you’ll like these other tools to help you. Have fun with your new creations!
Bhargav says
thanks for the amazing information. I would prefer a quoted image for a plain text.sometimes a picture can convey a lot more information than a plain text does.there are also sites like mymemecreator where your sense of humor can be really displayed by creating proper memes.
Carolyn Nicander Mohr says
Hi Bhargav, I’m so glad you found this article helpful. Yes, you’re right, a picture does say 1000 words and when you add text, it says even more!
Thanks for the suggestion of another source for quote images, Bhargav.
Adrienne says
You know how much I love my quotes Carolyn!
Recite This is the only one I wasn’t familiar with but I’m madly in love with Canva. I recently found ShareAsImage but haven’t used it yet. I was playing around with it but I’ll be sure to check it out a little more of course when I have more time.
I haven’t made my own card yet but I do love those. They are hilarious, some of them.
Thanks for this list, I’ll be checking out the first one and playing around with a few more as well.
~Adrienne
Pankaj says
Hi Carolyn,
I generally use Photoshop to beautify the quotes, as I wasn’t aware of such free available tools. But certainly going to use them, which helps to save your time and can add some amazing creativity as well.
Marc says
I use photoshop to make picture quotes, honestly it’s not easy because I’m not an expert. It will take me hours to make one. I tried PicMonkey and I’m loving it. 🙂
Steven Wilson says
Awesome list Carolyn!
I am a huge fan of Canva now. I just recently started using the site more often and I’m just scratching the surface.
I have heard of Pic Monkey before through you and need to still go check that one out. I like to have a couple different options when using these type of tools. Even though the are pretty popular and most likely not going anywhere, I prefer better safe than sorry due to past experiences.
You have a great weekend Carolyn! Take care…
Thomas says
Hi Carolyn
I have not made many of these quotes pictures, but when I do I always end up using a lot of time in some photo editor trying to make it look good. These tools seems to make it all a lot simpler.
Nanda Rahmanius says
Hi Carolyn,
I love quote. I often use it on my blog and make it part of my content. 😀
Honestly, I’ve never created a quote image. In fact, I just know that it can be done easily from this article. 🙂
Thanks for sharing this informative post, Carolyn.
Have a nice day for you.
Nanda
Fredy says
This is nice Carolyn,
Good images with good quotes can go viral. People love something that is attractive to their eyes, also something that they can get something out of as well as laugh. If you manage to get such and a nice quote then it can be totally effective.
Carolyn Nicander Mohr says
Hi Fredy, You’re so right. A picture can say 1000 words, but when you combine an image with a quote that’s even better! People do seem to love quote images but many haven’t considered creating them. These tools make creating image quotes very easy!