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How to Edit Photos with Pixlr Express: A Video Tutorial

How to Edit Photos with Pixlr Express: A Video Tutorial | The Thinking Closet

One small step for YouTube.  One giant leap for The Thinking Closet.

Today, I share my first ever video tutorial, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous.  Sure, I’m a theatre person, and I’ve gotten up in front of some tough crowds in my day (remember, I teach high school students).  Still, there’s something about putting yourself out there on video for the world wide web to see that is a little unnerving.

So, how do I deal with nerves?  In this case, I got perky.  Which was accentuated by the fact that I had coffee the morning of filming…so, yeah.  Brace yourselves for some perk!

Pixlr Express

One of my favorite tools for editing photos is Pixlr Express, which is an online photo editor that is FREE and really easy to use.  It’s comparable to PicMonkey, which is more well known; however, I’ve grown really fond of Pixlr for its easy interface, plethora of filter and font options, and absence of “exclusive paid upgrades.”  I cover a few Pixlr’s downsides compared to PicMonkey in the video, mainly, the limited “undo” button and the lack of ribbons and labels; however, there is a workaround for the latter that I share!

{Update}  And let me clarify, there’s no downloading or registration…you simply open it up in your web browser, open up a file, and get to work!  So, if you have internet access, you have pixlr access.  Easy as pie!

This video tutorial is for anyone looking for some simple and basic ways to enhance photos whether it be for blogging or personal use.  Here’s a list of the features I demo in the video (with accompanying video times):

  • how to create a photo collage (1:34)
  • cropping tool (3:14)
  • resizing / adjusting pixels (3:42)
  • adjusting vibrance / saturation (4:09)
  • adjusting brightness / contrast (4:32)
  • creating a focal blur (4:55)
  • adding filters for effect (5:28)
  • introduction to photo overlays (6:15)
  • adding a border (6:49)
  • adding text to photos (7:05)
  • adding a label or ribbon to photos – *special workaround (8:06)
  • watermarking (9:18)
  • touching up blemishes (10:37)
  • use the doodle tool for touch-ups and arrows (11:24)
  • adding graphics and stickers such as a speech bubble (12:14)

Without further ado, here it is!

My First Video Tutorial

(I recommend changing the video quality to H.D. by clicking the gear icon.)

If you have any questions about using Pixlr, please include them in the comments below.  And I’m curious…dear reader, what is your photo editor of choice?  Do share!  Thanks to Karen L. for requesting this tutorial in the first place.  Twas a brilliant idea.

Now, go off and play on Pixlr!

Disclaimer: I was not compensated to write this post.  I just really love Pixlr and wanted to share the love with my readers!

Special Giveaway

Be sure to stop by The Thinking Closet on Thursday for a special giveaway!  Grrr…you have no idea how hard it is for me not to blurt out the exciting news of what the giveaway is right here and now.  Clasping hand over mouth: Mmmh..mmh…mmmh…mmmmmh..mmh..mmh.  Did you catch that?  No?  Then, come back Thursday!  Trust me, you don’t want to miss it.

{I link up here.}

This is Lauren, signing off.

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97 Comments

  1. Hi Lauren,

    Thanks for this blog. I just needed to know if I could add an arrow using Pixlr. That’s great that you showed the video times, so I didn’t need to view the whole video!

    Aloha,
    Lynn

  2. Hi Lauren,
    I used to have Picasa but it is discontinued. I liked it because everything was done on my computer and stored on my hard drive. In considering using an online editor like pixlr express, I am concerned that photos uploaded to the editor for touching up or other changes might be somehow available to others somewhere in cyberspace. True?

    1. Hi Russ. You can read Pixlr’s privacy policy but I do not believe edited photos are saved on the web. They would have to disclose that. I have since moved on to PicMonkey (affiliate link) because it’s even easier to use in my opinion. I know they have a “hub” option where you can save your edited photos to the cloud (privately saved to your account), but you could always skip the hub and just save them to your computer. That’s what I do most of the time! Hope that helps.

  3. Oh man, I was excited about it after watching your tutorial, but then I actually started playing with it, and it is SO FUN! It’s also super easy! Thanks so much!

  4. LOL… Okay, that’ll teach me for going by older posts. I just found your reference to Adobe Lightroom. Now THAT’s where I’m goin’. Thanks, Lauren!

  5. I know this is an old post, but I just found it, so it’s new to me. :^) Just wanted to say thanks for introducing me to pixlr (love it!), and the great tutorial. It’s so helpful to see someone else’s process. Thanks for all the great tips!

  6. Very well done, but I need to watch it over and over again as it goes too fast when I am practicing.
    I need to go back again and listen to how to add a second image such as the yellow ribbon.

    1. Aw, shucks. Thanks, Jacqui! I’m really hoping to push myself out of my comfort zone to do more videos in 2014…so thanks for the nudge! And I’m glad my tutorial was helpful. Rock on!

  7. This is a wonderful video! I just started my blog a couple days ago but I already have so many ideas I will be using this for! I will definitely give you a shout out when I put my first pixlr edited photo up! Thank you! 🙂

    1. Kaitlyn, I am so glad to know that my video tutorial was an inspiration for you! Yes, please let me know when you share your first edited pixlr photo! I’d love to drop by and leave you some comment-love. 😉 Also, welcome to blogland! We’re better for having you in it.

  8. I just came across your tutorial and it was great! I’m having an issue and I hope you might be able to help! When I re-size my images to 650 width (standard for my blog), my photos end up being blurry when the original images were not. Any idea why this is happening? I have the proportions box checked and also crop them a bit in the X:Y setting. Any help would be much appreciated!
    Thanks!
    -Becky

    1. So glad it was useful, Jessica! Yes, I love how quickly I can watermark my photos in pixlr express. It’s fantastic!

    1. I’ve never heard of BeFunky! (Though I like the title.) Yes, Pixlr is a fun one – – I use it in conjunction with a few other online editors like Canva and PicMonkey, but Pixlr is my editor of choice; I just think I know it the best.

      And don’t think you need to download it – – it should just open up in your browser. Let me know if you have any questions, and have fun editing!

  9. This is a FANTASTIC tutorial. I have been using Pixlr Express for some time now and love it, but I didn’t even know it could do some of these things! Can’t wait to take full advantage! Thanks!

  10. “A little quirky, a little strange, and I like to smile.” I loved that lil’ nugget at the end there. 🙂 Wow, I’m embarrassed that I didn’t know all this time that you’ve done a VIDEO TUTORIAL! Lauren, it’s amazing! You do look so comfortable “tutoring” us and I’m glad your readers get to see you and your loveliness on screen! I have loved pixlr ever since you introduced it to me when we did our blog swap. I’ve used it several times since, including for the picture of you, me, and Dad that you posted on Father’s Day! I learned even more about pixlr this time (especially about the text and different overlays). Can’t wait to see Video Tutorial Numero Dos.

    1. Lol. Love the nugget you pulled out there. And no embarrassment allowed, my sis. It’s fun for me to return to some of these now “older” posts and hear your feedback! It’s like spreading out a birthday celebration over a whole month. 😉 If you have any ideas for Video Tutorial Numero Dos, let me know. I’d love to get back in the races again. Maybe an online tour of my digital blog planning (tracking stats, blog posts, collecting ideas, etc.)? And I’m glad to know that you’ve enjoyed using Pixlr! It’s still my favorite go-to move when it comes to editing photos. I know it so well now, it’d be hard to switch to anything else. #playingfavorites

      1. I think you should definitely get on the video tutorial train again! Though maybe (since I’m a bit behind, you have and you’re on your way to #3)!! Either way, I like your digital blog planning idea. You are so organized with your posts and projects, that it’d be a treat to see some of the “behind the scenes” magic!

        1. Nope! Haven’t re-boarded the train just yet…but I did have a few ideas for some vid tutes while up at Honeyrock. Wish I could have you as my sidekick to get ’em done! Oh, the video magic we could create! (Then again, they might just fall flat like that youth group video you helped me create…remember? We thought it was hilarious, and Pastor Tom thought we were off our rockers, and the rest of the group was all crickets. Ha ha!)

          1. Oh man! Did it really fall flat?? I loved it so much that I assumed everyone else did!!! Well, I think the cricket youth groupers don’t know a good thing when they see it. 😀 Would love to re-watch that gem sometime! And at least your most recent vids (this one, as well as my 27th bday surprise) did ANYTHING BUT fall flat…they were top notch and hilarious, respectively!

          2. I just remember being disappointed at the lack of laughter, especially after how HILARIOUS we thought it was. I remember Tom giving me this perplexed look afterward, like, “What was that?!” Oh well. Guess it didn’t forever curse my video-making career! Ha ha.

  11. Lauren!!! You are so darn cute! This was so cool getting to see you. It really put a big smile on my face while watching you. I don’t know why I took my sweet time to finally hit that play button, but so glad I got to see you. Really great tutorial! Pixlr express has some trouble working on my Chromebook, but after seeing you working with it, I can see I am missing out! What a great program!

    In addition, you were host picked at Photog Show and Tell and have been featured! Yay!!!! Hugs!!!!

    1. So very glad that you enjoyed the video, Bethany, and I’m honored that it was a host pick at the Photog Show and Tell Partay! Thank you, friend. I’ve already grabbed a button and am donning it proudly on my Features page. Yay! And hugs back atcha.

  12. Great tutorial! I have yet to post a video tutorial. I am pretty self conscious, and the thought sound a little scary!
    P.S. You actually look very comfortable in front of the camera!

    Thank so much for linking up to our Photog Show and Tell! Hope you share with us again!

    1. It did feel rather intimidating at first, Bethany, but I encourage you to try it sometimes. The nice thing about film is that you can keep re-shooting take after take until you get one that you’re comfortable with. This was probably take 34! Ha ha. And thanks for your kind words. I was really excited to have a post that could fit in with your linky party (Bethany is one of my best bloggy buddies, so I had been in the loop on y’all’s partay). Hopefully it won’t be my last opportunity to link up either!

  13. I finally watched this (yay for the end of the semester!) and wanted to give you a big high five for a great job on your first video tutorial! Also, predictably, I loved the kanga shout-out at the beginning. 🙂

    1. Thanks for high-five-love, B! And I knew you’d appreciate the kanga at the beginning there. (I still have the blue and white kanga you gave me…in fact, it was part of my classroom decor in Ohio for three whole years…so it has gotten GREAT use!) Mark liked it hanging up on our wall so much, he really wanted me to keep it there!

      Heartiest congrats to you on reaching the end of your semester. Whoo hoo! Doing a happy dance for you right…NOW!

  14. Just wondering if you’ve ever printed the photos you edited… I just discovered pixlr and photo editing in general and was so excited about printing photos I had edited of my newborn. However when I uploaded them to Walmart photocentre and printed them the quality of the prints is horrible… I am so NOT tech savvy and not much of an experienced photographer either so wasnt sure whether its the photos themselves or the way I edited them. They look great on my screen but terrible actually printed out. Maybe I need to resize them or something? Any tips would be very helpful 🙂 Thanks for the tutorial – it showed me some new techniques for sure!!

    1. Rachel, thanks for alerting me to this! No, I haven’t yet printed photos that I’ve edited from Pixlr…I’ve only included them on my blog. But now I’m eager to try it to see if I have the same results you did. Do you remember what size your final images were? If they were too small, that could have led to the poor quality. Hmmmm…. Mysterious indeed!

  15. Thank you so much for sharing this info. I have only used pixler a couple times,this will be so helpful in the future!

    1. It makes my night to know this might have helped you out some, CeLynn. Have fun exploring Pixlr some more (it’s really one of my favorite black-holes for time). 🙂

  16. I’m so happy I’ve found your blog. It looks like I’ll have fun checking everything out. I am now a follower. Great job on the video. Thank you.

  17. Once again Lauren, I am in awe, we must be on the same wavelength because I was wondering how you (and to be honest others) get the great photos on your site with your transparent tags, etc. on them, you explained it all very well. You are clearly a natural in front of the camera and behind it. Keep up the great work!

    1. I love it when that whole “same wavelength” thing happens! So glad to have answered your question about watermarks. (Isn’t it so easy?) And I feel very flattered by your high praise. Thank you, Carol!

  18. Goodness gracious you are so darn adorable!!!! That video was SO well done!!! It makes me understand your love of Pixlr… being a PicMonkey girl myself. Fantastic job, so fun, so quirky, so helpful… what more can I say? You’re amazing at what you do and that’s why hundreds (perhaps THOUSANDS) of people read (and now watch) your blog!

    1. Ha ha, you about made me blush with this comment, Thalita. What am I saying? You actually DID make me blush. I’m just going to tattoo this comment to my face, so I can read it several times throughout the day. My self-esteem would be boosted through the roof! Thanks for being such a sweet and affirming friend, Thalita. You rock.

    1. Happy to hear you enjoyed the tutorial. Have fun whirling about in Pixlr, Allie! And by the way, I just visited your blog, and my mouth was watering within seconds of arrival. Y’all bake some yummy creations! And your photos are gorgeous.

  19. Thank you so much for doing this tutorial. I use pixlr express, but I only can do the basic things. I am pinning this right now!

    1. Ha ha. I love your blog title! Glad that this tutorial is a useful resource for you, Jeni. Seriously, let me know if you have any questions that I can take a stab at. 😉

    1. You’re very welcome, Eileen. I’ve never used Inkscape before! How does it compare to a program like Photoshop Elements? For the more advanced photo editor, it might not suit your needs, but when needing “light and quick,” as you describe, it fits the bill!

  20. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for this tutorial!!!! I discovered Pixlr some time ago, and was able to do VERY basic things with it. I subscribed to your blog a month or two ago, and have enjoyed your posts! This one was AWESOME! I have my own blog and I’ve been slowly learning how to work it – and adding fun pics, etc is one of the things I need to work on. This was a GREAT crash course in doing that. I’ll be adding a blog tonight, and I’ve made my first attempt at a collage. It’s a START!

    Thank you!
    Maryellen
    http://www.eatloveliverepeat.com

    1. You are so very welcome, Maryellen! Thanks for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful comment. I’m so glad that you’ve been enjoying my posts of late and that this tutorial in particular has helped you so! I know that photo editing can be daunting, especially if you’ve never done it before, and if I hadn’t had some help from my husband at first (the photographer in the family), I might have been too overwhelmed to even know where to begin. So, it delights to me to know I might be able to help empower others to overcome that initial intimidation factor and dive into the wonderful world of photo editing, which is actually quite fun. I’m eager to go check out your collage now!

  21. Lauren, I love this tutorial! It’s so cute and informative. You are a natural on camera and I loved getting to see your personality “in person”. I’ve been using PicMonkey but I need to try Pixlr. It looks like it’s easy to use and has lots of options. You should make more video tutorials soon! 🙂

    1. Hooray! I’m glad you enjoyed it, Hilary! I’ll have to start brainstorming ideas for future video tutes, then…. 😉 I think PicMonkey is pretty comparable to Pixlr…and they each have their pros and cons. Pixlr has just been a great resource for me, and it’s what I know the best, so I thought it would merit my first video tutorial. Now I can pass the baton to you to do a PicMonkey video tute! Lol.

  22. Okay, you are WAY adorbs. Like over-the-top adorable. You should totally be on camera! Loved this! I don’t know what it is about videos but they definitely make you feel like you “know” a blogger so much more. You were exactly what I expected! More video tutes please! 🙂

    1. Kelly, your comment has me beaming…and I’d be lying if I said your video q & a sesh didn’t inspire me a little and give me the kick in the pants to knock this sucker out. You’re so right about there being something about seeing a blogger on video that really helps you feel like you know them. And that they’re more than just “a friend in blogland.” And so, I’ll make the same request back atcha. More View Along the Way videos, please, dear Kelly! Especially if they involve one take wonders! (Which would absolutely terrify me.) 😉 You’re my hero.

  23. Pixlr is new to me. I was using picmonkey until they added the paid upgrades. Since then it’s been either picasa (which was a bit limited) or ipiccy. I like ipiccy but there’s a few things I wish I had a little bit more control over. I’ll definitely be checking Pixlr out…the video tutorial is very handy and chock full of info! And I love that there’s a mobile version.

    I had to smile about how you feel like you get perky when you’re nervous. I grin and giggle a lot, as I’m sure you noticed a few weeks ago.;)

    1. I forgot about picasa as a photo editor…I should get back in there and fiddle around. And I’ve never heard of ipiccy. Must check it out! Thanks for these tips. And yes, I think the “control” issue is prevalent among a lot of these free online photo editors, but I suppose we can’t ask for much more with a FREE service. Ha ha. And I haven’t yet tried Pixlr’s mobile version, but that could be fun to use…especially if wanting to tweak pics for Instagram.

      I’m a grinner, too, Cindy, so you were in good company! Your smile exudes such joy, so I say, bring on the nerves! 😉

  24. Great tips! I have been using Photoshop Elements for all my editing needs, however, I am really eager to see all of the different types of things that you can do with Pixlr. Also, I have been looking at several desktop recorders, do you mind to share which one you used or prefer? Thanks a bushel!

    1. If I upgrade to a more professional photo editor (which I will likely do one day), Photoshop Elements is what I’m leaning toward…but for now, this is handy and dandy! How long did it take you to get the swing of Photoshop Elements?

      And to answer your question about desktop recorders, I have a Macbook Pro, which comes with Quicktime Player. I can then hop up to FILE and click NEW SCREEN RECORDING and bam…I can record my whole screen or a portion of my screen with one click. Super easy. I think the quality was diminished by some of my settings in iMovie, but the original screencast was crystal clear in Quicktime. I’d recommend it!

  25. Oh isn’t just fun as could be!! Love being able to see you, you are such natural!! I’ve never used pixlr before. I’m loving them for adding a watermark, I think I’m going to make the switch from my current. Thanks for the awesome tutorial.

    1. Thanks, Christina! Glad this has piqued your interest. And yes, Pixlr is my go to move for all watermarking…I’ve gotten to the point where I can open a pic, add a watermark, and re-save in under a minute! (Well, truth be told, I haven’t time it, but it feels like lightning speed. Ha ha.)

  26. “I had NO Idea” said in a silly mans voice from a commercial I can no longer identify! I always wondered how to do the water mark on the photo. I recently began helping my cousin with her soapmaking blog and would love to mark them!! THANK YOU, shouted really loud from Northern Michigan!!! I even started my own blog. It is just a few days old…….

    You are loved!!

    Lori

    1. I can hear your shouts, Lori! “YOU ARE SO WELCOME,” is being shouted back at you from Orlando, Florida. I’m so glad that you picked up a few nuggets of information that will prove useful as you continue to help your cousin out with her blog. How is that going, by the way? I remember you sharing about that back in January. And congrats on starting your own blog! Please do send me the url (when you’re ready). I’d love to stop by and leave you some comment love.

      Ha ha. I, too, have random quotes in my head from age-old commercials. For example, “Babies everywhere!” always come to mind when the topic of pregnancy comes up. It was from an old Nutri-Grain commercial. The things we remember….

  27. Your dad and I enjoyed watching about half of this together and will finish individually (fyi–he was watching the Mets play Colorado Rockies but actually got engrossed in watching YOU)!

    Great job–very clear and easy to understand. I will PIN it so I can remember to review it when I need to use the editing features and how to write on photos.
    It was almost like having a cup of iced coffee with you (in virtual-person)…any time I need my Lauren fix, I can go to this video! I also enjoyed the music before and after and the little quirky insights about yourself.
    Everything looks very professional the way you did it! Sometime you’ll have to do a tutorial on how to do a video-tutorial!! Sending lots of love!!

    1. Wow, that’s impressive that I garnered his attention while a Mets game was on! 😉 And Mom, you’re so tech savvy, I imagine you would have no trouble at all navigating Pixlr’s interface. I could see you having a lot of fun with it considering all of the photos you love to take! Ha ha, and someone else requested a tutorial on how to do a video tutorial, as well! I’m still watching tutorials myself to figure it out, but someday when I’m a little more confident, I’d definitely be game for taking that on. Love ya!

    1. I’m glad to know the feeling is mutual! Whenever I leave a Moodboard Monday, I feel a bit wiser in the design department…and a lot more excited about owning my own home one day, so you and I can collaborate on a moodboard. (Gasp! My secret plan is not so secret anymore.) 😉

  28. Oo, I love Pixlr and have been wondering how to standardise the size of my photos – I never thought to combine the two! Thanks x

    1. Yes, I only discovered the “resize” tool recently. Makes me wonder how many times I was staring right at it before I clicked on it to discover I could change pixels. Ha ha. Glad this was helpful to you, Lara!

  29. Seriously? Finding your page was meant to be…lol! Just earlier today I was playing around with pixlr while I was ‘in-between-tasks’ at work…shhhh don’t tell my boss ;p
    I got a little frustrated because I couldn’t figure out how to do something specific with a picture, and here we are now…thanks for the post!

    1. Ok what’s even more freaky is that the focal blur is exactly what was frustrating me! I think I was in the advanced version though (not sure how I got there) and that would be my issue because I couldn’t be further from a professional photographer..haha. Yay, thanks!

      1. I’ve done some playing around in the advanced version, but I’m so slow at it, I always end up back at Pixlr Express. 😉 And have fun with focal blur! I love that feature.

    2. I am so happy to hear that you found this useful! Meant to be, indeed! (And no worries, your secret is safe with me.) Let me know if you have any questions as you play around with it some more.

  30. Perfect timing! My Photobucket account has been acting all wonky for a few weeks, and I was looking for something else to try out. Looks like I have some migrating to do.

    1. Bummer about Photobucket going berserk! Just to clarify, Pixlr isn’t an image host (so you don’t upload your photo, you just open them from your computer and re-save them to your computer). But I’m sure there are other alternatives out there! Hopefully you can play around in Pixlr though when editing photos…just because it’s fun!

    2. Go to the Pixlr blog. The April 10, 2012 post mentions features available to registered Photbucket users that may help you in your situation.

  31. Lauren! it’s great that you made this video, now when I will read your posts I will have an image of the person behind them; which is great! You are adorable at the beginning and at the end of your video (I smile all the time too!) 🙂 I didn’t know about pixlr! and it’s free! your video was great, very professional and you spoke very clearly! When the video started playing my son came running to the laptop and he smiled! 🙂 (the credits and music at the end; good job!)

    1. Aw, the image of your son smiling as he saw the video warms my heart! And yes, I’m glad you can picture me now. Now, YOU just need to post a video of you baking one of your yummy creations so I can picture YOU! And it doesn’t surprise me at all that you’re a smiler, Ingrid. I can tell from your comments alone! Thanks for the feedback on my diction and the music…I’m delighted that it suited your fancy!

      1. Oh! videos of myself! no, no; I would have to wear makeup and no time for that anymore 😉 just kidding! btw, I had to share your Amazing video on twitter! 🙂 hope you don’t mind!

          1. thank you so much Lauren for sending me this link, I also read it from your tweeter! it’s beautiful, just saw it with my husband and it did move me a lot! it’s funny how woman we see ourselves, we should be nicer to ourselves! thanks again Lauren! 🙂

  32. Oh Lauren, thank you so much for the tutorial. It is definitely getting stored with my other tutorials on YouTube.
    Years ago, I downloaded Pixlr and was not that impressed. It did not have the features you presented in your video. I am so glad to find out now all the things it does.
    Many blogs ago, I had written you asking what program you use for your pictures and now I have my answer. I know have another question for you. Will you make another tutorial showing how you made this video. I am intrigued by all computer things and I find it so much easier to learn by example rather than reading.
    I loved this video and you did such a good job.
    Again, thank you bunches. (How in the world do you find the time to do all the things you do and so well?)
    Best regards, Karen

    1. Thank you, Karen, for getting my gears turning about doing this video tutorial in the first place. And that’s funny you should request a tutorial on how to make a video; I actually already was thinking about that. I relied on a few helpful video tutorials last night when trying to figure out how to add my blog logo to the video and how to export the file, so it would be YouTube friendly. There are still several quirks I would need to work out before making my own video tutorial, but I’m adding that one to the “someday” list. Maybe after I get a few more videos under my belt! (I used iMovie to film myself and edit the video; and I used Quicktime to create the screencast…both came on my Mac computer.)

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Karen! And thanks, as always, for the encouraging feedback.

      And how to find the time? I pull some late nights! But this work is so life-giving to me, I can sacrifice some sleep for it. 😉

      1. Ah Ha, a Mac you say. I am really dumb when it comes to a Mac but both my hubby and son use Macs. I think the Macs are more male friendly – in other words, I think they think like men, but that’s just my opinion. They are always teasing me about how much I have to do to make my PC work the way I want.

        Back to the point I want to make about Pixlr. I did not realize until I viewed their site after watching your tutorial, that it is an online editor. For those that don’t know what that is, it means that you don’t have to download any programs, they just work kind of like you are viewing a web site except you can interact. That makes it really nice because you can work from any computer just as long as you have internet access.

        1. Hmmm…I’ve never thought of Macs being male-friendly before. I’m fascinated by “gender studies,” so I’d be curious to hear more sometime about your theory about Macs thinking like men. 😉 I switched to one in grad school, and I’ve never turned back!

          And thanks for highlighting the fact that Pixlr is an “online editor.” No downloading…not registering…and that’s a huge part of why I love it. I might have to make that more clear in the written portion of this post, so others don’t miss that. Thanks for the tip, Karen!

  33. This was very helpful and great to watch! I have been stuck in picmonkey land- mostly because I like the name!!! I think pixlr hsa some far better features though after seeing your video- like when you collage and have the ability to edit individual photos in the collage…I do see all the options though to play with and I could see myself getting totally stuck in it playing with pics while my family begs for me to snap out of it, haha…thanks a bunch though- it was great! Just the right amount of perkiness!

    1. Ha ha, I’m glad the perkiness wasn’t too much for ya! 😉 And I like the name of PicMonkey, too, Kelly! I think the cute chimp is what sold me on MailChimp, as well. (Pixlr needs to get on the cute mascot train.) But I’m glad you’re excited to dive into some of the fun features on pixlr. I have tried making collages with PicMonkey, but have found Pixlr’s collage tool a whole lot more user-friendly. And yes, it is easy to get sucked in! Sometimes I have to remind myself I’m editing photos for a tutorial on my blog, not a photography installment at the Met!

  34. Love, love, love this! It’s so fun to see you. You are a natural and I can’t wait for the sequels. I picked up lots of great tips and am excited to try out pixlr instead of picmonkey!

    1. Wow, I don’t feel like a natural (if only you knew how many takes it took to get an intro that I felt good about)…but I’m so glad you loved it, Robyn! And I’d definitely be game for creating more videos in the future. If you have any ideas, send them my way.

      And I’m sure someone more well versed in PicMonkey than I am could make some strong arguments for why it’s superior…I think a lot of it is about what you’re familiar with. I admit, I do sometimes hop over to edit in PicMonkey now and then because of their labels. Maybe YOU can make a PicMonkey video, Robyn!

  35. This is so great Lauren!!! Love the jazz music in the intro and credits 😉
    I love Pixlr so much…honestly much more so than PicMonkey. I thought the tutorial was fun and informative and I picked up a couple extra tips. Thanks 🙂
    Kenley

    1. I’m glad you enjoyed the snazzy jazzy, Kenley! The fact that it was called “Off-Broadway” made selecting it a no brainer. 😉 And how fun to find a Pixlr fan in you. (I remember you, too, saying how much you liked the Sanna filter.) I’m sure I could pick up some tips from you, too!

  36. This is so excellent! Really professionally done, easy to follow, engaging, and I could go on! You have a great “on camera” personality! I also had no idea Pixlr existed, but it sounds really great! Looking forward to more videos 🙂

    xoxo
    Melyssa

    1. Aw, shucks. Thanks, Melyssa. I’ve always felt more comfortable on the stage than “on camera,” so your generous praise means a lot! Glad to be spreading the good news about pixlr (though your photos are always in such tip top shape…I’d love to see a photo editing tutorial from YOU!).

      Cheers,
      Lauren

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