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How to: Create a "clean" Instagram feed
🕑 Added 2022-09-26 13:00:10 +0000 UTCNew week, new collab, again with Lucia Northwatcher!
Some of you guys have wondered how to create a clean feed on Instagram, or a red thread if you want to call it that. Lucia and I have individually created a "how to" guide on how you might achieve that.
Combine our tips and tricks together, and you might come out with an even more gorgeous feed than you already have!
Here's my version:
Personally I have always cared about and payed attention to colors, aesthetic, tidiness and a red thread, and some of you may have noticed that most of my posts have similar vibes and colors to them.
Here's a few tips on how to achieve the same:
- Think about what colors you really like. Do you like saturated colors, bright colors, dark colors, muted colors, green, pink, baby blue? Once you have figured out "your colors" you are already a good step ahead.
- A good tip after this is to create a color palette to use for inspiration, and to remind yourself to stick with these colors. It can be 5 colors, or 10, 20? But try to avoid a too big color palette, then it can get messy again. And once you have your palette, try as far as it goes to stick to this palette and avoid going too far away from it.
- Next step is to start working in your editing program. Pay attention to what kind of editing you do in your backgrounds and stick to the same routine every time. If your program aren't able to save presets/filters, then write a "to do list" of every step you do, so you can repeat the next time you do a background.
- Change colors, hues, saturation, lights, shadows, highlights and so on to your liking. Test out different ways, techniques and methods until you're satisfied and write down what you do in the process. Then backgrounds will always look similar to one another.
- In Photoshop you can save steps like mentioned above, and it's called "presets". That way I will always have the same "filter" to use in my backgrounds. If you're program doesn't come with such a tool, I recommend you either write down your steps like mentioned earlier, or search for an alternative editing program you can use in addition to what you normally use. I'm sure there's plenty free ones out there with the same feature, if you don't want to pay. I think Adobe Lightroom Mobile is a free program you can use on your phone. There you can create presets, or download pre-made presets, so you can simply just transfer your finished background into that program, and then add your preset.
- Last and final step; Instagram editing. I do not recommend too much editing in the Instagram app as it can decrease the quality in your posts if you do it too much, but one thing that really makes my feed come together is to always use one filter, and that filter only.
- I use the "Aden" filter and turn it down to 50% opacity, every.single.time.
- Find a filter you like, change the opacity to your liking and use that one every time you post.
And that's it, those are my best, secret tips on how to create a clean feed.
Now on to Lucia's version:
This is actually something I'm very passionate about, or well, at least like a lot!
Colors and different types of elements is something that inspire me a lot, just as much for edits as in my photography. Building a feed according to it can be very fun, but also challenging. So remember before I'm continuing with the rest that having a clean and cohesive feed is not something you have to seek for if it comes with stress and makes you lack motivation for your art. Because then it has lost its purpose. But, if you feel that it is both a lot of fun and challenging can hopefully at least one of these tips I'll give help you out, especially number one;
1. Pick out at least one special element you try to include in every work.
Maybe that your character always is having something red on? Or maybe that you always have clear blue skies in your work? Do you get what I mean? This can also be kind of like your security blanket to go after too. Me for example are trying to include fog in the majority of my work, which can be seen even if the picture is small. My character Lucia is also most of the time wearing a blue crystal necklace that shines pretty bright.
2. Try to stick to the same kind of environment/surroundings in you work.
This can of course be hard to follow always, especially if you make work for a show where there is a special theme. But many times can you adapt them to your go to style as well!
I try the majority of times to go with forest and wood/stone buildings in my work. Let's say your character is living or hanging around by the sea/coast often. Try then to include backgrounds with beaches, the sea, sea cliffs and typical plants you can see around beaches and the coast, and maybe even a lighthouse.
3. Try to stick to the same kind of weather and time of the day, and if you want to be super all in - even seasons!
Both weather and current time of the day makes a big difference in pictures, and especially seasons. But trying to go after the same kind of season can be very demotivational for many, especially if you are doing realistic roleplay with you art, then you kind of want to go along with the seasons. Then can trying to stick to the same types of weather and/or time of the day just be enough. As example do I the majority of times stick to cloudy and grey skies to sometimes have sunsets/sunrise that is peeking through more heavy clouds. You will very rarely (even if it still happens, especially in my most recent posts!) see me make clear blue sky, and that is because it mess with my go to feed a lot.
4. ✨Colors ✨
An obvious one, as picking colors also makes a big difference. But this doesn't have to be about the typical style you use for filters or that kind of editing, more about what colors you pick for the different elements in your work. Like clothes, horse tack, colors of the buildings and environment. I usually try to always go after earthy and/or muted colors. You will most likely never see my character Lucia be wearing a neon pink shirt for example, because that color is very far away from my style of color palette. But, to have a pop of color now and then is not something wrong however. Because that will make you go "Oh wow something else is happening here!?"- which can be good! For example am I making Lucia wear a lot of browns, grey and muted earthy colors, BUT, the blue crystal necklaces she is wearing most of the times is creating that pop of color in a normally very muted color pallet. Of course (once again) can this be hard to follow after if you are making art for a show that kind of requires you to wear certain types of colors or style, so do not make yourself go after this religiously.
Here's two examples where you can see a few of the things I mentioned that I'm aiming for with my style:
Here you can see the type of feed I'm going for
... but here can you actually see how my feed looks now after the most recent shows. And, as you can see, are a few of the post not the go to style that I usually have, and that is ok! Your feed don't have to look perfect all of the time. You can always come back to the style you usually have, remember that❤️
Hope you liked both our guides to achieve a cleaner feed! But also keep in mind; do what makes you happy. You don't have to follow a certain thread to have fun, and having fun is the most important thing!
Have a kick ass week!
Hugs from Cath and Lucia!
