Social Media Post Affinity Vector: Step-by-Step Guide

By Tobias Becker Last updated on November 14, 2026

A good social media post looks tidy at first glance, but thrives on many small details: a warm background, a round image area, a headline that immediately catches the eye, and a button that invites action. In this hands-on project, you combine shapes, typography, and effects from Affinity Vector into a complete Instagram post in the format 1080 × 1080 pixels. A fictional coffee roastery serves as an example, but you can apply the approach to any topic.

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I will show you each step in the order in which I carry it out. I will also explain which decisions are purely a matter of taste and where you can deliberately deviate.

Key Takeaways

• A social media post is made up of a few clearly separated layers: background, shapes, image, text, and button.
• With the corner tool, transparency, and stroke, you design areas that look like a well-thought-out layout.
• Stock photos can be used free of charge and legally safely in your own social media posts, as long as you do not resell them.
• Shadows and strokes ensure that text and button stand out from the background.
• You export the finished design as a PNG, which can be uploaded directly to Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms.

Step-by-Step Guide

Creating the Canvas and Designing the Background

First, create a new document measuring 1080 × 1080 pixels. This format is ideal for Instagram posts in square format. Give the document a clear name so you can find it quickly later.

Now use the rectangle tool to drag out a shape from corner to corner across the entire canvas. Choose a warm coffee brown as the fill color. Remove the stroke, as you don't need it here. The background is now the foundation for all further layers.

Contrast Area with Rounded Corners

Place a second rectangle over the background and make it somewhat lighter. To do this, you can reduce the opacity in the layer properties or lighten the color deliberately. Make sure the contrast remains pleasant and the text will be easy to read later. Then drag the shape downward so that it leaves part of the background free and divides the composition into two areas.

Now select the two upper corners of the rectangle. You can either hold down the Shift key and click both corners individually or select them together with a selection marquee. Then use the corner tool to drag the radius to about 80 pixels. This creates a soft, inviting edge that gives your design a personal touch. Whether you choose a larger or smaller radius is up to you.

Preparing the Circle for the Main Photo

In the next step, you define the space for your main subject. Select the ellipse tool, hold down the Shift key to get a perfect circle, and place it in the center of the area you left free. You can initially set the fill color to white. It is only a placeholder, because the circle will soon be overlaid by a photo.

Inserting a Stock Photo and Placing It in the Circle

For the subject, you use a stock photo. Affinity Vector offers a direct connection to the platforms Pexels and Pixabay for this. Open the Window menu, select Layout, and then the Stock area. There you can search for subjects free of charge, for example for "coffee".

Note the license terms: The photos may be used free of charge in your own social media posts. However, you may not resell them as a standalone image or offer them as stock material. So choose a subject and drag it into your document.

The photo is usually significantly larger than the circle. Scale it down accordingly, but make sure it still remains somewhat larger than the circle. Then move the photo in the layers overview onto the circle's layer. This keeps the image within the circle shape, and you can move it at any time later without losing the boundary.

Dashed Outlines as a Design Element

To give the design depth, you add decorative lines. To do this, select the Pen tool, click once, hold down the Shift key, and click again to create a straight line. Set the line color to white.

Then open the stroke options and choose the dashed style. Under the phases, you define what the pattern looks like. Start with the value 0 and set five points. Set the width to about 3.5 points. The line then looks like a fine row of dots, which gives the design a playful, handmade touch.

If you like the line, you can copy it and place it offset. A spacing of 30 pixels between the lines looks harmonious. You can also rotate the elements by 90 degrees to set a rhythmic accent on the page. Two or three such lines at the page edges are often enough.

A small note on precision: with guides, all spacing can be aligned exactly. For this project, you can deliberately forgo perfect symmetry. A slight imbalance often looks more lively and suits a personal brand identity better.

Inserting and Adjusting the Logo

A logo belongs in almost every post. It's best to open your logo file in a separate document and then copy it into your design. This method is straightforward and prevents you from accidentally changing the original document.

Since the logo should look good on the brown background, you recolor it to white. Then place it in the upper area of the design. If the logo has too little contrast against the background, add a thin white outline with a width of about 3 pixels around it. This provides clarity without making the logo look obtrusive.

Headline and Shadow Effect

Now the text comes into play. Set the headline, for example "Coffee Roasters and Company", in white and choose a font size that is significantly larger than the rest of the text. Place the headline below the logo. Make sure it stays on one line or at most two lines so that the post is easy to read on a smartphone.

To make the headline stand out from the background, you add a shadow. Open the layer's effects and choose an outer shadow. A slight offset, a moderate intensity, and a small blur are enough. Don't overdo it, because a subtle shadow looks more high-quality than a heavily emphasized one.

Designing a Call-to-Action with a Button

A social media post needs a clear prompt. Therefore, add a line of text like "Try Now" and a button sitting below it. First set the text large, for example at 100 points, and then reduce it to 80 points until it fits well into the layout.

For the button, draw a rectangle with rounded corners. Remove the stroke and choose white as the fill color. Then write "Order now" on the button. With the eyedropper, you pick up the brown color of the background for the text. This way the button looks like part of the overall design.

If the text is too long for the button, reduce the font size or enlarge the button slightly. Then place it in the lower area of the design. A slight overlap with the background looks dynamic. To make the button stand out, you again add a subtle outer shadow, with little offset and low intensity.

Finalizing and exporting

Now look at the design as a whole. Check whether all elements are easy to read, whether the spacing looks balanced, and whether the eye moves from the logo through the headline to the button. If you are happy with the result, your post is essentially finished.

Finally, export the design as a PNG. This format is suitable for social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and other networks. When exporting, choose a size of 1080 × 1080 pixels so that the image can be uploaded without loss of quality.

Summary – Creating a Social Media Post with Affinity Vector

You have learned how to build a complete social media post in Affinity Vector. You created a background, designed a contrast area with corner radius and transparency, and integrated a stock photo in a circular shape. With dashed outlines, a logo, a headline, a call-to-action button, and subtle shadows, you rounded off the design. Finally, you exported the post as a PNG. With this workflow, you can quickly create any kind of post and adapt it to your brand.

Trainer About Tobias Becker My name is Tobias Becker. I am a student from Vienna and pass on my knowledge about entrepreneurship, social media marketing and investing as a video course lecturer. All courses by Tobias Becker →