How to make your 3D book packshot look even more 3D

Animate objects with the new Canva Image Animate app - a full tutorial

Hello Canva tipsters

One of the things I like to do is try and recreate things I’ve seen done professionally by people who have better software and resources than I do and seeing if I can recreate them in Canva.

For the past couple of years, Bookouture have been making lovely little promo videos that start with the book lying on a table, the frame swoops to the side, so that you glimpse the book from the side, then the frame moves on to showcase some quotes. I’ve managed to recreate the quotes bit, but never worked out how to make an image that looks like it’s panning around a book… until now. 

Last week, I stumbled across the Image Animate app in Canva. It’s one of the new ones that came out with the new update. It’s intended to be used with product mockups, and it works quite well with a packshot of a book.

Here’s my tutorial on how to use it. 

I’ve included the cursed ‘Auto animate’ option in the video, mainly so that you can see the monstrosity it produces. I hope it doesn’t give you nightmares.. Anyway, keep away from ‘auto animate’ and stick with the standard options and you should be fine. 

[If you want to know how to turn your 2D book cover image into a 3D pack shot, here’s a video for that too:

What would you use it for?

Well, the obvious use is just to make some short 3D videos of your book. A bit of movement is eye-catching and if you haven’t got much to say apart from ‘please buy this book’ it might be enough to stop the scroll with a cute little video.

I’m still furiously thinking about how to get it to work with a book that’s lying down, but that’s a challenge for another day.

How would you use it?

Have a great weekend.

Jeev