How to quickly design consistent podcast cover art

Design & Visuals

Start with a simple brief. Decide on core elements: imagery, typography, and color.

Apply a consistent layout across episodes and adapt for different shows or seasons.

Who is this for?

- Podcast producers
- Designers new to podcast branding
- Marketing teams
- Content creators
- Editors handling show art

Before you start

- Brand guidelines (if available)
- Existing logo assets
- Episode naming conventions

General Process (How it works)

  1. Define core visual direction Decide on imagery, color palette, and typography aligned with your podcast brand.
  2. Identify required assets List all elements needed for the cover (logo, imagery, typography).
  3. Create a reusable cover template Set up a base layout and master styles for consistent use.
  4. Establish layout rules Specify safe zones, margins, and alignment to ensure readability.
  5. Create sample covers for episodes Apply the template to a few episodes to validate consistency.
  6. Review for accessibility and readability Check contrast and font sizes across devices.
  7. Document handoff and usage guidelines Provide instructions for future designers to reproduce the style.

Jump to tool:

Kittl Figma Canva

🏆 Recommended for this task

Alternatives

Figma

Best for: Designers, product teams, and developers who need to ideate, design, prototype, and ship products together. It helps ensure consistency across teams with shared design systems.
Free Plan Available$3 / month

How to in Figma

  1. Open Figma And Create New File: Open your browser, go to figma.com, sign in, click New File in the dashboard, and name it "Podcast Covers System".
  2. Set Canvas To 3000x3000 And Create Master Frame: Select the Frame Tool (F). Drag to create a square canvas sized 3000 by 3000 px. In the right panel, set W and H to 3000. Rename the frame to "Cover Art Master".
  3. Define A Brand Color Style: In the Assets panel, click the Styles area, add New Color Style, and create at least Brand Primary and Brand Secondary with your palette values.
  4. Create Text Styles For Title And Subtitle: Place a text layer for the title, apply your chosen font and size, then right-click and choose Create Style. Do the same for the subtitle.
  5. Build A Reusable Cover Card Component: Draw a rounded rectangle for the cover area, add an image placeholder, and place title and subtitle text inside. Select all and press Ctrl/Cmd + Alt + K to Create Component. Name it "Cover Card".
  6. Set Up Layout Grid And Safe Margin: With the Cover Art Master frame selected, add a Layout Grid (e.g., 12-column guide) and set a safe margin (e.g., 40 px) from edges. Enable Snap to Grid.
  7. Add Logo Or Initial Emblem: Place your logo or initials inside the Cover Card, convert to a Component (Ctrl/Cmd + Alt + K), and align to position that fits your design system.
  8. Apply Brand Colors And Typography: Apply the Brand Color Styles to the card background and accent elements. Apply Text Styles to the title and subtitle for consistent typography.
  9. Create Variants For Brand Colors: Select the Cover Card Component, create Variants (right-click > Add Variant). Define color overrides for Brand A and Brand B while keeping typography constant.
  10. Ensure Accessibility And Contrast: Use the contrast checker to ensure title contrast meets accessibility standards. Adjust colors or text size as needed.
  11. Setup Export Presets: Select the final cover frame, open the Export section, click +, set PNG format, 1x scale (3000 px), name the preset "Podcast Cover 3000", and export.
  12. Publish Library And Save As Templates: Publish components to your Team Library: go to Assets > Publish, name the library "Podcast Covers", and share with the team. Create a starter template for new episodes.
Tool details

Canva

Best for: Designers, marketers, and teams who need an integrated platform for creating visuals, videos, and brand assets.
Free Plan Available$120 / year

How to in Canva

  1. Define Brand Foundations: Location: Brand guidelines document / Brand Kit in your design tool. Action: Review the approved typography, color palette, and logo usage to apply to the cover. Verification: You confirm the 2-3 core brand elements to fix for the design.
  2. Create Canvas: Location: Design canvas. Action: Create a new design with dimensions 3000 x 3000 px. Verification: Canvas displays 3000 x 3000 px.
  3. Apply Title Typography: Location: Text layer. Action: Add the podcast title using the brand font and palette; adjust size to fit safely within the canvas. Verification: Title text uses brand font and color and fits without clipping.
  4. Add Supporting Text: Location: Text layer. Action: Add subtitle/episode info using the secondary font; place Beneath the title with proper spacing. Verification: Subtitle is legible and properly spaced.
  5. Set Layout Grid: Location: Grid/Rulers. Action: Enable grid and guides; align title, subtitle, and imagery to grid lines. Verification: Elements snap to grid and have consistent margins.
  6. Incorporate Core Imagery: Location: Media area. Action: Add or crop two core imagery elements (image and/or logo) that align with brand; ensure clear contrast. Verification: Imagery is crisp, properly cropped, and not overpowering text.
  7. Apply Brand Colors: Location: Background and shapes. Action: Apply brand color palette to background, shapes, and accents; test contrast with text. Verification: Text remains readable with chosen colors.
  8. Quality Check: Location: Preview/Accessibility mode. Action: Review at small and large scales; test color contrast and legibility. Verification: Meets readability criteria across sizes and devices.
  9. Export & Save Template: Location: Export dialog / Template library. Action: Export the final image as PNG/JPG at 3000x3000 and save the design as a reusable template named Podcast Cover Template. Verification: Export completed; template saved and available for reuse.
Tool details

Quick Comparison

ToolFree Plan?Min Price
Kittl Yes $15 / month
Figma Yes $3 / month
Canva Yes $120 / year

Common beginner mistakes

❌ Overcomplicating the design
❌ Using too many fonts
❌ Not considering mobile readability
❌ Ignoring brand colors
❌ Forgetting to export correct file size

Which tool should you choose?

Kittl

Kittl provides podcast-facing templates, built-in brand kits, and AI-guided graphics that let you generate multiple cohesive cover variations in minutes. With easy color matching, scalable typography, transparent PNG exports, and seamless mockups, you can maintain a consistent visual identity across episodes faster than manual design—perfect for quick podcast branding.

Figma

Figma offers robust component libraries, color and text styles, and live collaboration, making it ideal for repeatable podcast cover art. Build a single, reusable template and push brand overrides via color and typography styles, enabling fast, consistent design across multiple shows with minimal drift.