How to add a speech bubble to a photo with Adobe Express.

Speech bubbles are an easy way to show what someone is saying in an image. You might think of speech bubbles, or speech balloons, as a relatively recent phenomenon found in comic books and in drawings, but their earliest examples lead us back to Mayan art around 600 AD. Today, speech bubbles have a much more informal association and can be a fun addition to photos, drawings and more.

Why add speech bubbles to your photos?

While speech has been shown in Mesoamerican and European art for millennia, the speech bubble as we know it only really took form in the late 19^th Century with the first comic character, The Yellow Kid. It was here that the style and design of the bubble first began.

Today, speech bubbles are so ubiquitous that they’re no longer relegated to the pages of comics. They’re often included in memes, adverts and even educational material. One common location for speech bubbles is in photos.

With this in mind, here are some popular reasons to add speech bubbles to a photo:

• To help tell a story. Speech bubbles' original purpose was to show a character's conversation - something you can do when you add a speech bubble to a photograph.
• To bring an image to life. Adding speech bubbles to a photograph can bring it to life and add wider context to the image.
• To make a graphic ‘pop’. One quick and easy way to make your photograph stand out is to add a speech bubble.
• To add humour. Depending on what you write in the speech bubble, it can be fun when you add text to your photo.
• To make a meme. Similar to the above, if you want to make a meme out of your photograph, a speech bubble is a great way to do it.

How to add speech bubbles to your photos with Adobe Express.

Adding a speech bubble into your photo is quick and easy with Adobe Express. We’ve put together a step-by-step guide to the process below:

• Open the Adobe Express image editor tool. This online tool lets you easily edit images and add elements of your choice, including speech marks.
• Upload your photo. On the landing page, click ‘Upload your photo’. Once a new canvas opens, you can upload from your device on the left.
• Resize your image. Once your image is uploaded, you can edit the size – making it bigger or smaller, flipping and rotating it.
• Go to ‘Elements’ on the left toolbar. On the far-left toolbar, you’ll find the ‘Elements’ tab. Under ‘Shapes’, you’ll also see a wide range of speech bubbles, suitable for your photograph. Simply click the one you want to use.
• Edit your speech bubble. You can expand or shrink your bubble, adjusting its rotation, colour, position and more.
• Add your text. On the left-hand bar, you can also find the ‘Text’ tab. Here you can add text to your image. Once you’ve written your message, you might have to move and resize it to fit your speech bubble.

Now you’re happy with your speech bubble and your photograph, you can share and download your image and use it however you like. Perhaps turn it into a card, poster, YouTube thumbnail, or an Instagram story.

Where can I use my speech bubble images?

The potential for a photograph with a speech bubble is only as limited as your imagination. However, the design process can be tricky. Fortunately, with Adobe Express you can pick through our selection of templates and add your photo, removing the complicated design process. We’ve listed some of our favourites below.

• Card. Whether it’s a birthday, anniversary or anything in between, adding a photo with a speech bubble to a card is a great way to share a memorable message. You can choose the design from our templates, and we can even print and deliver the final product.
• YouTube thumbnail. Thumbnails are often a deciding factor for YouTube audiences. Using speech bubbles in your thumbnail is a great way to stand out from the crowd and create something eye-catching.
• Invitation. Speech bubbles can add humour to an image. So, if you’re holding a birthday bash, baby shower or friendly gathering, adding a speech bubble to a photo can be a great way to inject some comedy into your invitation.

Generate unique images and posts in seconds with Adobe Express’ built-in AI tools.

Sometimes you won’t have the image you need, and it can act as a roadblock. With the Adobe text-to-image generator, you can create the project you need in moments. Simply enter what you want to see, and the AI technology will create rich, complex images that you can download and use. You’ll be shown four different images, and you can pick the one that’s best suited to your vision. If you’re still unsure, you can always edit your prompt, including additional details on style, tone and palette.