Snapchat Tips and Tricks: Low Opacity Emojis

By Emilio* Social Influencer (@themilsedition)

Some snaps are worth a thousand views. It's no secret that some of our friend's stories are the most incredible artistic snapsterpieces we've ever laid our eyes on while the other half of our story list is nothing, but selfies... and not even cool selfies with Snapchat's obsessively addicting filters. Just plain selfies on the couch or the ever so popular car sefie with the seatbelt on. Well, at least they're being safe. Not very entertaining, but they'll live. Now, for those of us who want to do more than live, here are a few tips and tricks to really take your snapgame to the next level.

Let's talk emojis. These little boggarts have turned out to be pretty useful if you are willing to overlook the fact that there are quite a few missing features that could easily change the emoji world like the ability to flip an emoji's orientation horizontally or vertically so one could create a FREAKIN HEAD WITH TWO EARS. Sorry about that. 

Anyway, emojis are a great way to add something simple to your picture that says just as much if not more than the picture alone. They make great props when you can't use words to express what's happening. Better to put the dancing girl in the red dress than the word dancing. But what if you could take it a level beyond that? What if your ghost emoji actually looked like a ghost? I'm here to tell you that seeing through a ghost is part of what makes it a ghost. 
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Lowering the opacity of your emoji is easy. Yea, I know. It sounds like jibberish, but just look at the picture to the left. It speaks for itself. I even put an unaffected emoji in to compare the difference. So enough with the small talk. Lets get you on your way to Snapchat stardom. 

1) Take a picture or video. You know what they say. If there's a rule about it, someone has done it. I don't personally know if anyone has tried to create a snapsterpiece before they captured their picture or video, but I'm covering all the bases just in case.

2) Grab an emoji of your choosing. It doesn't matter which emoji you choose to use. All emojis are created equal so have at it. If you want to choose the yoga girl emoji and make her transparent to represent the girl in your life who is just beyond your grasp, then do it. Your story, your life.

(It gets a bit tricky here, but try to pay close attention to what I am saying.)

3) You'll need two fingers for this part. With your left hand, take control of your emoji. Without removing your finger, place your right hand anywhere on the screen. Then, remove your left hand. Notice that you can control your emoji with your right hand even though it is not directly over your emoji. (This is also great to know when trying to place an emoji over a particular area that would be difficult to see with your finger in the way like your pupil.) If you move your finger over the trash can, it will lighten the opacity of your emoji. Now, this is the most important part.

4) Do not lift your finger while over the trashcan. Instead, touch the text tool with a free finger. Using your other hand will work much better. When the text screen comes up, you can let go and touch the screen anywhere. You will notice that your emoji will be where you left it and in its low opacity form. Repeat as many times as you'd like to achieve the perfect snap. ​

My personal favorite emoji to use in this way is the fire emoji. It looks so awesome simply because fire usually flickers so combining it with the solid fire emoji will prove your command over the arcane forces.

5) Create your own filter. Now that you know how to create low opacity emojis, what's stopping you from creating your own colored filters over your pictures like I have done above? It's quite simple, really. Stretch your emoji over the entire screen and repeat the steps to create a low opacity emoji. 

6) Disclaimer. I almost forgot to mention. If you have an iPhone you will not be able to do this trick. iPhones are too smart for their own good. Apple doesn't allow you to control an emoji unless you're physically touching it nor do they allow your emoji to remain in the low opacity form by clicking the text button. Don't sweat it. I heard the Samsung Galaxy S7 is the business. Might be time for an upgrade. 

Dont just be just another snapper. Be the snapper they have to see. Snapchat is not just about living in the moment. It's about recreating it. Subscribe to stay up-to-date with the tips and tricks or add me on snapchat. Be informed. Stay entertained. 

Snapchat Tips and Tricks: High and Low Opacity Paint Colors.

*Originally Published at www.themilsedition.com