Canva files and editing

[Goatshaver]

So I acquired a new customer that wants to work with me. However all of their designs are made in Canva. Right away opening a PDF in illustrator the biggest issue I see is font's don't get embedded. However if you save the the file from Canva as a SVG it will outline the fonts so I can at least work with it and make bleed, etc..

I'm wondering if there is a way to get fonts embedded into their PDFs. I'm sure they have their fonts locked up so that people can't just edit PDFs on their own after exporting.

I just hate how every little item is placed into these multitudes on clipping boxes.
I just foresee more of these coming my way and having to educate customers on some basics. (I don't mind if it makes my life a little easier when their files come through)

 

[Boudica]

Sounds like you need to educate yourself, to educate your customer. Here are some google search results on the subject.
I read somewhere once that Canva doesn't have the "outline text" option - but in canva world it's called "Hollow", or something like that.

 

[Goatshaver]

Sounds like you need to educate yourself, to educate your customer. Here are some google search results on the subject.
I read somewhere once that Canva doesn't have the "outline text" option - but in canva world it's called "Hollow", or something like that.

Yeah I've never used it at all until this came though so I'm going to have to poke around it a bit.
The hollow is for a text with no fill and just an outline. Not outlined text as I'm thinking of it.

 

[dypinc]

So I acquired a new customer that wants to work with me. However all of their designs are made in Canva. Right away opening a PDF in illustrator the biggest issue I see is font's don't get embedded. However if you save the the file from Canva as a SVG it will outline the fonts so I can at least work with it and make bleed, etc..

I'm wondering if there is a way to get fonts embedded into their PDFs. I'm sure they have their fonts locked up so that people can't just edit PDFs on their own after exporting.

I just hate how every little item is placed into these multitudes on clipping boxes.
I just foresee more of these coming my way and having to educate customers on some basics. (I don't mind if it makes my life a little easier when their files come through)

Not sure that is any different then an other PDF file when opening it in illustrator and having to deal with fonts not embedded or you don't have. We ways open the PDF in Acrobat and convert text to outline before opening in Illustrator.

 

[Goatshaver]

Not sure that is any different then an other PDF file when opening it in illustrator and having to deal with fonts not embedded or you don't have. We ways open the PDF in Acrobat and convert text to outline before opening in Illustrator.

I feel dumb for forgetting that I can do that in acrobat. I don't use acrobat print production very often and I was so used to using ESKO plug-ins when I worked in offset.
Thanks for refreshing my memory on that.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

With regard to fonts, because Canva is a web app (even when using the downloadable "binary", it uses webview (which is just a minified browser)), it doesn't quite have the support for font options that one would have with a non sandboxed app. Or really any system level stuff (while one could have everything local, even with a webview program, but it appears it still has to go with an offsite server to work) that has better UX when it isn't sandboxed.

 

[dypinc]

All I know is that the PDF I have seen from Canva when saved with the export for print settings converted to outline just fine. I have seen PDF and SVG that were not exported correctly that were nothing but problems.

 

[pro-UP]

Per their TOS:

1. Font Licensing Restrictions​

Most fonts in Canva’s library are licensed for display use only within the Canva platform, not for redistribution or embedding in files like PDFs or EPS. Embedding a font in a downloaded file (especially editable formats) technically redistributes it — which violates many font licenses.


Canva avoids this legal mess by substituting fonts with outlines or rasterizing them in PDFs and print files, rather than embedding the font file itself.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

I’ve used Canva for quick proposals and presentations. You can upload fonts, but they still won’t embed when you download the file. If you’ve got the font, it’s usually pretty easy to just swap it in later. I use a combination of Corel, Freepik, Creative Fabricaa and really like it overall. It's an easy plug n' play way to make simple designs.

 

[Stacey K]

I have a customer who is very versed in Canva. No matter what he does, there's ALWAYS at least one thing that I need to recreate. Mostly the fonts get jumbled but sometimes the artwork is sectioned off and it's just really hard artwork to work with. I actually lost a customer that used Canva and I had to reset fonts and they didn't like the substitute and no matter what I did I could not use the clipart. They got sick of me asking for font names and new files and went somewhere else. Good riddance.

 

[visual800]

my favorite thing to hear "I designed it in canva!"....NOT! Ive tried importin ginto flexi and illustrator they NEVER know the font names, artwork is always jacked up I have no time for it!

 

[WildWestDesigns]

my favorite thing to hear "I designed it in canva!"....NOT!

When creators (and creators doesn't necessarily have to be artists, it could depend on the industry we are talking about, say programmers that say that said: "I wrote it in Rust" etc) lead with things like that (rather hobbyists or professionals) or that say that one needs x,y,z tool, I already know that there is going to be a problem. These are all tools, it's more about the knowledge from the person that is using them (yes if lacking features, that could play a part, but typically if a person in more knowledgeable, results tend to be better, even if they used the "best" tool out there, doesn't mean squat without the knowledge to actually use it).

I tend to question those that think ultimately it's about the tool that was used, customers (whomever that may be) really don't care about that, they care about the result.

A lot of these issues still exist if the person doesn't really know what they are doing, no matter how good the software is.

 

[weyandsign]

Just got a PDF from Canva a couple days ago. Opened in Foxit reader, go-to Properties -> Fonts. It shows the font names that were used.

 

[Fechin]

You can use the Adobe Acrobat's own tools to outline the fonts. It doesn't always do it 100%, but its worth trying. Go to Tools > Print Productions > Preflight. A window should pop up, if its not already expanded, select PDF Fix-ups, then Convert Fonts to Outlines. Then click Analyze and Fix button on the bottom right and be sure to save it a different name, even if its just adding a number or letter to it.

 

[Kemik]

I run all my Canva PDFs through this website to convert the fonts.
If it's from a client that sends a lot of art work, I share the website and tell them to convert the PDFs before sending.
Any text changes that need to be done have to be done by the client..

PDF-TEXT-To-Outlines -Convert PDF TEXT To Outlines online Free tool.

PDF-TEXT-To-Outlines -Convert PDF TEXT To Outlines online Free tool.

pdf-editor-free.com

I know there are other ways to convert the fonts with Acrobat and also Illustrator, but it doesn't always work out great. I've had no issues using this website.

 

[Stacey K]

Luckily, the one customer uses his art for tshirts so as long as the png he sends has everything placed correctly, I can just send it off for transfers.

Sometimes I open his files and they look like the top. Not sure if it's how he saves it. Sometimes the fonts are sectioned off like the words would be cut in half in two or 4 pieces. IDK...at least he's able to figure something out and so far we make them all work! I get them from school for shirts also...they aren't as picky so it's quicker to just reset the type than email the person to find the student who made it then they have to ask the teacher for help...lots of drama.

 

[mkmie]

Has anyone signed up for Canva Pro? $120 a year would be worth it if it solves editing problems.

 

[dypinc]

I was considering it but so far my clients have been using Canva Pro and I was able to tell them how to export a good for printing file.

 

[Goatshaver]

Has anyone signed up for Canva Pro? $120 a year would be worth it if it solves editing problems.

I'm on a trial of it and editing seems to be the same but with access to more resources, fonts, graphics, etc.
Not sure if the free one has the same export options.

 

[dypinc]

I'm on a trial of it and editing seems to be the same but with access to more resources, fonts, graphics, etc.
Not sure if the free one has the same export options.

The free one does not.

 

[Boudica]

Not sure if the free one has the same export options.

I'm pretty sure it doesn't. I get decent files created in canva from some customers. The problem files always seem to come from someone using the free version.