Canva

[Johnny Best]

If Canva worked so wełł and easy to use they could give you perfect files to use. But most of the people like to complainand lazy to fix it up the files. Charge them more for your services and STFU.

 

[SGC]

We pay the $12/month for premium Canva so we can have the project shared with us and be able to export at full res.

Can't avoid low res customer uploaded assets, but most of the stuff that's Canva provided is fairly good quality when exported at premium plan full res.

 

[netsol]

If Canva worked so wełł and easy to use they could give you perfect files to use. But most of the people like to complainand lazy to fix it up the files. Charge them more for your services and STFU.

STFU?
i tell my clients that all the time, but, what does the ST stand for?

 

[Johnny Best]

ShutThe

 

[gnubler]

If Canva worked so wełł and easy to use they could give you perfect files to use. But most of the people like to complainand lazy to fix it up the files. Charge them more for your services and STFU.

That's the basis of the entire rant - they don't understand why they're being charged because Canva is "free", and in their eyes negates the whole point of playing DIY graphic designer to save some money. I now need to proceed with caution when quoting jobs, lest I end up with an unexpected Canva turd supplied from a customer's 'designer' (usually their niece or girlfriend/wife).

Canva has destroyed the graphic design industry, not only by devaluing a skilled service, but also by creating a product allowing untalented and uneducated users to litter the planet with their butt ugly designs.

 

[netsol]

you need to ask what program files have been prepared in

and i suppose, explain to your clients that canva is more of a CHILD'S TOY than a design program

 

[Johnny Best]

That's the basis of the entire rant - they don't understand why they're being charged because Canva is "free", and in their eyes negates the whole point of playing DIY graphic designer to save some money. I now need to proceed with caution when quoting jobs, lest I end up with an unexpected Canva turd supplied from a customer's 'designer' (usually their niece or girlfriend/wife).

Canva has destroyed the graphic design industry, not only by devaluing a skilled service, but also by creating a product allowing untalented and uneducated users to litter the planet with their butt ugly designs.

The computer with art programs to draw you circlesʼ squares and rectangles. Also srraight lines with hundreds of fonts, All you have to do is tilt your headʼ squint and you are a graphic designer. That is the descrution of graphic design in most cases. Canva is just another way to get design istead of going through someone else and doing it yourself. Let people have their fun designing. I have seen some good Canva designs.
Donʼt get me wrong, I like to read rants on here by professional designers.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Scale of costs isn't exactly what it used to be as far as a good quality program or not (it could very well be a good indicator as it's funds going in and what those funds are able to provide etc, but not the end all be all). And just because someone is using "standard" pro program doesn't mean that they know squat on how to use it or still render out a good result (and this goes for the supposed pros using said software was well).

Properly prepared files, it doesn't matter to me what OS they come from or what program that was used in preparing them. Because if the user doesn't have a firm grasp of what may or may not be needed or what is or isn't good for a design going thru a particular production process, it isn't going to matter what program that they are using or what OS the computer is running.

In most instances, I dislike it when people blame the tools that they use or that are being used by others. 9 out of 10 times, it's a skill issue, not a tooling issue. About the one time that I really come down hard on tools (or really their OEM) is when they sell the old, click a few buttons and render out this great result no matter what level of knowledge/experience one has (and I have seen programs that are really good, that cost far more compared to Adobe's suite of tools, hock this mentality and that has done far more damage in my mind compared to the cheap programs(unless that program is not only cheap but hocking that same mentality as well)).

Now, if one thinks that a tool/program needs high level abstractions and not just doing it the manual way (and there are pros and cons with that as well), that can be a hit against the "cheaper" tools, but I would say that those don't have to be there, if someone is competent in what they are doing and at times, the more manual approach is actually the best approach, even still today.

 

[ikarasu]

I'm not a designer, So I don't try to be one - It's why we have paid designers.

Mr Remax employee who sells houses for a living an hour a day, also is not a designer, and should not try to design.

When AI Gets good enough that you can tell it what to do, and it does it properly... it'll be great. I have no issues with people sending me stuff thats designed and works properly... My issue is with people sending me garbage and then acting like you're trying to hustle them when you tell them in a nice, polite way, why it's garbage and wont work.

I'm sure if I contacted a realtor and asked them to take care of the closing paperwork for my house.... Then told them I sold it by throwing it on craigslist, and hand them some chicken scratch contract I wrote up they'd call me looney and refuse to work with my half-assed attempt... not hold my hand and tell me exactly what forms I need to fill out and how.


I get why people on here want to vent! Personally I tell them to share the file with me, and if it doesn't look good... They have the option of paying my designer to re-do it, or going elsewhere. It's just like haggling... No time to haggle, no time to deal with shit art for free, no time to do jobs that pay close to nothing... You just need to set a line and prioritize.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

When AI Gets good enough that you can tell it what to do, and it does it properly... it'll be great.

For those that don't have a creative bone in their body, I can see why they would think that. I don't. As it is now, it isn't "AI", but a webscraper, as such, it comes with it's own unique issues. Such as, don't know the the license of the content that it was "trained" on. Why here stateside, there is no protection for "AI" generated content. Maybe the prompts will get such protection, but I highly down the end render would. Here stateside anyway.

Plus, it is just a very high level of abstraction. When people don't have access to it, or it's not working for whatever reason, up that well known creek without a paddle. If a person has a problem with blank canvas, that's a skill issue. People just want the magic bullet approach and that's not what I'm a particular fan of. Now, can't put this genie back in the bottle (it also just smells like a bubble primed to pop, but that could be my hopeful attitude), but I don't see this as a particularly good thing. I tend not to like high levels of abstraction though, rather it's in art or something like coding. I think some is OK, but this is abstraction on steroids and I'm sure big business is loving this.

 

[Boudica]

Canva and it's programmers are learning a lot from this thread.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

you need to ask what program files have been prepared in

and i suppose, explain to your clients that canva is more of a CHILD'S TOY than a design program

It's not a child's toy when you start seeing Canva experience as a requirement in a large amount of digital art/graphic design job postings. It is being used on a commercial level and looks to be ideal for social media campaigns among other things. It's not a good business strategy to ignore changes in the industry you are in. I know designers get their panties in a wad when something comes along that automatically pushes the buttons that they had to learn to do for themselves but people have to get past it. What happened to the hand paint holdouts when vinyl cutters took over the market?
This all sounds like a bunch of drummers complaining about drum machines. Easy solution, learn to use both.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

It's not a child's toy when you start seeing Canva experience as a requirement in a large amount of digital art/graphic design job postings. It is being used on a commercial level and looks to be ideal for social media campaigns among other things. It's not a good business strategy to ignore changes in the industry you are in.

Yes and no. The problem comes in when future generations only know the abstraction (we see it all the time and quite a few people on here complain about it as well (even the ones that are all for new tech as it is), even for very small things) and don't know what's going on underneath behind the scenes (some may learn because they are really interested, most will not). That would be more of the issue that I would have versus not using new "tech" (although there are somethings that I just won't use unless something really changes about them (Canva would not be one of them from what I know about it now on it's face, just to put that out there), but I digress).

As far as it being a "child's toy", in my opinion, would be determined how far it can be taken. The toolset (particularly the manual tools, because from manual toolset most anything can be accomplished if it doesn't have an automated way (big reason why I think people should know what is going on under the hood)) is the biggest thing. I think the all free, cheap, ubber expensive cost aspect of programs isn't as telling of the quality as it used to be.

 

[Gino]

The question really depends on your goals and needs for a design program. If you're looking for something fast and easy with built-in assets, Canva is the better value. If you want to create professional images, edit out imperfections, or create works of art, Photoshop is probably the better value.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Yes and no. The problem comes in when future generations only know the abstraction (we see it all the time and quite a few people on here complain about it as well (even the ones that are all for new tech as it is), even for very small things) and don't know what's going on underneath behind the scenes (some may learn because they are really interested, most will not). That would be more of the issue that I would have versus not using new "tech" (although there are somethings that I just won't use unless something really changes about them (Canva would not be one of them from what I know about it now on it's face, just to put that out there), but I digress).

As far as it being a "child's toy", in my opinion, would be determined how far it can be taken. The toolset (particularly the manual tools, because from manual toolset most anything can be accomplished if it doesn't have an automated way (big reason why I think people should know what is going on under the hood)) is the biggest thing. I think the all free, cheap, ubber expensive cost aspect of programs isn't as telling of the quality as it used to be.

Everyone knows that the weak link in business is employees. You can wish all the fundamentals you want onto people but fact is, you have no control over it. So you either stew, bitch and complain thinking it will create some magic resolution and spin your wheels through the duration of your career as a small business owner or you start looking for alternatives. That is where we are at right now. These software companies will address the fundamentals and build this into their programs, the best ones will prevail. While there is only upside on a personal level to learning fundamentals and all that fluffy stuff, reality is such that isnt happening. Additionally, you can't teach people to have an eye for this stuff, it's an inherent trait so it's akin to teaching a pig to sing. I'm not wasting my time learning a manual process for the sake of knowing how to do a manual process. That's stubbornness. You wouldn't manually run an amortization schedule now, there is no need. So why learn how to when all you need to understand is the general principal and how to plug numbers into software. Why run manual fatigue tests when CAD will do it for you, and better?
I'm all for these changes. It allows me to spend more time seeking out employees with strong work ethic rather than employees that think you are beholden to them because they have some skillset.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

The question really depends on your goals and needs for a design program. If you're looking for something fast and easy with built-in assets, Canva is the better value. If you want to create professional images, edit out imperfections, or create works of art, Photoshop is probably the better value.

theres a place for both IMO and those that embrace both will come out on top.

 

[Stacey K]

There's a cheese factory in the area I've been working with. She asked me if I would design a new logo for them as they bought out the old owner. I refered them to my friend who is a graphic designer head of creative for a sausage company. Instead of paying him to design a new logo, she created a new tagline in Canva.

She sent it over as a png and it was blurry as heck. It took a few emails for her to admit she was using Canva. Then she asked me to explain to her how to use Canva so she could send me the right file. I said I have no idea, I use professional graphic programs. I said if you have the free version you will not get the files you need. I told her I strongly discourage her trying to switch all their artwork and labels into Canva to do themselves, I said it's the sign shops worst nightmare and they are going to keep running into problems.

This company drives me crazy. They have no useable files and every single time we go back and forth multiple times for a decent file. They NEED to hire someone to straighten out their art files. They sell product all over the country so it's not like it's a mom and pop place.

I hate Canva.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Everyone knows that the weak link in business is employees.

Considering my business, it's me, myself and I, I think I can handle that weak link (but I know that isn't everyone).

You can wish all the fundamentals you want onto people but fact is, you have no control over it.

I do have control over it how it comes thru my business and that's where people can control it within their own. I can't enforce that (nor would I want to, after all that helps me in the end) at a higher level. There has been a lot of things that have changed socially (worth ethic) over the years and not all of those changes are actually good, even though the acolytes for them think that it is.

So you either stew, bitch and complain thinking it will create some magic resolution and spin your wheels through the duration of your career as a small business owner or you start looking for alternatives. That is where we are at right now. These software companies will address the fundamentals and build this into their programs, the best ones will prevail.

There is a $15k program that is the industry standard for my little corner of things and it's more automated solutions, you know where the "software companies will address the fundamentals", isn't worth squat. Those that know the fundamentals will know and understand this. Those that don't (including the buying public) will suffer crap results because of it. But they will be cheaper results and they will win out on that compared to most anything else.

While there is only upside on a personal level to learning fundamentals and all that fluffy stuff, reality is such that isnt happening.

No, it's a competitive advantage. There is still a need for the manual process in some areas and knowing how to do the very manual process that I know, puts me at a bigger advantage for the more tougher designs that look good. So while, yes there is a personal upside, that isn't the only upside that there is.

I'm not wasting my time learning a manual process for the sake of knowing how to do a manual process. That's stubbornness.

It's not for the sake of just learning the manual process. It's to know how to get around the problems when that program(s) that you are so attached so strongly and their automated one-two button solutions don't work for what you are trying to do.

Plus knowing more, allows me to actually have more ability to move from one program to another if the need arises, for whatever reason. Otherwise, may always be stuck in a certain ecosystem even though you may not want to be.

You wouldn't manually run an amortization schedule now, there is no need. So why learn how to when all you need to understand is the general principal and how to plug numbers into software. Why run manual fatigue tests when CAD will do it for you, and better?

Your talking to someone that still animates on paper. That builds software using low level languages for in house tooling. I also think one is putting too much faith in the programs. I have seen programs make mistakes and they have to make certain assumptions (not specifically in this case mind you in the directly above quote, I'm going back to thinking more of the automated design process itself) that do not always work in every situation (and ironically those situations are more likely compared to the easier ones that it assumes that is going on).

I'm all for these changes. It allows me to spend more time seeking out employees with strong work ethic rather than employees that think you are beholden to them because they have some skillset.

If that is what you are dealing with, I would be looking at the hiring process itself. But again, I'm a one person shop, so that does free me up for certain things.

 

[ikarasu]

Just got 2 canva files today... Customer shared the design via canva so I can edit it. 2 different customers, both are for 33" x 77" Banner stands


1 is a 8.5" x 11" image they used and designed for a flyer -


The other is setup 24" x 48".... Both are flattened images so you cant even move anything around or "Re-design" it if I wanted to.

Told the first guy his design doesn't scale and even if it did, it's not enough DPI to blow up to 77" Tall.

Told the second guy his artwork scales into 33" x 66"... so I can cut 11" Off the pole if he wants or he can re-design it


I don't think I've once recieved a canva file that didn't need fixing, but worst is I'd say it'd a 70% chance the person will ask what dimensions they need to do the artwork...and then you get something completely different

 

[gnubler]

This company drives me crazy. They have no useable files and every single time we go back and forth multiple times for a decent file. They NEED to hire someone to straighten out their art files.

I hate Canva.

Are you talking about your customer or Canva?
Canva is causing the multiple back and forth with customers with the thought that if they fling enough poo at you maybe one will stick. Got another one today, I could tell instantly it was a Canva creation because the logo with pine trees is the exact same one another customer sent me last week. In time, everyone's going to have the same logo.

I actually got a vector PDF but kicked it back due to the half dozen fonts used that I don't have. Most Canva fonts aren't freely available and now we're back to square one - I have to explain to the customer I don't have those fonts and they can either pay for the font files or send me a file with outlined fonts, which in my experience Canva flattens and rasterizes.

Maddening.