Should Graphic Designers Use Canva?

[@4TheCreatives]

What do you think about Canva being used by designers?

[@Markzware]

Great for sharing concepts, ideas and simple layouts for clients who want to get their feet wet. I also know many professional graphic designers that use it for themselves. Once again, for idea or concept generation. It's really a totally different design experience than what you get in Creative Cloud. Yes, less flexibility at a certain point, but still extremely powerful.

[@designergerry21]

Great video Lauren. Recently I visited a friend who is not a designer, he is in the community management space, and he quickly put together design posts for online platforms, I was curious which software it was. It was Canva. It seemed fairly good to get the message across with the software, but I agree with the video you put out. The adobe software has comprehensive tools to put out a more detailed project.

[@4TheCreatives]

@designergerry21 yes for non pros it can be useful for sure! But if someone wanted to achieve the level of motion graphics you create, they’d need to go to the pro software 😊👍

[@designergerry21]

Thanks. Indeed.@@4TheCreatives Lots to learn. Re-looking at CCBP modules at this moment. 💫

[@SaviIassics]

I actually use Canva as a moodboard or to move my own images around on the page or for mockups and frames. I almost never use the templates. But I do still use Photoshop, Procreate, Figma, and Inkscape.

[@smartyg1]

I totally agree with your position and commentary. Design is a profession that takes years to hone. It takes experience, thought, strategy, and knowledge of typography, imagery, balance etc. Thanks for educating everyone on this.

[@4TheCreatives]

I am so glad you agree and I appreciate your comment 😀

[@JaleelBeig]

I support the use of all tools, as long as the work is good! "Adobe good Canva bad" should be a thing of the past👍

[@4TheCreatives]

Thanks for sharing Jaleel! And what about for new designers who are still learning basic design principles?

[@JaleelBeig]

Imo they should familiarise with multiple tools. Although proficiency in design fundamentals and Adobe will automatically enable them on drag and drop like Canva

[@4TheCreatives]

@JaleelBeig agreed 👍

[@TLCJr4]

I love using Affinity! I do use, Figma, Canva, and Kittl. I never use templates. I always start from a blank canvas. I do look at templates for ideas; just like I do when I glance at Pinterest or Behance.

[@4TheCreatives]

Thanks for sharing! I have heard great things about Affinity.

[@XakMohl]

Canva is a money-saver and time-saver for quick, simple, pre-made designs that are somewhat modifiable. Good.

[@raniapoleangel]

Thank you for your insights and this great approach! Before I started my graphic design journey (with your amazing program), I was using Canva a lot. But I always felt somehow limited, especially when it comes to profound design knowledge and skills. I am still using it to create quick sketches or for inspiration (or presentations), but I'm relying more and more on the professional Adobe tools as I'm getting more acquainted with them and I am super happy and proud. Yes, it was intimidating, but as soon as you start, you will soon get the hang of it.

[@4TheCreatives]

Love this perspective! And since you’ve been doing so well understanding those design composition components, you will only use Canva as a tool better as well 😊

[@XakMohl]

Nowadays there are quite a few proficient/professional users of Canva.. they've mastered those limitations and have come up with ingenious methods to accomplish many not-so-simple design tasks.. again, economically in money/time costs and quickly.

[@Markzware]

Great overview of Canva, Adobe and the use cases. We see many, as in daily Canva PDFs converted to InDesign with our products or services. Canva is great, but at a certain, professional point, whether it is long documents, printing-on-demand or general design workflow needs, Canva PDFs are getting converted to Adobe and InDesign. As one designer told me, it is great to get the clients ideas and desires in Canva from them, where they can all collaborate and work together - and then with the ability to convert the Canva PDF to InDesign, the workflow is complete!

[@4TheCreatives]

That’s an interesting angle! I hadn’t tried the PDF to InDesign before. Thanks for the insights.

[@ianrena1]

Also here, 3ds max, Adobe suite, Corel user here. Yes, Canva is so fast to use, who knows. It is like A Nokia then and Samsung now. Adobe now is creating a counterpart vs Canva. I downloaded some minor elements, presets from Canva but still my final composition program is CoreDRAW or any of Adobe tools.

[@o5991]

As a begining website designer who is still practicing my skills, I use canva to create my website mockups. I already pay for the program so might as well use it for now. It hasnt limited me in anyway to practice the skill.

[@4TheCreatives]

I am glad you have found it helpful to grow your skills.

[@vitaminsminerals9708]

I started in the art industry in the late 80s, studying graphic design and then a degree in art. The more tools any designer or artist has, the better. I don't understand why so many designers are snooty about Canva, its a just a very clever tool founded by someone very smart who saw a gap in the market. I think its brilliant, but its not the only thing I use

[@4TheCreatives]

Thanks for your input. The thing that makes designers snooty is that some people go into Canva and think that they are designers when they aren't formally trained.

[@rachellemiller6820]

Canva is a great tool to use for people who don't know graphic design, for making simple items such as chore charts, planner sheets, grocery lists, etc. I even have used it for making resumes in the past. It is a great tool to use for certain things but with that being said I would prefer to use adobe for creating professional graphics, because my interest is being a graphic designer. I am still learning though so I don't consider myself a professional yet.

[@4TheCreatives]

I like your way of putting it Rachelle, thank you! Keep practicing and you’ll feel like a pro.

[@erosbasileus4472]

I like to use canva for the fact that all the assets are a lot more readily available I use it to get the basic design down and then I finalize it in Adobe.

[@StephenBoothUK]

Does Canva’s acquisition of Affinity potentially change your position? Whilst Affinity doesn’t replace the whole Creative Cloud suite, someone who just needs raster and vector editing and a publishing package might find it a cheaper entry point. As for the design principles section of your talk, surely any toolset that gives you options for creativity will do. In some ways some pencils, paper, rulers and French curves is a good place to start learning the principles and once you know them you can move onto software tools. I see Canva as fine for rough mock ups. It’s not a competitor for Photoshop, Illustrator or Indesign, if it competes with an Adobe product then that’s Adobe Express.

[@4TheCreatives]

I appreciate your input for sure! 100% agree with the design principles. I teach my students the principles before I introduce them to anything on the computer. Regarding if the Affinity acquisition has changed my position, I feel that it has increased my respect slightly for the platform, but I still know what type of files clients need when it comes down to getting something print-ready and as you said, nothing is a competitor for the Adobe products. I do recommend Affinity to those that can't afford Adobe often, as you mentioned.

[@SKMRify]

The problem with Canva is essentially its lack of robust design tools, including a rangy palette of art brushes, vector drawing/tracing tools. etc. For instance, the incredible image manipulation compositions of KZbinrs 'PhaseRunner', 'PIX Cores', 'La Guarida del Pirata', etc., who utilize Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, Affinity Photo and other specialist raster editing programs are beyond the scope of someone using Canva. Similarly, consider the beautiful MS PowerPoint isometric slide designs of 'Creative Venus' which would be well-nigh impossible to duplicate with Canva without PowerPoint's vector toolset. Nonetheless, there are Canva KZbinrs who are a cut above the majority in terms of their sheer design creativity and adaptability. One such example is 'Webon' whose Canva projects are often quite impressive despite the application's inherent shortcomings.

[@4TheCreatives]

Very well put. And I agree. Thank you!

[@SKMRify]

My pleasure.@@4TheCreatives

[@Ranzi_manuel]

I've been learning and designing only on canva and I don't even look at the templates, I agree with it being limited but yes, it requires much more time and skills and creativity but the Adobe is more efficient that with creativity you save time but Canva doesn't. But a graphic designer working on canva doesn't look at templates

[@4TheCreatives]

Thanks for sharing!

[@mwhite212]

I've never used Canva, but like anything, just about any tool can be the right tool depending on the use case. I personally have little interest in it, but I feel like I should learn how to use it to help some low-budget clients generate in-house assets that reasonably fall in line with the identity I've designed for them.

[@4TheCreatives]

I could understand that. Something I didn’t mention in this video is Adobe Express as an alternative to Canva that works even better for templates as it translates well with identity designs created in Adobe programs.

[@mwhite212]

@@4TheCreatives I've not been doing this all that long and I'm already learning the hard way that most clients don't know what the hell they're doing. lol

[@mminordesigns]

I enjoy Canva I mostly use it because of how easy it is to use and I can easily get an idea out sometimes faster there as well as it’s a lot of inspiration there. I do use adobe and affinity designer when I want something unique and custom because Canva doesn’t have certain features we really need as designers

[@4TheCreatives]

That makes sense and is a good take on it. Glad you are able to move around between them.

[@tasmineharrington9185]

I'm just getting back into GD (was out for 15 years), so I'm doing a lot of re-learning on the Adobe suite. I picked up what started as a small social media freelance job, which has been slowly expanding. When I started, I did play with Canva, and then with Adobe Express. I found that Canva was easy, but I also had a lot of concerns on the copyright issue, as well as potential duplication. The more I started digging into people that are putting out "business templates" for sale/use, I really started to see that there were similarities in design. I can see how a budget business would be interested in Canva. It does have a bit more capability than Adobe Express currently, but I like the fact that AE uses Adobe Stock, so I don't have as many concerns. It's a good tool for the quick use, but as you mentioned, I'm trying to get this business to work on understanding brand recognition. They don't currently have a style guide, so the designs are all over the place. Just getting them to understand that if we're running a campaign/special, just because they want each post to be "different" doesn't mean we shouldn't follow certain themes (colors, pics, typography, etc.) so that customers can recognize that those posts are related. I completely agree with the point on the fact that a lot of people using the program don't have the basic understanding of color theory, balance, etc. I've seen a lot of posts that are all over the place! As I've been taking your course, I've really started to pay more attention to social media posts and see the difference in those using Canva, MS Word, MS PP to create posters/SM posts versus folks who have some sort of foundation in design. As I work on getting more comfortable back in the Adobe Suite, I plan to slowly switch out of using AE for those designs. There is so much more capability in PS, AI, and ID for truly professional-looking content versus the cookie-cutter approach.

[@4TheCreatives]

Very well put! I’m glad you’ve been able to get back into the world of graphic design and are seeing the use of different tools. And the fact that you are observing and developing that critical eye means you are a professional and thinking like one too. Keep it up!

[@TheGirlBossRecipe]

Ive been using Canva for years and love it, but i was too Intimidated to learn adobe. Now Im all in and its not as bad as I thought, Canva is def limited to designers wanting to learn the skills needed to be a better graphic designer! Im so glad I got over my fear and started learning ADOBE! Canva is still amazing for quick projects and beginners!

[@4TheCreatives]

Well done for learning it!!

[@DivineDivineGirl]

I love Canva! You can use it for a lot of designs, it's fast and easy, of course not drawing and making logos, but I don't even need that.

[@vickydonachie6618]

As a graphic designer of 20 years I have not used Canva. I have always used industry software from Adobe & way back when Quark). I have had the odd peak at it but nothing more. I do get sent some artwork from clients that has been created in Canva & whilst some is kind of editable most of it is raster so not editable & i have to recreate it. I also believe it only works in RGB which is no good for print. I know you can add crops & bleed but I don't think you can offset the crops which a lot of printers, in the UK anyway, prefer. I've also had experience where a client picks a font in Canva but it's a Canva font or one Canva have got & changed the name of somehow as it's available to purchase online under a different name. These clients doing their own Canva design don't understand CMYK/RGB, bleed, crops, offset, safe area etc. Most don't even check the page size when they create a document. As Canva defaults to USA sizes they just assume that the USA uses the same paper sizes as the rest of the world (ISO A, B or C or ISO 216 paper sizes). Either that or they make up a size which is totally wrong. I had a client when I freelanced in a print shop who created a wedding invite & was paid to do it! She had created them as very small squares & got annoyed when I printed a proof. She didn't realise setting the page size correctly is important. Also she had made the background a solid dark blue. I asked what pen would be used to write on them as a normal biro pen wouldn't show up on a dak solid background. She was totally bermused & suggested printing it on coloured paper?? I had to explain the effect paper colour, weight & finish can have on the print. Although this last bit isn't just about Canva it proves that knowledge of design for the area you're creating for is vital. I get Canva can be good for socials especially if a qualified designer sets up some branded templates etc so the brand theme is consistent. I also think it's a great way for clients to visually attempt to show a designer what ideas they have in their head so the designer can work with that. It can be difficult for clients to explain their ideas verbally. I know it's probably something I will need to look in to in more depth, especially as more & more clients have lower budgets or won't pay for design & do it themselves.

[@4TheCreatives]

Thank you for sharing your experiences with Canva and traditional graphic design software. Your insights into the limitations of Canva, especially regarding file editability, color settings, and design nuances, are very valuable. It's clear that while Canva can be useful for certain tasks, like creating social media graphics or initial design drafts, it doesn’t replace the need for professional knowledge and tools, particularly in print design. Your point about the importance of understanding design principles, such as CMYK/RGB differences and the impact of paper choice, is crucial. These details often get overlooked in more intuitive, user-friendly software. As the graphic design industry continues to evolve, balancing the use of professional tools with accessible software like Canva is becoming increasingly important, especially when working with clients who have varying levels of design understanding and budget constraints. Your adaptability and deep understanding of both the technical and creative aspects of graphic design are invaluable in this changing landscape. Thanks again for sharing your perspective!

[@GamerCastella]

Also I love Canva I even used it to create my resumes for retail and graphic design I do want to invest a bit in Kittl as well.

[@4TheCreatives]

Great 😊

[@libbykalis1790]

Excellent video! I took the time to learn the Affinity suite and I am so glad that I did. Canva is very limiting and the licensing issues are a nightmare. Many thanks for sharing this great content. Kindest. Libby

[@4TheCreatives]

So glad you found Affinity to your liking! Exactly on Canva. Thanks for sharing Libby!

[@ashleyboyd7909]

I love Canva, I make beautiful and professional designs in Canva. I don’t use templates. I design everything from scratch. I use design principles when I design. It seems like you believe people only design with templates on there but that not the case. It depends what you are designing. I make logos in Adobe and some graphics. Then I bring to Canva to create business cards, flyers, graphics for websites, etc. If I have to use Adobe I will but if I don’t have to I don’t. Why make my life harder than it needs to be? 🤷🏽‍♀️ Canva just simply easier to use depending on what you use it for

[@4TheCreatives]

Im glad that you’ve found a workflow that works for you 🙂

[@acfischer]

Use the right tools for the job. Canva is great for beginning designers for many types of work, and I make money using it. There's enough flexibility for many but not all jobs. Using Adobe isn't going to magically teach you design skills, but learning Adobe will open up more work opportunities and won't limit your growth as a designer. But you still need to learn design.

[@4TheCreatives]

Well put!

[@JaneNewAuthor]

I'm learning graphic design. I'm already finding Canva limiting. Relieved to know it's not just me!

[@angotricks]

Well, I think most designers (myself inclusive) use canva because of it's affordability. But, what do you think about using other smartphone design apps like PixelLab(it doesn't have templates like canva) for the start

[@4TheCreatives]

I’ve never tried PixelLab but I do like Kittl.

[@angotricks]

@@4TheCreatives honestly speaking, I use canva and other design softwares like Photoshop, but I use canva in cases of emergency and I prefer designing from scratch

[@ADWAITHRAJTHAIVALAPPILBIJU]

Finally, such a great video about this "Canva" topic with the most accurate understanding of the matter. I really appretiate it lady!

[@4TheCreatives]

👍😊☺️

[@ADWAITHRAJTHAIVALAPPILBIJU]

​@@4TheCreatives🤍👍

[@milindstech4379]

I mostly use linearity curve ( Vectornator) to design my logo

[@4TheCreatives]

Never heard of it.

[@alyacabal1428]

ALWAYS LOVE YOUR CONTENT! 😍🤩

[@4TheCreatives]

Thank you!

[@DeadlyDeadlyBeees]

Sometimes, when I'm hungry and feeling lazy, I cook some plain noodles and carrots on the stovetop and then pour in a can of soup at the end. It's delicious, but I'd never serve it to anyone coming to my house for dinner.

[@4TheCreatives]

Good way of looking at it :)

[@MiracleOnyebuchi-ys9ly]

Very true Ma'am It limits the user's creativity Thank you very much

[@4TheCreatives]

You’re welcome!

[@GamerCastella]

Hey Lauren thank you for creating these informative video on this topic I was just wondering as this is unrevelent to the video, I was curious when it comes to designing book cover in InDesign, how do you get the book title size to be in a big font whille preventing the kerning to be off to the edge of the book spine? Would I just create an outline of the typography to stretch it out a bit so it would look bigger? Thanks so much for reading and have a wonderful day reading this.

[@4TheCreatives]

I’d need to see an example to answer fully. Feel free to dm me @4thecreatives on IG. You never want to stretch type to be different than what the actual original design is of the typeface.

[@NTSHMA]

Affinity Designer would be a much better choice

[@jonde_o]

Well Affinity is now owned by Canva. Lets see how it goes as Canva gets even larger part of the market.

[@ShumaimFatima-hg6vu]

Canva is good but designer from adobe background feels like having no tool at once

[@Endrit000]

Why Canva , because Canva its evolving and they are creating tools to push limits, i agree adobe is the main for graphic designs but i got just a question why everyone is creating new tool that are simple and fast + cheaper? I must say that things are evolving and companies doesn’t really understand that much of our job they just want it done in time. Just move and use whatever you want , they dont care if you used canva or adobe or anything else.

[@4TheCreatives]

I understand your point. I think it depends on the company and the budget, but I never use Canva and never have in my 8 1/2 years working in my own business and for the 6 years working in-house before that.

[@Matty-r3j]

does AI worry you?

[@4TheCreatives]

no

[@MindCraftAcademy-my5fh]

Canva makes everyone a pro designer no matter what background profession you are without needed to hire professional designer...

[@SKMRify]

Don't be ridiculous. It doesn't even have basic vector tools, etc.