In recent years, there has been an increase in free, DIY graphic tools such as Canva which has created a lot of controversy in the design world.
What is Canva?
Canva is a DIY, web-based design tool that was created to make it easier for people with no previous design experience to create graphics without using complicated and expensive design software.
Canva makes design accessible for everyone. But that doesn’t necessarily mean everyone is a professional graphic designer.
Some pros and cons of canva
Con:
With over 30 million users, templates are often overused and based on trends. Popular templates and images can be used by a whole range of markets – meaning your chosen design will have been seen before and seem generic.
No requirement for design software
Pro:
Canva allows you to create visuals without the need to purchase or know how to use software such as photoshop or illustrator in order to edit.
Con:
You cannot customise the existing elements Canva provides or create any of your own. You can modify the colours, sizes, and position of the existing elements, but that is all. Specialised design software allows you to create unique elements.
Simple and easy to use
Pro:
It’s easy to use, anyone can use it providing they have a login.
Con:
Designs are limited. When using a graphic designer, designs can be bespoke, personalised to each client and brand.
Anyone can create visuals
Pro:
An online service means anyone in your company can log in and create visuals allowing for collaboration.
Con:
Too many cooks. A brand can start to become muddy; visuals are produced that don’t adhere to guidelines, templates are adapted and ruined and visuals can be publicly shared without an approval process.
Don’t have to wait for a designer to send assets
Pro:
If you need a design quickly, you can create it yourself to get your message out as fast as possible.
Con:
Sometimes messages can be rushed without taking time to consider what you want to say, hindering the effectiveness of your message
Does Canva mean the end of graphic designers?
Despite being a self-confessed Canva super-fan, I don’t think it will ever replace graphic designers. When creating a logo for a brand, a graphic designer will go through the process of understanding the business, their values, their tone of voice, and defining their USP. They will work to understand the industry that the business operates in; where and how the logo will be used, and how it stands apart from their competitors. From there, logo concepts will be created and refined until the final logo design is agreed upon and approved. Sure, Canva gives you the ability to create a logo. But without the knowledge and skill of a graphic designer, the end result is unlikely to fully encapsulate the brand nor be something customers will identify with.
