Design employers want Adobe Illustrator, InDesign AND Canva/chatgpt, experience!

[myront]

Not only are employers seeking designers with experience in the "Industry Standard" Adobe (BS in itself), they also want experience with canva and chatgpt. First of all, Adobe is not a necessity, there are a lot of talented CorelDRAW users, as well as, other programs. Can someone enlighten me, what exactly would artificial intelligence do that real "design software" cannot? I have yet to see any file come from Canva without problems. It's already proven that canva cannot convert fonts through pdf settings or any other means and since a lot of fonts are proprietary to Canva, there is sure to be problems. Yes, I know all the hacks to get the file as I need it. It's because I'm experienced enough to know how, unlike Canva users. Files are almost never the size the client is asking for nor will it scale to the size, this is why it cannot go directly to print, no bleeds, crop marks etc.

 

[Boudica]

I've seen job postings looking for a graphic designer, but requiring some experience with Canva. I simultaneously laugh and cringe.

We have a customer whos the head of graphics at their in-house graphics dept... he requires using Indesign for EVERYTHING. They do a lot of stuff (it's for a casino) and we do a lot of signs for them. I was really surprised by this. We had a row about what is the correct software for what... in the end, I guess as a creator, you have to use what the boss wants you to use. adaptability.

 

[FASTSIGNS]

I think it's more that a designer is well versed in a lot of programs / online offerings / AI programs.

 

[JBurton]

they also want experience with canva and chatgpt

Yes sir, in fact, on my way into this meeting, I asked chatgpt how canva works and what some good experiences I could share about it in my interview.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

if you can't figure out how to use canva then you're too old. house wives pick it up in no time. it'd be a red flag if someone couldn't use it or chat gpt... it's like asking do you know how to use email and microsoft word in todays age.

 

[unclebun]

You need experience to know how to use Canva?

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Typically businesses have a workflow that has been cultivated over the years (usually that involves either Adobe or Corel as they are the oldest), as such businesses usually want people that can handle their workflow or adapt quickly. Canva, because it is browser based (even their supposed "native" app is browser based, just webview at the end of the day), there are some things that Canva can't do due to the isolation model of the browser (if it actually had a local server, there are workarounds, but alas no local server that I could tell with it). If people really want to be able to move between tools, the more manual tools (as they are typically the same among the different programs with far fewer differences) that one knows how to use, the easier it is to migrate between different programs. Unless the tool just plain sucks within the program in question.

As to what passes for "AI" (all y'all knew I couldn't let a conversation about this go without talking about it), in the long run, this is going to be a problem with the knowledge base of the users. It's a high level abstraction that people can go from A -> Z without any knowledge of what is between those two (along the lines of why I never used Live Trace/Power Trace, it abstracts and often produces sub par quality output, unless the source file is within certain constraints that allow for the Live/Power to do it's thing, akin to what passes for "AI"). We are going to have users that only know those abstractions and aren't going to be worth squat to anyone unless they always have access to those abstraction (why we have horrible software being written now, people only know the high level abstraction that is the web browser, so we have Electron/webview apps out the ying yang). I can easily see that it's going to be so bad that when access is hindered (for whatever reason) to whatever model one is connected to, people won't be able to handle work until it's back online and that's no bueno. Pretty soon, which the "Wild West" phase is done with "AI", it will be a handful (or less) models that everyone will be using and there will be far less variety of what people are producing because of it.

 

[kcollinsdesign]

I'm 68 years old. None of this software should be challenging to a professional graphics designer. Use whatever is easiest to get the desired outcome.

 

[Boudica]

I'm 68 years old. None of this software should be challenging to a professional graphics designer. Use whatever is easiest to get the desired outcome.

Not quite that old, but I agree whole heartedly. I'm fairly adept at learning new software/interfaces, so I'm not afraid to learn something new. In my position, I'm the pro, I use what I think is best. But as I've said in many other discussions, I can take customer artwork in most any format and work with it to print it. There's many other circumstances of course... I've got skills though. If I'm off for a few days, my boss would push back on the customer to give him something better.
I think I like the challenge lol some days.... If I'm slammed I ain't got time for a fun challenge... So then I have to push back too. Also depends on the customer.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I'm 68 years old. None of this software should be challenging to a professional graphics designer. Use whatever is easiest to get the desired outcome.

I would agree in the sense if you are on your own and can still handle whatever file format is given to you (if that is a consideration, sometimes it isn't). If you are working within a company that has their pipeline (which I would expect to be the case in this scenario based on the title), need to work within that pipeline (regardless if it's the easiest for "you"). So it depends on how much freedom is afforded there. Even though I am a one man show, I have a lot of non standard internal tooling that if I was take on anyone, they would have to learn that tooling (some of which is CLI and we all know how the youngins just love CLI in today's world, even some old codgers don't really like it anymore). They aren't going to be able to just bring in whatever they want, because it may be "easier" for them.

I find it ironic that Canva is mentioned at all (at least as far as sign makers would be concerned). It even has more concerns compared to Inkscape when it comes to printing (although that is changing with Inkscape from what I have been reading), font issues due to the constrained web environment, even their SVG and PDF exports have issues. But if probably sticking with just screen targets, not that much of a big deal. However, if they are wanting experience already in Adobe products, Canva really doesn't do anything above and beyond that. And depending on what you are needing it for, may not even be a replacement.

 

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Are they experienced using Canva and ChatGPT?

 

[TEN]

I would agree in the sense if you are on your own and can still handle whatever file format is given to you (if that is a consideration, sometimes it isn't). If you are working within a company that has their pipeline (which I would expect to be the case in this scenario based on the title), need to work within that pipeline (regardless if it's the easiest for "you"). So it depends on how much freedom is afforded there. Even though I am a one man show, I have a lot of non standard internal tooling that if I was take on anyone, they would have to learn that tooling (some of which is CLI and we all know how the youngins just love CLI in today's world, even some old codgers don't really like it anymore). They aren't going to be able to just bring in whatever they want, because it may be "easier" for them.

I find it ironic that Canva is mentioned at all (at least as far as sign makers would be concerned). It even has more concerns compared to Inkscape when it comes to printing (although that is changing with Inkscape from what I have been reading), font issues due to the constrained web environment, even their SVG and PDF exports have issues. But if probably sticking with just screen targets, not that much of a big deal. However, if they are wanting experience already in Adobe products, Canva really doesn't do anything above and beyond that. And depending on what you are needing it for, may not even be a replacement.

The world is changing. I don't think it is really about Canva but more about what is coming after Canva. In it's infancy the internet did not offer much, but now much of our world would grind to a halt if it went away tomorrow. Companies want to hire and build a team around what is coming not what us sixty somethings think.

 

[Eforcer]

I'm 68 years old. None of this software should be challenging to a professional graphics designer. Use whatever is easiest to get the desired outcome.

65 here...

 

[AndersHerp]

I've seen job postings looking for a graphic designer, but requiring some experience with Canva. I simultaneously laugh and cringe.

We have a customer whos the head of graphics at their in-house graphics dept... he requires using Indesign for EVERYTHING. They do a lot of stuff (it's for a casino) and we do a lot of signs for them. I was really surprised by this. We had a row about what is the correct software for what... in the end, I guess as a creator, you have to use what the boss wants you to use. adaptability.

Adaptability is the key word. I went from only being versed in Illustrator, my company used CorelDRAW. So I completely learned that, and now prefer it over Illustrator. I really think it is all about being able to use what is at hand, be it personal choice, or a supplied one.

 

[mfatty500]

63.5 for me! I hate Canva files!

 

[WildWestDesigns]

The world is changing. I don't think it is really about Canva but more about what is coming after Canva. In it's infancy the internet did not offer much, but now much of our world would grind to a halt if it went away tomorrow. Companies want to hire and build a team around what is coming not what us sixty somethings think.

I'm getting on up there, but I'm not up that far yet. Not everything that glitters(or new and shiny) is gold. Not all change is for the better. In some ways, the internet offers less now given the controlled constraints that we have now with it (and this will come with the new tech as well, it may be in it's "Wild West" phase, but that too shall pass). As to the world grinding to a halt if the internet goes away or has problems, that actually shows how stupid people were for putting all their eggs in one basket as it is. Now quite the flex that one thinks that it is.

I actually worry more about what is lost, knowledge wise, with this totally organic push for this new tech. We have seen this with just computers in general as it is. I have no problem with more efficient means of doing things, but people still need to know what that efficiency is abstracting, especially if they weren't in the process of creating said efficiency. If all this new tech was great, why are all of the companies forcing it on their employees and having it tied to their performance reviews as well? Is it here to stay? Yes, but like with everything, nothing has really killed what came before totally. Markets may be different, the cream of the crop definitely has to rise to the top.

I would actually argue that depending on what tech one is talking about, if it is a high level abstraction, the chances of actually being adaptable are actually less, because most people today, tend to only know the abstraction and nothing more. The more knowledge one has, the better one is able to trouble shoot around the problem when that abstraction isn't working or people even have access to it for whatever reason.

Of course, I am assuming that said abstraction is actually correct every single time as well.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Adaptability is the key word. I went from only being versed in Illustrator, my company used CorelDRAW. So I completely learned that, and now prefer it over Illustrator. I really think it is all about being able to use what is at hand, be it personal choice, or a supplied one.

The key thing here is that both of those programs are on equal footing, so it's really a function of how good the user is. However, if one is being supplied a program that isn't up to snuff, no matter how good that user is, no amount of adaptability is going to allow them to change the fact that the program is not up to snuff. In some instances, not even if they have the ability to create extensions for the program, it depends on what the base of the program is built on as well.

I do agree with being able to adapt and change, when it makes sense to do so. But if one is always chasing the latest and greatest, how much work is actually going to get done, especially if having to relearn how some things are done under the new abstraction.

 

[Johnny Best]

Hire two people. One who can design fast using Canvas and Chat and the other to fix all the vectors and whatever using Illy or Corel{BS}.

 

[Stacey K]

I saw some comments on FB yesterday. A local racetrack used AI to create a schedule (I think it looks nice for a FB post), apparently most of the tracks are doing this now vs. hiring a designer. Someone complained stating they should be using a local designer and tagged the guy. The designer replied this whole big thing about how he has lost so much racetrack schedule design business to AI, etc. The comments were removed.

Yes, it's nice to support local people but on the other hand, is it necessary to pay someone to create FB posts like this from scratch? Things like this are posted one day, then two days later nobody looks at them again. And these tracks are posting things like this several times a week so I can see how they can save a lot of money.

I feel like there's a difference between "disposable" artwork like this and "permanent" artwork like a logo or vehicle/sign lettering.

 

[DesignZone]

Hire two people. One who can design fast using Canvas and Chat and the other to fix all the vectors and whatever using Illy or Corel{BS}.

If you have time to fix the 'fast' problem... you have time to do it correctly the first time. IMO