Why Canva is a print shop’s worst nightmare
In today’s digital age, graphic design has become an essential skill for individuals but also for local printing shops. Canva software has gained popularity as a go-to tool for creating designs without the need for extensive technical knowledge. However, despite its ease of use, Canva software is not without its limitations. In this article, we will dive into the reasons why Canva software falls short and why its more of a headache for local print shop owners like myself.
Understanding what a vector file is
The name “vector” is a geometric file that describes a series of shapes and points. Now, the dummy term for a vector file is known as a specific file that allows a print shop to edit or separate the design without losing quality. A true vector file will most likely be seen as an AI or PDF file and I will explain more of that in the next section.
How to identify a vector file?
Majority of businesses who approach our Ocala location for printing services will have some sort of logo or design file in their email or somewhere stored on their computer from their previous designer. If that customer hired a professional or at least someone who knew what they were doing, they should have the necessary files to provide. Now I don’t expect everybody to automatically know what a vector file is because I certainly couldn’t tell anybody how to do their professional. But what I can do is educate.
Most customers who have existing vector files probably can’t open them without having proper software, in this case Adobe Illustrator which is what we use for production at the shop. File extensions to look out for are going to be an AI, EPS, PDF, or SVG. If you notice any of these extensions, then you more than likely have the correct format. Not will it make it easier for your local print shop to get the process started but it will save you money from design fees. During the screen printing process, depending on how many colors your job consists of, print shops will have to separate your design but they can only do this with the vector files. JPEG or PNG files are compressed files and we cannot use those unless they are “vectorized” or sometimes re done completely. Unfortunately, most customers assume we have a magic button and can vectorize that easy, but we cannot. Time is money and without proper vector files, expect to pay a artwork fee.
Leave the designing to a designer
One of the major drawbacks of Canva software is the limited customization options it offers. While it provides a wide range of pre-designed templates, people often find themselves constrained by the inability to modify these templates to suit their specific needs.
Now don’t get me wrong, Canva serves its purpose for some parts such as content creation. It can be fast and painless to generate images for your business page but as far as designing your own logo, it is limited. Everybody seems to be steady busy with their business and that is a wonderful thing. But when it comes down to the nature of the business side, stick to what you are good at focus at it. Leave the plumbing to the plumbers, the HVAC work for your local AC company and your local print shop to take charge of your designs and artwork.
Canva can be used to quickly mock up an idea or brainstorm for your future logo design concept. But when it comes down to getting your final logo concept brought to life, I highly recommend paying the little extra money and having the professional designer or local print shop design your logo professionally.
One of my biggest pet peeves in this industry is when I request artwork from a customer in order to get started on their job and I receive a business card in return. Or a JPEG image that hasn’t been touched in 20 years. There’s no magic sauce to help with that. The only option is to charge a artwork fee to get that file up to date into the proper format. Sometimes those one and two custom shirt jobs can get expensive when there is additional artwork involved.
How much does a logo cost and do I receive the files?
The graphic design industry is alike most trades today where pricing will vary depending on the company. At our local print shop in Ocala, FL our logo design pricing is fixed and competitive. For $180, you will receive up to three revisions on one design concept. You will find a lot of freelancers and design companies that charge by the hour and that can get pretty costly. We make it easy by charging one fixed price and our turnaround times are about 2-3 days.
Upon the final approval of your design, we will include all necessary files that will be emailed directly to you. These will include the vector files and the high resolution files that you can use for your social media profiles. If you ever misplace or accidentally delete your files, we will gladly resend them.
For any questions or inquiries on designing a new logo, feel free to call or email us through our contact form.
