Chills

With regard to Canva,I think we need to hit the ground running, keep our eye on the ball, and make sure that we are singing off the same song sheet. At the end of the day it is not a level playing field and the goal posts may move; if they do, someone else may have to pick it up and run with it. We therefore must have a golf bag of options hot-to-trot from the word 'go'. It is your train set but we cannot afford to leave it on the back burner; we've got a lot of irons in the fire, right now.
We will need to un-stick a few potential poo traps but it all depends on the flash-to-bang time and fudge factor allowed. Things may end up slipping to the left and, if they do, we will need to run a tight ship. I don't want to re-invent the wheel but we must get right into the weeds on this one. If push comes to shove, we may have to up stumps and then we'll be in a whole new ball game.
I suggest we test the water with a few warmers in the bank. If we can produce the goods then we are cooking with gas. If not, then we are in a world of hurt. I don't want to die in a ditch over it but we could easily end up in a flat spin if people start getting twitchy. To that end, I want to get round the bazaars and make sure the movers and the shakers are on-side from day one. If you can hit me with your shopping list I can take it to the head honchos and start the ball rolling.
There is light at the end of the tunnel and I think we have backed a winner here. If it gets blown out the water, however, I will be throwing a track. So get your feet into my in-tray and give me chapter and verse as to how you see things panning out. As long as our ducks are in a row I think the ball will stay in play and we can come up smelling of roses.
Before you bomb burst and throw smoke, it is imperative we nail our colours very firmly on the mast and look at the big picture. We've got to march to the beat of the drum. We are on a sticky wicket. we'll need to play with a straight bat and watch out for fast balls.
I've been on permanent send for long enough and I've had my ten pence worth. I don't want to rock the boat or teach anyone to suck eggs. We must keep this firmly in our sight picture or it will fall between the cracks. If the cap fits, wear it, but it may seem like pushing fog up a hill with a sharp stick.
 
 
Sorry... It's been a heavy Easter and I needed to do something silly 🙂
 

Good God, man, this is pure gold. You ran it up the flagpole and I, for one, salute it.   

With regard to Canva,I think we need to hit the ground running, keep our eye on the ball, and make sure that we are singing off the same song sheet. At the end of the day it is not a level playing field and the goal posts may move; if they do, someone else may have to pick it up and run with it. We therefore must have a golf bag of options hot-to-trot from the word 'go'. It is your train set but we cannot afford to leave it on the back burner; we've got a lot of irons in the fire, right now.
We will need to un-stick a few potential poo traps but it all depends on the flash-to-bang time and fudge factor allowed. Things may end up slipping to the left and, if they do, we will need to run a tight ship. I don't want to re-invent the wheel but we must get right into the weeds on this one. If push comes to shove, we may have to up stumps and then we'll be in a whole new ball game.
I suggest we test the water with a few warmers in the bank. If we can produce the goods then we are cooking with gas. If not, then we are in a world of hurt. I don't want to die in a ditch over it but we could easily end up in a flat spin if people start getting twitchy. To that end, I want to get round the bazaars and make sure the movers and the shakers are on-side from day one. If you can hit me with your shopping list I can take it to the head honchos and start the ball rolling.
There is light at the end of the tunnel and I think we have backed a winner here. If it gets blown out the water, however, I will be throwing a track. So get your feet into my in-tray and give me chapter and verse as to how you see things panning out. As long as our ducks are in a row I think the ball will stay in play and we can come up smelling of roses.
Before you bomb burst and throw smoke, it is imperative we nail our colours very firmly on the mast and look at the big picture. We've got to march to the beat of the drum. We are on a sticky wicket. we'll need to play with a straight bat and watch out for fast balls.
I've been on permanent send for long enough and I've had my ten pence worth. I don't want to rock the boat or teach anyone to suck eggs. We must keep this firmly in our sight picture or it will fall between the cracks. If the cap fits, wear it, but it may seem like pushing fog up a hill with a sharp stick.
 
 
Sorry... It's been a heavy Easter and I needed to do something silly 🙂
 

With regard to Canva,I think we need to hit the ground running, keep our eye on the ball, and make sure that we are singing off the same song sheet. At the end of the day it is not a level playing field and the goal posts may move; if they do, someone else may have to pick it up and run with it. We therefore must have a golf bag of options hot-to-trot from the word 'go'. It is your train set but we cannot afford to leave it on the back burner; we've got a lot of irons in the fire, right now.
We will need to un-stick a few potential poo traps but it all depends on the flash-to-bang time and fudge factor allowed. Things may end up slipping to the left and, if they do, we will need to run a tight ship. I don't want to re-invent the wheel but we must get right into the weeds on this one. If push comes to shove, we may have to up stumps and then we'll be in a whole new ball game.
I suggest we test the water with a few warmers in the bank. If we can produce the goods then we are cooking with gas. If not, then we are in a world of hurt. I don't want to die in a ditch over it but we could easily end up in a flat spin if people start getting twitchy. To that end, I want to get round the bazaars and make sure the movers and the shakers are on-side from day one. If you can hit me with your shopping list I can take it to the head honchos and start the ball rolling.
There is light at the end of the tunnel and I think we have backed a winner here. If it gets blown out the water, however, I will be throwing a track. So get your feet into my in-tray and give me chapter and verse as to how you see things panning out. As long as our ducks are in a row I think the ball will stay in play and we can come up smelling of roses.
Before you bomb burst and throw smoke, it is imperative we nail our colours very firmly on the mast and look at the big picture. We've got to march to the beat of the drum. We are on a sticky wicket. we'll need to play with a straight bat and watch out for fast balls.
I've been on permanent send for long enough and I've had my ten pence worth. I don't want to rock the boat or teach anyone to suck eggs. We must keep this firmly in our sight picture or it will fall between the cracks. If the cap fits, wear it, but it may seem like pushing fog up a hill with a sharp stick.
 
 
Sorry... It's been a heavy Easter and I needed to do something silly 🙂
 

With regard to Canva,I think we need to hit the ground running, keep our eye on the ball, and make sure that we are singing off the same song sheet. At the end of the day it is not a level playing field and the goal posts may move; if they do, someone else may have to pick it up and run with it. We therefore must have a golf bag of options hot-to-trot from the word 'go'. It is your train set but we cannot afford to leave it on the back burner; we've got a lot of irons in the fire, right now.
We will need to un-stick a few potential poo traps but it all depends on the flash-to-bang time and fudge factor allowed. Things may end up slipping to the left and, if they do, we will need to run a tight ship. I don't want to re-invent the wheel but we must get right into the weeds on this one. If push comes to shove, we may have to up stumps and then we'll be in a whole new ball game.
I suggest we test the water with a few warmers in the bank. If we can produce the goods then we are cooking with gas. If not, then we are in a world of hurt. I don't want to die in a ditch over it but we could easily end up in a flat spin if people start getting twitchy. To that end, I want to get round the bazaars and make sure the movers and the shakers are on-side from day one. If you can hit me with your shopping list I can take it to the head honchos and start the ball rolling.
There is light at the end of the tunnel and I think we have backed a winner here. If it gets blown out the water, however, I will be throwing a track. So get your feet into my in-tray and give me chapter and verse as to how you see things panning out. As long as our ducks are in a row I think the ball will stay in play and we can come up smelling of roses.
Before you bomb burst and throw smoke, it is imperative we nail our colours very firmly on the mast and look at the big picture. We've got to march to the beat of the drum. We are on a sticky wicket. we'll need to play with a straight bat and watch out for fast balls.
I've been on permanent send for long enough and I've had my ten pence worth. I don't want to rock the boat or teach anyone to suck eggs. We must keep this firmly in our sight picture or it will fall between the cracks. If the cap fits, wear it, but it may seem like pushing fog up a hill with a sharp stick.
 
 
Sorry... It's been a heavy Easter and I needed to do something silly 🙂
 

With regard to Canva,I think we need to hit the ground running, keep our eye on the ball, and make sure that we are singing off the same song sheet. At the end of the day it is not a level playing field and the goal posts may move; if they do, someone else may have to pick it up and run with it. We therefore must have a golf bag of options hot-to-trot from the word 'go'. It is your train set but we cannot afford to leave it on the back burner; we've got a lot of irons in the fire, right now.
We will need to un-stick a few potential poo traps but it all depends on the flash-to-bang time and fudge factor allowed. Things may end up slipping to the left and, if they do, we will need to run a tight ship. I don't want to re-invent the wheel but we must get right into the weeds on this one. If push comes to shove, we may have to up stumps and then we'll be in a whole new ball game.
I suggest we test the water with a few warmers in the bank. If we can produce the goods then we are cooking with gas. If not, then we are in a world of hurt. I don't want to die in a ditch over it but we could easily end up in a flat spin if people start getting twitchy. To that end, I want to get round the bazaars and make sure the movers and the shakers are on-side from day one. If you can hit me with your shopping list I can take it to the head honchos and start the ball rolling.
There is light at the end of the tunnel and I think we have backed a winner here. If it gets blown out the water, however, I will be throwing a track. So get your feet into my in-tray and give me chapter and verse as to how you see things panning out. As long as our ducks are in a row I think the ball will stay in play and we can come up smelling of roses.
Before you bomb burst and throw smoke, it is imperative we nail our colours very firmly on the mast and look at the big picture. We've got to march to the beat of the drum. We are on a sticky wicket. we'll need to play with a straight bat and watch out for fast balls.
I've been on permanent send for long enough and I've had my ten pence worth. I don't want to rock the boat or teach anyone to suck eggs. We must keep this firmly in our sight picture or it will fall between the cracks. If the cap fits, wear it, but it may seem like pushing fog up a hill with a sharp stick.
 
 
Sorry... It's been a heavy Easter and I needed to do something silly 🙂
 

With regard to Canva,I think we need to hit the ground running, keep our eye on the ball, and make sure that we are singing off the same song sheet. At the end of the day it is not a level playing field and the goal posts may move; if they do, someone else may have to pick it up and run with it. We therefore must have a golf bag of options hot-to-trot from the word 'go'. It is your train set but we cannot afford to leave it on the back burner; we've got a lot of irons in the fire, right now.
We will need to un-stick a few potential poo traps but it all depends on the flash-to-bang time and fudge factor allowed. Things may end up slipping to the left and, if they do, we will need to run a tight ship. I don't want to re-invent the wheel but we must get right into the weeds on this one. If push comes to shove, we may have to up stumps and then we'll be in a whole new ball game.
I suggest we test the water with a few warmers in the bank. If we can produce the goods then we are cooking with gas. If not, then we are in a world of hurt. I don't want to die in a ditch over it but we could easily end up in a flat spin if people start getting twitchy. To that end, I want to get round the bazaars and make sure the movers and the shakers are on-side from day one. If you can hit me with your shopping list I can take it to the head honchos and start the ball rolling.
There is light at the end of the tunnel and I think we have backed a winner here. If it gets blown out the water, however, I will be throwing a track. So get your feet into my in-tray and give me chapter and verse as to how you see things panning out. As long as our ducks are in a row I think the ball will stay in play and we can come up smelling of roses.
Before you bomb burst and throw smoke, it is imperative we nail our colours very firmly on the mast and look at the big picture. We've got to march to the beat of the drum. We are on a sticky wicket. we'll need to play with a straight bat and watch out for fast balls.
I've been on permanent send for long enough and I've had my ten pence worth. I don't want to rock the boat or teach anyone to suck eggs. We must keep this firmly in our sight picture or it will fall between the cracks. If the cap fits, wear it, but it may seem like pushing fog up a hill with a sharp stick.
 
 
Sorry... It's been a heavy Easter and I needed to do something silly 🙂
 

With regard to Canva,I think we need to hit the ground running, keep our eye on the ball, and make sure that we are singing off the same song sheet. At the end of the day it is not a level playing field and the goal posts may move; if they do, someone else may have to pick it up and run with it. We therefore must have a golf bag of options hot-to-trot from the word 'go'. It is your train set but we cannot afford to leave it on the back burner; we've got a lot of irons in the fire, right now.
We will need to un-stick a few potential poo traps but it all depends on the flash-to-bang time and fudge factor allowed. Things may end up slipping to the left and, if they do, we will need to run a tight ship. I don't want to re-invent the wheel but we must get right into the weeds on this one. If push comes to shove, we may have to up stumps and then we'll be in a whole new ball game.
I suggest we test the water with a few warmers in the bank. If we can produce the goods then we are cooking with gas. If not, then we are in a world of hurt. I don't want to die in a ditch over it but we could easily end up in a flat spin if people start getting twitchy. To that end, I want to get round the bazaars and make sure the movers and the shakers are on-side from day one. If you can hit me with your shopping list I can take it to the head honchos and start the ball rolling.
There is light at the end of the tunnel and I think we have backed a winner here. If it gets blown out the water, however, I will be throwing a track. So get your feet into my in-tray and give me chapter and verse as to how you see things panning out. As long as our ducks are in a row I think the ball will stay in play and we can come up smelling of roses.
Before you bomb burst and throw smoke, it is imperative we nail our colours very firmly on the mast and look at the big picture. We've got to march to the beat of the drum. We are on a sticky wicket. we'll need to play with a straight bat and watch out for fast balls.
I've been on permanent send for long enough and I've had my ten pence worth. I don't want to rock the boat or teach anyone to suck eggs. We must keep this firmly in our sight picture or it will fall between the cracks. If the cap fits, wear it, but it may seem like pushing fog up a hill with a sharp stick.
 
 
Sorry... It's been a heavy Easter and I needed to do something silly 🙂
 

I started out as a trainee designer using Letraset, glue and a scalpel (yes, I’m that old). At college I spent years learning typography, printing techniques etc. in great depth. Paste-up layout involved a lot of maths and good hand-to-eye coordination. Photo editing involved an airbrush loaded with gouache.
All of this stuff filtered through into use with software tools when they arrived and I bought my first Mac (all that maths and typography experience helped me when using Quark, for example).
When the web kicked off I dived into that, and my pre-learned graphic design skills coupled with new coding techniques gave me a edge in creating user-friendly interfaces, clear, fast loading layouts, and crisp graphics. I redesigned several well-known corporate stores, one made an 8x profit increase in 12 months after the redesign. It was a lot of money, though none of it for me.
Why am I boring readers of this with my CV? Because the tools change, but the human skills and accumulated knowledge that make the difference between a good, and a so-so designer will always be there. Or at least that’s the case until AI gets its foot on our necks.
 Despite the bugs and missing features, Affinity has provided freelance designers with an affordable, professional suite of tools that cover the majority of our day-to-day requirements. All the stuff I’ve learned over the last 40-odd years is still relevant when I use their software.
Years of evolution in design tools have helped me to create better design. More options, higher quality work. 
But Canva’s stuff is not aimed at me. It doesn’t incorporate the sophistication and attention to detail included in Adobe and Affinity’s products that I require to be able to apply hard-learned skills into my work, so any ‘enshittification’ of the Affinity Suite will leave just one,  very pricey player in the game. Fortunately I’ll soon be too old to care.
 

AI related/specific posts are now here. Obviously they spun off things that were said here but this is not for the discussion of AI

This isn't the first time I have seen the uneducated dragging standards down to the amateur by (very badly) reinventing the wheel.  What it ends up doing is devaluing their work and their income.  Eventually, people realize then need to re-learn all the things they ignored (as above).   Yes, some things are "period relevant"  but most aren't, and you don't understand which is which.   Also, when you understand the period relevant and know why they are as they are you then know how to move forward.

The problem is the rant above mixes religion with reality.
 

I agree. The problem is that because the cost of tools that are "just good enough" has dropped right down in real terms that there are now a lot of uneducated people in the industry. They put things out, outside the professional places, e.g. on social media and local press, and have no idea of colour correction or many other things the professional world does. 

Colour calibration is still just as important. 
As a percentage of total users, it is a rapidly shrinking. 
As a percentage of professionals, it is remaining constant. 

 

I agree. The problem is that because the cost of tools that are "just good enough" has dropped right down in real terms that there are now a lot of uneducated people in the industry. They put things out, outside the professional places, e.g. on social media and local press, and have no idea of colour correction or many other things the professional world does. 

Colour calibration is still just as important. 
As a percentage of total users, it is a rapidly shrinking. 
As a percentage of professionals, it is remaining constant. 

 

More than once when I worked in desktop support I had to help folks with email issues on their phones. They were sitting at their desk, 27" monitor(s) in front of them, Outlook open full-screen and complaining that this huge email was difficult to read on their phone.
SMH 🙄

I want to emphasize that I truly value the talent within the graphic design industry. I have personally been working in this field for a long time, starting off by manually adjusting lenses inside a photomechanic camera that seemed as large as closing a submarine door! However, one of the challenges we face today is that many people are solely focused on digital media, particularly social networks and websites, leaving behind the importance of printshops. These printshops still follow the same procedures from the 80s, albeit with better machines, but unfortunately, they often encounter the same demands from designers.
Just last week, I sent a 6 spot color separation PDF as requested, only to receive a call from an intermediary who claimed that all the files were black. It became evident to me that this individual was positioned in a department where they lacked a comprehensive understanding of the workflows and technicalities involved. I simply advised them to forward the files to the print department, reassuring them that those professionals would know how to handle the situation. Although this response was not well-received, the end product turned out to be flawlessly beautiful. Recalling a similar incident from last year, I approached a supposedly experienced Art Director and inquired whether they were familiar with the picas measurements for file accuracy.
To my surprise, they had no idea what I was referring to. It is disheartening to encounter individuals with college degrees who lack even the basic understanding of the graphic design industry. To illustrate this point further, my 15-year-old daughter recently received a Photoshop Batch from a professional user via email. However, she lacks the knowledge and skills to use Photoshop effectively. This highlights the issue we face as true professionals within the industry. We are being negatively impacted by a new generation of "Canva users" who view graphic design as merely "generating images" and moving clipart around.
What we truly need are companies like Affinity that continue to support and cater to us, the professionals who have dedicated our careers to this field. It is disheartening to witness the industry being dumbed down for the sake of the new generation, who are willing to pay a monthly fee for quick and effortless design apps. Our expertise, knowledge, and commitment should not be undervalued or overlooked.

I started computing in the 1970's (at school, we had a teletype and leased line to the local university)   So I have seen vast change in technologies and practices. However, as someone once said (paraphrasing confusions) "Eat Shit! 10 million flies can't be wrong"  to highlight just because a lot of people do something doesn't make it right.  Especially in consumer facing high-tech things, Fashion and ignorance drive a lot of things.  Often these trends are picked up by company marketing departments as "must haves" for the company to generate more income.  Even though they know it is technically wrong.

Tablets are useful, as are smartphones, I have several here.  However, for editing, professionals will need a larger screen.  For a start, I don't know of any colour calibration systems available for phones and tablets. So how do you colour calibrate your tablets? Also of course you need to work in consistent light environment. So it is ok doing bits here and there in cafe's etc, but your main set up for proofing will have a consistent lighting set up.   Though if you are a journalist working to a deadline you work where you can.... but then you aren't editing photos or designing stuff. 

Without a large screen and a mouse or pen-tablet, how do you get precision in context on a tablet?
All the professionals I know use 2–4 screens at 24 inch or greater. I know several apps that are normally used with 2-4 large screens that have IPad apps so you can show rough drafts to clients, but not as a primary working screen.  This is one of the reasons why Apple did 17 inch screens on some of their laptops.  Designers need space.

I agree. The problem is that because the cost of tools that are "just good enough" has dropped right down in real terms that there are now a lot of uneducated people in the industry. They put things out, outside the professional places, e.g. on social media and local press, and have no idea of colour correction or many other things the professional world does. 

Colour calibration is still just as important. 
As a percentage of total users, it is a rapidly shrinking. 
As a percentage of professionals, it is remaining constant. 

 

Detailed work is harder with smaller screens (I've had an iPad and currently a S7 Samsung Galaxy tablet (great for painting), but both pale in comparison to working with my calibrated Eizo monitor). Color calibration by hardware, file system, real professional software ecosystem (beyond Affinity and the great Procreate), or even the real state for drawing on a tablet/board with which you can draw from the elbow or shoulder, great for confident line work. I don't deny the convenience of accessing your project files in any device at any moment, if that's a need, and how some workflows do benefit from it. But for a lot of projects, the desktop is an absolute need (I wouldn't consider a professional activity inferior than another, though).

I don’t think the ‘Plus’ products and the Affinity range are remotely comparable in technology terms. The former are not just for Windows only, but also heavily dependent on specific Windows components (so difficult to update, and well nigh impossible to port to other platforms). The brains behind MoviePlus left to join Microsoft Research, and the brains behind WebPlus left to run a vegan restaurant.

The only thing to complain about concerning Affinity Suite is two things:
1. Very very basic functionalities has still not be seen in this Suite after so many years - why?
2. Why have Serif Ltd holding off several new features to iPad, but released on Mac and Windows?
Bad priorities…

Correct priorities actually. Serious work is done on a desktop computer.

This is Good News as it could suggest that Canva brought Affinity to stop any attempt by Adobe (or Microsoft?) to buy Canva.  The time scales fit.   The deal fell apart in December. I assume Canva would have been watching and planning.
With Canva owning Affinity, which is becoming a competitor of Adobe, the monopoly rules etc would stop such a buy-out by Adobe. Certainly a hostile one.
So it is in Canva's interests to keep developing Affinity to compete with Adobe.  The best way to do that is, apart from developing the apps more, is the perpetual licence.
This might not be a bad situation for affinity users.

They did. The head of Flourish came to Serif recently and recounted a very positive experience when Flourish were purchased by Canva.

This is Good News as it could suggest that Canva brought Affinity to stop any attempt by Adobe (or Microsoft?) to buy Canva.  The time scales fit.   The deal fell apart in December. I assume Canva would have been watching and planning.
With Canva owning Affinity, which is becoming a competitor of Adobe, the monopoly rules etc would stop such a buy-out by Adobe. Certainly a hostile one.
So it is in Canva's interests to keep developing Affinity to compete with Adobe.  The best way to do that is, apart from developing the apps more, is the perpetual licence.
This might not be a bad situation for affinity users.

This is Good News as it could suggest that Canva brought Affinity to stop any attempt by Adobe (or Microsoft?) to buy Canva.  The time scales fit.   The deal fell apart in December. I assume Canva would have been watching and planning.
With Canva owning Affinity, which is becoming a competitor of Adobe, the monopoly rules etc would stop such a buy-out by Adobe. Certainly a hostile one.
So it is in Canva's interests to keep developing Affinity to compete with Adobe.  The best way to do that is, apart from developing the apps more, is the perpetual licence.
This might not be a bad situation for affinity users.