Machine learning and visual arts are coming together for a platform to let you build banners, logos, and more, similar to Australia’s Canva.
Times really have changed, and not just because you don’t need to carry a big camera around alongside your phone. These days, the photos you take can be shared so easily with everyone, and if you need to turn them into an ad or a banner, you may not even need an expert to do so.
While Photoshop skills are going to be a big help, thanks to online image making solutions like Canva, anyone can log on and make something creative, though that project isn’t alone. In fact, while Canva may well be one of Australia’s largest success stories, it’s about to have serious competition from the maker of Photoshop, as Adobe joins in.
This week, Adobe has launched Creative Cloud Express, what is essentially an Adobe incarnation of Canva with thousands of templates, finds, and millions of licensed images, as well.
Like Canva, it can be used to make just about anything, but templates for social, advertising, and other areas are there, complete with tools that allow you to remove backgrounds and animate text. As it is, we’re not sure Adobe has catered for the addition of video just yet, something that was only recently added to Canva, but it’s a bit of a start, though it also comes from the bones of something else: Adobe Spark.
Originally a three-prong solution, Adobe Spark originally covered images, websites, and video, and at least initially, its reincarnated form of Creative Cloud Express appears focused on images first and foremost.
Like Canva, it’ll also come with plans, with a free plan providing a limited collection of royalty free images and 2GB of storage, while the $10 USD monthly plan will cover everything else, branding, colours, and provide 100GB of storage, alongside the other Adobe Spark apps, Page and Video, which cover website making and videos, respectively. The $10 plan is also included with other paid Creative Cloud subscriptions, and can connect with Creative Cloud libraries that may be in use, as well.
“In this unique time, where millions of people are building a personal and professional brand, we’re excited to launch Creative Cloud Express as a simple, template-based tool that unifies the creation, collaboration and sharing process so anyone can create with ease,” said Scott Belsky, Chief Product Officer and Executive Vice President of Creative Cloud at Adobe.
While the similarities to Canva are fairly obvious upon first glance, Adobe’s machine learning side of things may well be the point of difference, with Adobe Sensei able to turn videos into usable GIFs, convert PDFs, and trim videos inside the web-based app, while also doing some of those Photoshop-like features such as removing backgrounds.
However, it’s also clear Canva is the focus for Adobe Creative Cloud Express, and it means there’s yet more competition for folks keen on making images quickly and easily without the regular prerequisites of mad and solid Photoshop skills.
