Best-practice workflow for using Canva in creating an illustrated book : an illustrated team building game book as a case study

Abstract

The objective of this study was to test the free version of Canva as a layout tool for an illustrated book and to compare Canva in this context to its popular competitor Adobe InDesign. The focal points of comparison were functions, features and pricing. The aim was to gain better understanding about pros and cons of Canva, available features, effective workflow and to evaluate whether Canva is a useful tool for laying out an illustrated book. A layout design and illustration project for a team building game book was carried out as a case study.

The study was carried out during a volunteering period in the Turkish non-governmental organisation Gönüllü Hizmetler Derneği. The book project was funded by the European Union Sivil Düşün program and directed by Gönüllü Hizmetler Derneği. The team building game book was written and edited by Zafer Yılmaz. The data for this thesis were gathered from various sources including testing, interviews, relevant literature and web articles.

The results suggest that Canva can be considered as a valid tool choice for designing print layouts for users with strict financial limitations, while Adobe InDesign is more suitable for professional designers or users with limited time or complex projects.