Switching back to Adobe From Affinity
Ayup! I was recently exploring my options for bringing 3D rendering back into my portfolio. This was initially going to be via the fairly pricey Adobe Substance plan.
I’ve used these tools before, and for what I need, it’s a whole lot simpler than using Blender. But as I was only using one of the apps (Stager), I couldn’t really justify the monthly price.
Then I remembered the gateway 3D staging app that comes with a standard Creative Cloud subscription, Dimension. It’d had a major update since I’d last used it (around a year and a half ago), and from what I can see, it does most things that Stager does.
The full switch back to Adobe
The first little experiment was a free Creative Cloud trial. All apps available, nothing to lose, I’ll cancel if I need to. In addition to Dimension, I downloaded all of my previously used apps. Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator and InDesign.
Within 24 hours, I was sold. In recent months, I feel like a long-lost passion for creativity has returned in full force. In comparison to the Affinity apps, Adobe opens up so many more directions to study and develop.
This, of course, is fully subjective and just my personal experience. It also depends on what sort of creative work you like to pursue. I’ve always got bored pretty easily, and need a wide variety of avenues to explore.
During the first day or two of the free trial, I quickly realised that returning to Adobe would be a timely and wise move.
Thoughts on Affinity
Affinity Photo, Designer and Publisher saw me through a relatively quiet patch in my business. Costs and subscriptions (or lack thereof) aside, I couldn’t have been happier using these apps.
They did absolutely everything I needed them to, even while running a commercial print business. I also wrote reviews on Designer, Publisher and an article on exporting print-ready files, which have all ranked well and driven tonnes of traffic.
Zero complaints, especially for the relatively tiny one-off payment. For work and business purposes, the three apps covered all bases. But when it comes to my personal projects, there was always a niggling feeling that my work was a lot stronger back when I was using Adobe.
Final answer? Final answer
For better or worse, despite not loving the subscription model, sometimes it’s better the devil you know.
While the need for creative expression is peaking, Adobe fulfils my requirements a little more than Affinity did. My work has already benefited, based on the features, views and downloads over on my Unsplash page.
To me, paired with an instant gut feeling, this confirms that the right choice has been made. Put simply, I can create stronger, more powerful imagery with Adobe than I could with Affinity.
