Good evening, creatives.
This week was chaos. Affinity announced their biggest update ever, Adobe stumbled through MAX, and Figma came out swinging. So let’s unpack what just happened in the creative world.
— Grayson
Affinity Announces Version 3: GAME CHANGER!
Affinity/Canva announced a free alternative to Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Indesign
Affinity just dropped Version 3, and it’s everything creatives have been asking for.
Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, all in one app.
The best part? It’s free.
That’s not a typo. Every tool you need for design, photo, and layout is now completely free to use. The only paid features are the optional AI tools, which unlock if you already have Canva Premium. And honestly, that’s fair. AI processing costs money, and Canva is footing the bill. Canva Premium is $120/yr, compared to Adobe’s $839.88/yr price tag.
With this update, Affinity isn’t just catching up to Adobe — they’re overtaking them.
Here’s some of the AI features in Affinity:
Generative Fill and Generative Expand
AI Background Remover and Image/Vector Generator
Super Resolution upscaling
Portrait Lighting and Portrait Blur
Affinity cooked. I made a hands-on review with the new software today, check it out here. I know I’m making the switch.
Adobe MAX 2025: Embarrassing.
Adobe MAX 2025 wrapped up with flashy presentations but little substance. Most of what Adobe showed was either already released, limited to web versions, or just “Project” concepts without clear rollout plans.
While competitors like Affinity, Canva, and Figma are shipping real updates, Adobe delivered more marketing than innovation, disappointing the professionals who pay $800 a year for minimal improvements.
The event felt disconnected from actual creatives. The presenters often seemed unfamiliar with the tools, and the tone of the show missed the mark completely. Adobe’s missed opportunity widened the gap between them and their users, setting the stage for Affinity’s V3 reveal to steal the spotlight.
A few great tools that were actually released:
Favorite “Projects” that might release someday:
Project Clean Take – AI redoes narration, changes inflection, and edits your words after recording, actually insane. (watch)
Project LightTouch – Adjust lighting intensity and direction of a photo, from lamps to faces (watch)
Project TraceErase – Gen Fill 2.0 that handles reflections and shadows far better than before (watch)
Project Frame Forward – Generative fill for video (watch)
Project Turnstyle – Transform flat objects into editable 3D distortions, I could see this being the next transform/perspective/distort tool (watch)
I made a video covering all of my thoughts on this, so if you’d like to dig in more, check it out.
Were you impressed with Adobe MAX this year?
2026 Design Trends Could Not Be More Wrong
My take on 2026 design trends.
Every year, design YouTubers emerge from the woodwork to predict what will define the next year’s trends. This time the predictions miss the real story.
Technology is reshaping design itself. Artificial intelligence and augmented reality are merging digital and physical spaces, creating an era defined by behavior-driven visuals. We are leaving behind flat design and moving into a world shaped by Liquid Glass, modern Skeuomorphism, and real-time 3D.
Apple’s Vision-inspired interfaces, Blender 5.0’s realism, and AI-assisted design tools are turning aesthetics into something living and adaptive.
Design in 2026 is not about trends. It about how humans interact with technology and the world around them.
I made a video covering this topic in more detail, check it out.
What do you think? Reply to this email and let me know.
Quick hits from around the creative world:
Lays’ new logo: detailed design makes a comeback → see it
Figma acquires Weavy AI one day after Adobe’s Project Graph was revealed
Grammarly rebrands to Superhuman after acquiring the company
Domino’s announces first brand refresh in 13 years
Apple is reportedly working on a foldable iPhone for release around 2026 or 2027
PepsiCo introduces a new logo that many already call “dated”
EA reveals a brand refresh
PyperBleu wins Jimmy Fallon’s On Brand competition
Apple’s M5 lineup officially arrives with new MacBook, iPad, and Vision Pro models
My Latest Video: Hands-On with Affinity
I designed the thumbnail below from scratch using Affinity’s new software, and it blew my mind. Check out my hands-on review:
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