VSCO Launches AI-Powered Collaborative Moodboard 'Canvas' for Visual Creators

VSCO is launching an AI-powered collaborative moodboard | TechCrunch

Photo and video editing platform VSCO on Wednesday launched an AI-powered collaborative moodboard to expand how its products are used by photographers and artists. Called Canvas, the moodboard lets you import and edit your photos using the standard VSCO editing tools -- so you can tune settings like shadows, brightness, exposure, temperature, tint, grain, blur, vibrance and hue. The AI chops come into play when you want to generate images using text prompts. The moodboard also lets you select parts of an image and use a "region prompt" menu to have AI recreate those parts with text prompts. The weights of the region prompt can be adjusted with a slider to generate different versions. There's also a variation button that, as it says on the tin, makes the AI create variations of a generated image. This also comes with a slider to control how close to the original image the generated image is. Users can share the moodboard with other people in a project and create different iterations of an idea. "Photographers, who often work alone, use Google Slides or Pinterest to create a vision for a project that they want to show the clients. We thought there could be a better tool that was designed for ideation with creators in the front and center of it," VSCO's CEO Eric Wittman told TechCrunch. The moodboard feature uses tech from an image editing startup called Facet that VSCO acquired last year. Facet had raised over $13 million in funding before it was acquired. This is VSCO's first time implementing AI features into its products, and the company says it has seen positive traction. VSCO said more than 84% of content was generated using AI during Canvas' test phase. The company plans to enable users to search VSCO and import photos uploaded onto the platform into the moodboard. The launch comes days after Adobe unveiled its own moodboard that has AI-powered image generation and editing features. Startups like Visual Electric, Cove and Kosmik have also tried to build whiteboards and moodboards to help people collaborate on ideas. Canvas is available to all users, but paying subscribers will get extra credits for prompting and generating images using the AI model.

VSCO Canvas is a 'Human-Centered, AI-Assisted' Moodboarding Tool

VSCO has announced Canvas, which is described as a new creative mood board creation platform for photographers. The company says this platform differentiates itself from other options because it is specifically tailored to "the unique needs of visual creators." Canvas combines the ability to pull from VSCO's library of photos and generative AI to create these mood boards. That latter note is important, as this is VSCO's first integration of generative AI into its product suite. "With tools like real-time image generation, regional prompting, and role-based collaboration, Canvas brings a new level of speed, flexibility, and precision to the pre-production process," VSCO says. "Creators can generate visuals, iterate on specific image elements, and share their mood boards with teammates or clients who may not have a photography background, making it easier to align visions and accelerate the path from concept to execution." Canvas allows users to import their own photos or use text prompts to generate new visuals in what it describes as a blend of personal inspiration and AI-experimentation. It says that "this seamless integration of creative prompts and real-time generation" makes ideation more dynamic with a focus on a visual-first experience that is important to how photographers and designers think and work. Canvas supports collaboration, connects with the VSCO photo database, and is browser-based for maximum ease of use. "Canvas solves a real pain point for creators: how do you communicate your vision to someone who doesn't speak the language of photography?" Eric Wittman, CEO of VSCO, says. "Whether you're a hobbyist searching for focus, an aspiring pro building your first client deck, or a seasoned creative prepping for a campaign, Canvas helps you refine your vision and align with collaborators in a visually rich, intuitive way." VSCO users might find it odd that this platform is being "announced" today when it has been available to use for a few weeks. VSCO says that Canvas was "soft launched" about a month ago and, prior to that, had been in beta for a longer period. Today's launch, then, is designed to express that the platform is ready for wider use. During the soft launch period, VSCO says that 84% of Canvas content was AI-generated, which it says underscores the demand for tools that reduce friction in the creative ideation process. "However, this also highlights an opportunity to increase awareness of Canvas's broader collaborative and organizational capabilities. Upcoming feature enhancements will include smarter AI prompting, presentation modes, mobile access, and improved integration with the wider VSCO ecosystem -- all grounded in VSCO's signature clean aesthetic and commitment to user trust," the company says. The goal and target market of Canvas shares a lot in common with the mood board tool from Canva, although Wittman says he believes VSCO's tool is better suited to what creative professionals are looking for. While Canva integrates stock photos with generative AI, Wittman says that the stock images available outside of VSCO tend to be bland, broad, and visually uninteresting. He says VSCO Canvas stands out because it allows users to tap into the massive library of VSCO photos that have been uploaded to the platform. These images are able to be used non-commercially for a mood board, but if a creator sees a photographer's work as particularly well-suited to a project, it's easy to get in contact with that photographer and hire them. "The launch of Canvas also reinforces VSCO's ethical approach to AI: Human-Centered. AI-Assisted. The company maintains a strong stance on user consent, data protection, and transparency," VSCO says. "When working with third-party technology partners, VSCO requires full compliance with data privacy laws and prohibits the use of member content for training external AI models. As AI becomes a more integrated part of image-making, VSCO is committed to fostering tools that amplify creativity without compromising artistic integrity." VSCO Canvas is available today via the desktop platform for all Pro Members, which costs $5 a month with an annual plan or $12.99 per month on a month-to-month, cancel-any-time, plan.

VSCO jumps into AI with its Canvas moodboard tool

VSCO has launched Canvas, an AI-powered collaborative moodboard designed for photographers and artists to visualize and refine their ideas. The feature, available to all users, allows for importing and editing photos using standard VSCO editing tools, as well as generating images using text prompts. The AI-powered capabilities enable users to select specific parts of an image and recreate them using a "region prompt" menu, with adjustable weights to produce different versions. A variation button also allows for generating multiple iterations of an image, with a slider to control how closely the new image resembles the original. Users can share the moodboard with others, collaborate on projects, and create different iterations of an idea. VSCO's CEO Eric Wittman explained that the company developed Canvas because photographers often use makeshift tools like Google Slides or Pinterest to convey their vision to clients. The feature leverages technology from Facet, an image editing startup acquired by VSCO last year, which had raised over $13 million in funding before its acquisition. During Canvas' test phase, more than 84% of content was generated using AI, indicating positive traction for VSCO's first foray into AI-powered features. The company plans to expand the feature's capabilities, enabling users to search VSCO and import photos directly into the moodboard. Adobe's Firefly AI now generates 2K images and 1080p videos Canvas is available to all users, with paying subscribers receiving extra credits for prompting and generating images using the AI model. The launch follows Adobe's recent unveiling of its own AI-powered moodboard, as well as similar efforts from startups like Visual Electric, Cove, and Kosmik.