Canva has launched Craft, its first proprietary foundation model for image generation developed entirely by Canva Research.

Available immediately within the platform and via a public API, the model produces 2K-resolution visuals across more than 30 aspect ratios.

Ranked as the fourth most advanced image generator on DesignArena, Craft secured the global top spot for People & Portraits and Landscapes & Nature subcategories. The system also established Canva Research as the second most advanced AI lab globally for image generation.

Unlike conventional models that generate pixels directly from a prompt, Craft utilizes a two-stage architecture that separates compositional planning from image rendering. An initial planning model interprets prompts to map out element placement, spatial relationships, and typography before a rendering model generates the final output.

Training data for the model emphasizes design principles by incorporating millions of human-made templates from Canva’s library. Professional designers subsequently fine-tuned the system using reinforcement learning to optimize instruction following and text rendering.

• Precise Control: Utilizes JSON boundary boxing to convert images into editable layers via Magic Layers.
• Multilingual Support: Accepts prompts in any language and renders legible text across 55 languages.
• Diverse Applications: Supports social marketing assets, editorial photography, illustration, and architecture.

Model efficiency improvements include advanced distillation and a custom inference engine designed to minimize required steps. These optimizations support upcoming variants named Craft-fast and Craft-ultrafast.

“We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved with Craft, and how it blends design understanding with best in class image generation. Craft delivers exceptional results for jobs where the layouts and texts need to be perfect, and renders people and landscapes with stunning quality. We believe it’s going to unlock so many new ways for people to bring their imagitation to life. With additional steering capabilities and major speed improvements on the way, this is a huge step forward for Canva’s AI experience. We’re just getting started,” said JJ Fiasson, Canva’s Head of Generative AI.

Global users can access Craft through Dream Lab in the platform interface. External developers can integrate the technology into marketing platforms, e-commerce sites, and print services through the Public API and upcoming Canva MCP Server.

All outputs are supported by Canva Shield, providing input and output moderation alongside safety controls.