So Picnik is closing.
Oh MY GAWD PICNIK IS CLOSING!!!!!
Oh wait.
No its not.
Nevermind.
Actually it is still open- and now all the premium features are free to everyone.
(check out this ‘we are NOT billing you again’ notice I got)
So why are so many people talking about Picnik and how it is closing and how they are devastated they will never be able to air-brush out their wrinkles again and the world will be forced to see unedited photos of them and will shriek in horror?
Because this week Google announced Picnik is soon only going to be available by accessing it through Google Plus.
Which makes me smile from ear to ear.
This validates everything I have been trying to explain for months. Google is not trying to compete with Facebook in the social space at all- what Google is doing is creating a social identity hub…a PORTAL to all of their other Google properties.
Yes, ALL OF THEM.
So like I said here…I don’t have to try to encourage you to get on Google Plus, because pretty soon (very soon) you will be compelled to do so if you want to access Google Properties. I can envision even the giant platforms like You Tube and Google Docs being ONLY accessible through Google Plus. So even if you don’t plan in using Google+ to have water cooler chats or upload photos of your dinner- you will indeed BE USING IT.
BUT HOW DO I DO IT MARCY?
A mini tutorial:
OPen G+
Go to your profile, click photos
Click Upload
Upload photo.
Run your mouse over the photo-
Click the pencil icon to edit photo (automatically takes you to Picnik)
Use Picnik to your hearts delight.
Save to an album on G+ (I created one called Picnik Edits)
From here you can publish to your G+ feed or not. (if not-click cancel at this time)
Now open your albums. Find the image. Click on it. And you will see…
on the lower left hand side is ‘Options’. Click it and you have the option to download the image to your computer if you would like.
{ 37 comments… read them below or add one }
You are brilliant my friend – but you already knew that. :)
Picnik has already been available to those of us (me included) who use Picasa for online storage of photos! It’s been how I edit my photos online instead of on my local machine and then re-uploading them, etc. So to hear that I should be able to use it online as I have been… seems like a great thing to me!
Thanks for this post!
Thank you for this information. I have paid for Picknik and never saw an e-mail from them, instead I read about everything online first. I just tried with a photo and the only item that I see missing, that I use a lot, is the ability to make a collage. Have you heard if they plan to add this feature into the Google+ use?
What if you don’t like Google+? It would be nice to have the option. I’m just saying :)
In Firefox, I had to do something slightly different. I selected my photo and then clicked it again and it opened up against a black background. At the top left is a link that says “Creative Kit”. Click that link and the photo opens up in a Picknik-like dashboard. I checked that out, some of the Picnik Premium Features are not there, like the clone tool, and the shine eraser. Hopefully those will get added.
Well, thank goodness they’re making it so easy!
More folks need to read your post about what Google+ really is…
I am excited that Picnik has come under the Google+ umbrella. Streamlining just makes our lives that much easier.
but some of the awesome features that were available on picnik are NOT on Google +
one example is the Eye Bright feature. and another is the Teeth Whiten feature.
:( that is what is so SAD!!!!
i want my old picnik back!!! FOREVER!!!
But half the picnik features are missing :( Where is the wrinkle remover? Curves??? Sooooo much missing!!
you were the only one I could find with the information on how to use Picnik on G+, thank you. But it looks like G+ has only half the options G+ does. I hope that the rest of Picnik’s devices will go to Google+ as well.
not happy at all! I live on picnik for work and personal use. The new way is just adding more steps…booooo!!!!
I’m really not sure if I will be able to do as much editing on google + as i did in picnik. I used it as the default photo editor for my business and was able to uses layers and png overlays like photoshop. I literally uploaded 100′s of photos a day and was happy to pay for the service, and my photos were private – now i assume on google + people will be able to see photos in my profile?
will go over and try it out but I’m sad that I will have to fork out big $$$ for photoshop classes now
I have Two questions and I need answers PLEASE
First, the missing features such as highlights and collage will be added to G+ Picnik or not?
Also, would I be able to keep my photos private and just save them to my computer?
Thank you so much for your efforts.
Only a small, and very boring, fraction of the Picnik features is available in Google+.
Where are the advanced features? Where are my Curves?
At least they should just bring EVERYTHING over. Why buy the thing if you utilize only small bits and pieces?
I didn’t mind paying $25. It was a good deal.
It is so sad how they completely destroyed such a wonderful and easy to use application!
I hope the Picnik people made a real sh*tload of money by selling to Google, because otherwise this would be too bitter.
PICNIK CAN’T CLOSE LIKE DIS! WHY IS IT TRANSFERRING TO GOOGLE PLUS?! x(
wait, are there going to be curves on there? if not, i don’t really care about using it. curves were the best editing tool on there, ughh.
how do you export your picnik photos o google plus if that is what we HAVE to use?!?!
Im calling BS :)
Ive been using picnik for years… i dont have room on my hard drive to download every single file. where is the export button?
If we are bing forced to use google plus… then they should make it easier for us to move our photos to google plus.
Please help if you know how.
also picmonkey.com is kinda like picnik.. with the layout and all. some should try that.
I for one refuse to support the Google + machine.
Kristie PicNik Lover Thanks so much for sharing picmonkey.com its like Picnik I LOVE it.
Thanks so much Kristie PicNik Lover! I’ve been totally gutted about Picnik closing and losing so many of the fab tools – you’ve just been my knight in shining armour by suggesting picmonkey.com! THANK YOU!
Like most who have commented, I appreciate your thoughts, but true Picnikers know this is just a small portion of what we had and are willing to pay for. I’m upset that I got excited and joined Google+ for nothing.
I’m going to try out picmonkey.com by the suggestion of Kristie PicNik Lover and Aimes- now that’s some good advice.
Just a follow-up: picmonkey.com is the closest I have found to Picnik. Thank you so much, everyone. Looks like collages are coming soon, too. Happy dance!
Thanks so much for this post!! I had no idea where to find it on my google+ account, so thanks for the help!! :D
PicMonkey is the SAME as Picnik it just has a different name. Picnik on Google+ as mentioned above is missing a lot of features. Like wrinkle remover…teeth whiten…etc…it’s all on picmonkey. I have a feeling if Google+ doesn’t add these features back on Picnik that they will be LOSING many people ;-)
I learned so many editing techniques in Picnik and just started selling some of my work. Usling the various techniques in Picnik made editing so much fun & enjoyable. I wasn’t upset because I heard I could go to Google plus. So far, I haven’t seen anything close to what I have been used to. I am upset to say the least. If Picnik made a lot of money moving or selling to Google, good for them, but I am sad that eventually everyone bails and to bad for the rest of us that are affected. I hope as I go along I will be mistaken and I will find everything, editing wise, in Google Plus that I did in Picnik. So far, I havent. I wish myself luck and everyone else that loved Picnik as much as I have. If anyone has suggestions for me or can direct me to another editing program that has as much to offer as Picnik did, please let me know. Even if I have to pay for it as I did in Picnik.
Ive noticed google plus has taken away some of my favorite Picnik features… some including, InstaThin, Mascara, mostly touch up features.
Have you heard word that they may be adding these features later at all?
Thanks a million,
The Picnik fans
I’m not sure how to access my picnik photos from google+. I’m not even sure that they were transfered. How would I go about trying to find them?
it doesn’t shows me the pencil :[
how to use picnik on google+ please help me friends….
Were Do You Get On piknik I Read The Instructions Now Where Do I Go To Use It!!!!! :( Horrible Survive!
Oh my God. Thank you. When Picnik closed I was desperately trying to find where I can use the tool on Google+. Got really mad but then started using picmonkey.com.
Okay…but doesn’t give as many tools as Picnik did. Thank you agaiN~! XDD
Can you show us how we can create collages on Google+ ? I can’t seem to find a way to do so :/ thanks.
But it is missing a LOT of features that Picnik had! Where are my frames? Lots of other stuff gone. Why the heck would they dumb down such a great tool? I’m going to check out the the picmonkey site, but sure wish the original PICNIK site would return!
OMG! I went to google plus but all that pops up is an adobe flashplayer installer thing…. I am really bummed out because I love picnic. People say it is not closing but I liked it better when it was not with google
Too many of the features are missing, highlights, teeth white, mascara, lipstick..etc. Replaces with “draw a mustache” c’mon … hopefully they get them back.
Many of the features I LOVE about Picnik are now GONE ;( Not happy with Google!