moovme

I changed the color profile of the all the B&W images prior to bringing them into the main canvas (by placing them into picture frames in Publisher) before writing my original post. Sadly all the images would only allow for a greyscale border. Oddly this even happened on some of my converted color images as well. I went back to the original individual image files and noticed the way Publisher had automatically attached the Black and White adjustment layer. I grabbed the adjustment layer icon on dragged it back onto the image icon itself so it got stacked underneath as opposed as to the right hand side of the main image icon. This, for whatever reason made all the difference, and I could then go in and put a color border onto all the images on the main montage canvas. I can't tell if this is a bug or not, or if I am simply doing something wrong..

Hi, I'm not sure how to explain this but I'll do my best. I'm making a black and white photo montage (in Publisher) using both color images converted to B&W and native B&W images from stock sites. What I am noticing is that on the color images that I have converted to B&W I can put a colored border onto them no problem on my main canvas (with color profile). But with the native B&W images I place onto the canvas (using the picture frame tool), the border I put on is always in greyscale and not in color. I am assuming this is because each individual image has its own embedded color profile, and when brought into the main canvas file (color), the global color profile does not / cannot override the embedded greyscale color profile of the individual native B&W images. That is to say each image is governed by its individual embedded color profile that cannot be overridden when brought into another file? Do I need to go back and change the color profile of the native B&W images to color prior to bringing them onto the main canvas (color) so I can put a colored border on them? Or is there s a simpler way of getting this to work without having to re-import every single image with an embedded color profile and not a greyscale profile?

Hi, I am trying to do a photo montage with black and white portrait photos in AF Publisher. I set up my canvas in one window, then I bring in my image into a separate window and readjust the size etc. Then I copy and paste it onto my canvas. I create a rounded rectangle shape over the image and add a border to it. When I drag the shape onto the image in the layers panel it clips things nicely but I can no longer see my border - I'm assuming the clipping action in the software just makes the shape and border as one, and so it clips everything leaving no border. I know I'm doing it wrong. Is there a way to achieve what I need by using shapes as clipping masks, or is there a better method to achieve the desired results? UPDATE: After hours of trying to get this to work, I realized the way forward was to use the picture frame tool! Now I can edit the image size handles without distorting the image, I can round the corners, and can put a border onto it! I can even go back and edit everything afterwards. Absolute bliss!

Wow, you're a smart cookie! Thankyou!

Hi, I am in the process of making some content for my website. One very frustrating thing that is happening with the exported images are these small graphical / pixel anomalies that ruin the image. I have tried exporting in various formats (jpeg, PNG, PDF) and they all end up with similar blemishes on the images. The original images are from iStock and do not have any blemishes at all. Does anyone have experience with this, and might happen to know how to fix it? I'm using V1.

Does anyone happen know why a PDF document I saved out from CAD has come into AF Publisher with all the vector lines being rasterized? I have placed it in using the PDF Passthrough: Passthrough.

My apologies, yes I am aware that this can be done currently. It’s just a bit of a mess to achieve something that can be so easily overcome with an all-in lens flare tool where all the settings/modifications etc can achieved all in one place, as opposed to running through different settings and blend modes etc. after the fact. Hope that helps to clarify.

I hear you. But that’s kind of my point, I’m looking for a much more user friendly experience to implement a lens flare. For me, brushes don’t do it. But that’s me. They aren’t able to come close to the compactness and speed that an all-in one lens flare tool can offer, along with being able to make personalized modifications and a well sought after preview. Being able to add in pngs etc from the web would be a fantastic addition to the tool as well!

That’s a good question! I think because with a dedicated lens flare tool you can create hundreds of differentiations or modifications to existing flares all in the same tool, without ever having to leave it. Personally, I find the lens brushes very cumbersome and time consuming to select and get right. Especially the fact that you have to actually apply a brush to the canvas before you can see what it is and what it’s characteristics are. Then if it’s not right, you need to back track and start all over again. Does it not make sense to have an all-inclusive tool that can contain and customize all the lens flares in one place, and with canvas preview?.. I’m guessing you’re a fan of the brushes and that’s fine. I guess I’m just wanting a much more streamlined process with more ease of use.

Great reply. I understand where you’re coming from with the Photoshop lens flare tool. I’m curious to know if you’re happy with the segregated lens flare brushes from Affinity that don’t offer any preview on the canvas and make you back track on everything whilst trying to find the most appropriate flare? Which do you prefer, a fully encompassed and unified lens flare tool (with the extremely valuable preview option), or stumbling around with lens flare brushes and their inherent usability flaws? Just looking for some honest feedback. Perhaps I’m the only one who prefers the much more fluid and user friendly experience of a dedicated lens flare tool..

You’re very clearly confusing frustration for aggression. Please don’t. How many years has it been now that Affinity has deliberately not offered/included a basic lens flare tool that other software has as a built in fundamental? Since day 1. It would be nice if you could offer help as opposed to legalistic judgement. Many thanks. Continued requests (in the nicest way possible) are the hope for this absolutely ESSENTIAL feature in their photo-editing software that may one day find its way there... When they are blatantly ignored, that simply raises levels of frustration. After all Affinity asks it’s community to make software requests to improve the usability of the software. Am I seriously the only one who thinks this should be included under basic tools like EVERY other photo editing software out there? There’s a reason they all have it - and don’t use brushes to skirt it. Pretty please Affinity, add in a Lens Flare Tool for us all to enjoy.. Please.

Where is the lens flare tool? I mean seriously? Do you expect us to screw around wasting serious amounts of time with pathetic brushes when all you have to do is include a simple all-in-one lens flare tool for photo work? Whats going on at Affinity?

Does anyone know if AFININTY can extract / create vector information from a raster image liike ADOBE Illustrator can? It's a hugely useful tool but I'm not able to find a way to achieve it in the AFFINITY suite..

Actually the image is solely made up of fills, not lines. I need to extract LINES if possible. Illustrator had a way of creating vector lines from an image so am curious if AFFININTY has figured out a way to do the same thing?..

Sadly like a lot of my requests, they fall on deaf ears and are ignored. I’m happy you have found a suitable work around for your needs I never bothered to upgrade to V2 for the simple fact that Affinity simply doesn’t add in the required features / upgrades to mitigate the user frustration, and hence I use Affinity products less and less as a result. For the money they are good products, but for features that people actually want and need, ADOBE absolutely crushes them.