smadell

I have four separate feature requests that I'd like to submit. I have created a separate post for each of them, and they are all posted here within the "Feature Requests & Feedback" section. I have included proposed Studio-type panels (or modifications of existing panels) in each of the posts.
2) A New Filter - Add Grain
A suggestion for an additional Filter. While the Add Noise… choice is nice, it tends to give a small and very uniform form of noise. This might be great for dealing with certain situations, but it's not a good substitute for adding Grain to a picture (to give a photo an old-time type of look). I suggest a separate Filter that deals with Adding Grain, providing sliders such as (i) Grain per pixel; and (ii) Soft vs Hard. This reasonably simple set of choices is present in the Nik Silver Efex plug-in, and gives me all the choices I think I might want.

oquendo123...
 
The Luminosity Mask macros are actually Luminosity Selection macros. The selection itself is the end result. The macros were recorded in 3 steps:
 
1) On a given pixel layer, Blend Options are chosen to limit the opacity of the layer's pixels to a specific luminosity range. (For instance, the Lights 1 macro varies the opacity of the pixels from 0% to 100% such that the percentage of opacity is the same as the percentage of any pixel's luminosity. In effect, this is a straight line from lower left to upper right in the graph within the Blend Options panel.)
2) The "Selection from Layer" is a selectable menu item from the Select menu, and selects the visible pixels in the layer. In the case above, pixels are selected between 0% and 100% based on their visible opacity. Remember that at this point in the macro, the "visible opacity" of the pixels has been changed by Step 1.
3) The third step uses the Blend Options panel to return the opacity of the layer to normal, but does not change the selection.
 
The result of the macro is a selection based on luminosity. If you change the curve within the Blend Options panel (in Step 1) you can change the degree to which the Luminosity Selection favors Lights, Darks, Midtones, etc.

In response to a post I made last May, MJSfoto1956 suggested the use of Blend Options as an alternative to more traditional luminosity masks. It turns out that the use of the Blend Options panel, combined with a little math, makes luminosity based selections quite effective. The trouble is that the method is cumbersome if you do them from scratch each time.

What I have created is a series of Macros that automates the process. The attached afmacros file contains macros for creating Luminosity Selections in their usual and anticipated forms: Lights 1 through Lights 4, Darks 1 through Darks 4, and Midtones 1 through Midtones 4.

Notes:

1) Each action will select a luminosity-based portion of the selected layer.
2) NO additional channels are created, so files don’t become bloated.
3) Once the selection is made, it can be used for an adjustment layer, a mask, a live filter, etc. It can be deselected (like any selection). It can be replaced by using a different selection (e.g., click on Lights 2 to replace the selection made by Lights 1).

Caveats:

4) You must have a Pixel layer or an Image layer selected for the macros to work properly. If you have any other type of layer selected, or if you have NO layer selected, the results you get will be wrong.
5) The macros will undo any Blend Options you may have set on the selected layer.
6) I am one person with one computer. Obviously, I have not tested these macros in every possible situation. Use them if you like them. No guarantees are made.
7) However, if you like them, they are yours. They are my way of saying “thank you” to the Forum for helping me learn a wonderful piece of software!
Luminosity Selections.afmacros.zip

If you look carefully at the PhotoWhoa site, you should notice that all of the presets are described as an "Affinity Presets LUTS Collection." This pretty much defines how you'll end up using them.
Affinity Photo can use "color lookup tables" (otherwise known as CLUT's or LUT's) and these are fairly commonly used to "color grade" images or video. Basically, if you start with an image and then alter it with one or more Adjustment layers, you can then choose "Export LUT..." to form an external file that encapsulates all of the adjustments you made. Basically, a color lookup table is simply that - it lets you start with a bunch of pixels (your photograph) in which each pixel has a defined color, then the LUT changes each of the colors to a pre-defined "other" color according to the entries in the lookup table. It's a simple substitution scheme, which goes something like "wherever there's a pixel with this color [R255,G0,B0] put in a something else, like [R240,G100,B100]." And, it does that for each triplet combination of Red, Green, and Blue in your photo.
The up side to using a LUT is that it is simple, and boils down to an all-in-one color grade change. The down side is that the LUT does not add the component Adjustment Layers, so you can't really tweak the components afterward (except by adding more adjustments and filters, etc.)
To use your MegaPresets files, simply put the collection of folders somewhere convenient. I'm not from the Windows side, but I don't think there's a specific place they need to be. Once you have a photo in Affinity Photo, add an adjustment layer by choosing "LUT..." from the Layer>New Adjustment Layer submenu, or by choosing it from the icon at the bottom of the Layers panel. The LUT dialog box will open.

Click on the button called "Load LUT" and you will be able to navigate to the folder(s) containing your presents. Choose the one you like. Your photo will have one extra adjustment layer, labelled LUT, and the color lookup changes dictated by the LUT file will have been applied. (You may want to change Blend Modes, opacity, and so forth on the LUT adjustment layer to further refine the color grading.

In response to a post I made last May, MJSfoto1956 suggested the use of Blend Options as an alternative to more traditional luminosity masks. It turns out that the use of the Blend Options panel, combined with a little math, makes luminosity based selections quite effective. The trouble is that the method is cumbersome if you do them from scratch each time.

What I have created is a series of Macros that automates the process. The attached afmacros file contains macros for creating Luminosity Selections in their usual and anticipated forms: Lights 1 through Lights 4, Darks 1 through Darks 4, and Midtones 1 through Midtones 4.

Notes:

1) Each action will select a luminosity-based portion of the selected layer.
2) NO additional channels are created, so files don’t become bloated.
3) Once the selection is made, it can be used for an adjustment layer, a mask, a live filter, etc. It can be deselected (like any selection). It can be replaced by using a different selection (e.g., click on Lights 2 to replace the selection made by Lights 1).

Caveats:

4) You must have a Pixel layer or an Image layer selected for the macros to work properly. If you have any other type of layer selected, or if you have NO layer selected, the results you get will be wrong.
5) The macros will undo any Blend Options you may have set on the selected layer.
6) I am one person with one computer. Obviously, I have not tested these macros in every possible situation. Use them if you like them. No guarantees are made.
7) However, if you like them, they are yours. They are my way of saying “thank you” to the Forum for helping me learn a wonderful piece of software!
Luminosity Selections.afmacros.zip

I have previously posted 2 sets of luminosity based macro sets. The first set worked on Image and Pixel layers, and created Luminosity Selections that could then be used to create masks, adjustments, filters, etc. They can be found here:

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/27214-luminosity-masks/

The second set of macros was meant to be used directly on Adjustment and Live Filter layers. These applied luminosity based Blend Options to adjustment and filter layers, based on the Image or Pixel layer(s) below the adjustment. They can be found here:

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/30523-luminosity-masks-for-adjustment-filter-layers/

Recently, a post from @danlhayes brought up the question of creating a greyscale representation of the luminosity selection. This would be similar to Option-clicking on a luminosity mask to see that mask in shades of grey. After (admittedly) quite a bit of trial and error, I’ve come up with a set of macros that will do just that. They are attached to this post.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  

To use the Luminosity Visualization macros, you should do the following:

1) You need to start with a Pixel or an Image layer selected. An embedded Affinity Photo document also seems to work.
2) Click on the macro you would like to represent as a greyscale image.
3) The macro will create a new Pixel layer with the name “LuminosityVisualization” and put it on the top of your layer stack.
4) You can get rid of the LuminosityVisualization layer by clicking on the macro named “Delete Visualization Layer.”

As always, some caveats:

5) You should always delete a previously created LuminosityVisualization layer before creating another one.
6) When you create a LuminosityVisualization layer, it will be placed at the top of the layer stack (so that any other layers you have placed over your Image/Pixel layer don’t confuse the visualization). If you delete the LuminosityVisualization layer and want to create another one, be sure to choose your Image or Pixel layer again.
7) These macros were created using the same Blend Options curves that I used in creating the first two sets of macros. As such, they are meant to be used together with those macros, and not with luminosity selections that may be available from other users.
8) As always, I am one person with one computer. I believe that these macros will work as I’ve stated, but I cannot possibly have tested every possible combination of situations. No guarantees are made; use them if you like them!
9) If you like the macros, they are yours. They are a “thank you” to everyone for helping me learn, and a request to “pay it forward” with continued generosity.
Luminosity Visualization.afmacros.zip

About a month ago, I posted a number of macros for creating Luminosity Selections. These macros acted only on Pixel and Image layers, and could be used to create masks, adjustment layers, filters, etc. Today’s macros are a follow-up set, and are created to act on Adjustment Layers and Live Filter Layers.

These macros apply Blend Options to the adjustment and filter layers to produce the same results you would get with traditional luminosity selections and masks. However, these changes can be viewed in real time.

Instructions (see attached pictures):

1) Create an adjustment layer or a live filter layer like you normally would.

2) Apply the effect that the layer provides.

3) Now, click one of the Luminosity Blend Options macros to restrict the adjustment or filter effect to a luminosity range.


Notes:

1) Each macro restricts an Adjustment Layer or a Live Filter Layer based on the luminosity of the underlying composition - that is, the visible pixels in layers below the one being restricted.

2) NO additional channels are created, so files don’t become bloated.

3) Once you apply a macro to an adjustment or filter, you can change the luminosity restriction by choosing a different one, AND you can see the updates in real time. (For instance, if you want to darken an overexposed sky by applying a Levels layer, create the Levels adjustment layer and apply the “Lights 1 for Adjustments & Filters” macro. If you have affected too many of the midtones and darks, select “Lights 2 (or 3, or 4) for Adjustments & Filters” to restrict the adjustment toward lighter and lighter pixels.)

4) There is an additional macro called “Reset Blend Options to Normal” that will undo any changes the other macros have created, and return the Adjustment or Filter layer to its normal function.

Caveats:

5) Do not apply these macros to your baseline photo. They will not have the desired effect. These macros should be applied to Adjustment and Live Filter layers that are situated above the photo they are modifying.

6) As with my previous set of macros, I am one person with one computer. Obviously, I have not tested these macros in every possible situation. Use them if you like them. No guarantees are made.

7) If you like them, they are yours. Consider this to be “pay it forward” software. Enjoy it.
 
* * * *
 
Edit (Dec 7, 2016) - The afmacros zip file below has been replaced with a new file, named differently. This is in response to the post which follows this one. The edited attachment should work better (or, should I say, it should simply work).
 



Luminosity Blend Options for Adjustments.afmacros.zip

In response to a post I made last May, MJSfoto1956 suggested the use of Blend Options as an alternative to more traditional luminosity masks. It turns out that the use of the Blend Options panel, combined with a little math, makes luminosity based selections quite effective. The trouble is that the method is cumbersome if you do them from scratch each time.

What I have created is a series of Macros that automates the process. The attached afmacros file contains macros for creating Luminosity Selections in their usual and anticipated forms: Lights 1 through Lights 4, Darks 1 through Darks 4, and Midtones 1 through Midtones 4.

Notes:

1) Each action will select a luminosity-based portion of the selected layer.
2) NO additional channels are created, so files don’t become bloated.
3) Once the selection is made, it can be used for an adjustment layer, a mask, a live filter, etc. It can be deselected (like any selection). It can be replaced by using a different selection (e.g., click on Lights 2 to replace the selection made by Lights 1).

Caveats:

4) You must have a Pixel layer or an Image layer selected for the macros to work properly. If you have any other type of layer selected, or if you have NO layer selected, the results you get will be wrong.
5) The macros will undo any Blend Options you may have set on the selected layer.
6) I am one person with one computer. Obviously, I have not tested these macros in every possible situation. Use them if you like them. No guarantees are made.
7) However, if you like them, they are yours. They are my way of saying “thank you” to the Forum for helping me learn a wonderful piece of software!
Luminosity Selections.afmacros.zip

NormanPCN...
 
I tried to recreate this problem and - what do you know? - I imported an empty category too! Long story, short - when I renamed the category to omit characters such as "/" and "&" the macros exported and re-imported without a glitch. Maybe you'll want to try it again.
Luminosity Blend Options for Adjustments.afmacros.zip

About a month ago, I posted a number of macros for creating Luminosity Selections. These macros acted only on Pixel and Image layers, and could be used to create masks, adjustment layers, filters, etc. Today’s macros are a follow-up set, and are created to act on Adjustment Layers and Live Filter Layers.

These macros apply Blend Options to the adjustment and filter layers to produce the same results you would get with traditional luminosity selections and masks. However, these changes can be viewed in real time.

Instructions (see attached pictures):

1) Create an adjustment layer or a live filter layer like you normally would.

2) Apply the effect that the layer provides.

3) Now, click one of the Luminosity Blend Options macros to restrict the adjustment or filter effect to a luminosity range.


Notes:

1) Each macro restricts an Adjustment Layer or a Live Filter Layer based on the luminosity of the underlying composition - that is, the visible pixels in layers below the one being restricted.

2) NO additional channels are created, so files don’t become bloated.

3) Once you apply a macro to an adjustment or filter, you can change the luminosity restriction by choosing a different one, AND you can see the updates in real time. (For instance, if you want to darken an overexposed sky by applying a Levels layer, create the Levels adjustment layer and apply the “Lights 1 for Adjustments & Filters” macro. If you have affected too many of the midtones and darks, select “Lights 2 (or 3, or 4) for Adjustments & Filters” to restrict the adjustment toward lighter and lighter pixels.)

4) There is an additional macro called “Reset Blend Options to Normal” that will undo any changes the other macros have created, and return the Adjustment or Filter layer to its normal function.

Caveats:

5) Do not apply these macros to your baseline photo. They will not have the desired effect. These macros should be applied to Adjustment and Live Filter layers that are situated above the photo they are modifying.

6) As with my previous set of macros, I am one person with one computer. Obviously, I have not tested these macros in every possible situation. Use them if you like them. No guarantees are made.

7) If you like them, they are yours. Consider this to be “pay it forward” software. Enjoy it.
 
* * * *
 
Edit (Dec 7, 2016) - The afmacros zip file below has been replaced with a new file, named differently. This is in response to the post which follows this one. The edited attachment should work better (or, should I say, it should simply work).
 



Luminosity Blend Options for Adjustments.afmacros.zip

Today, let’s have fun with Gradient Maps…
Gradient Maps are a great way to color grade photos, since they map dark, light, and midtone values according to a pre-defined gradient. This can easily define a “look” for photos that might otherwise be hard to accomplish.
Although I am not a user of Photoshop, our “arch rival” has a wonderful group of gradient maps called “Photographic Toning” that are specifically designed to color grade photos. Although you have to drill down through a few panels and dialog boxes to find them (and you sort of have to know they’re there in the first place) they are a truly nice addition. Also, they are easily obtained by anyone.
But, as they say, there’s the rub. Affinity Photo cannot import Photoshop gradient maps. Affinity Photo can store pre-defined gradients in the Swatches studio, but for some unknown reason the stored gradients are not available from the Gradient Map studio panel. Gradient Maps can be stored as presets, and can be chosen from the Adjustments panel, but I don’t believe they can be easily exported from one computer and brought into a different one.
So… after a long couple of days of transcription, I have created a set of Macros that apply each of the 38 Photographic Toning gradient maps. Since macros are easy to store, and to share, I am making them available for anyone who wants them.
There are actually 2 sets of Macros included - each as an easy-to-import Category from the Library panel. The first group of Macros is called “Photographic Toning Gradients” and these are named according to the gradient map they apply. Each macro creates a Gradient Map layer, applies the appropriate color values, and names the layer according to the gradient map it applied. The second set of macros is called “Photographic Toning Gradients - reduced.” This category also applies the gradient maps in a similar fashion, but then reduces the opacity of the layer to 30%. This reduces the effect of the Gradient Map, and produces a much subtler effect.
Here is an image that shows the full-strength versions of all 38 gradient maps.

And here is a photo to which I’ve applied a full-strength gradient map, and also a reduced-strength gradient map.

These macro categories are included in the ZIP file attached to this post, along with a Letter sized JPG that includes samples of the gradient maps. Also included in the ZIP file is another macro category that includes one more macro. It’s called “Obama Hope Poster” and, as you might have guessed, it turns any photo into an Obama Hope-style poster. Just because…
Please enjoy them!
Photographic Toning Gradient Maps.zip

Actually, you CAN edit a macro - but only in a limited way.
First of all, you have to have a document open. Once this is done, right-click on the macro (in the Library panel) and choose "Edit macro..." from the drop down menu. The Macro panel will open, and all of the macro's existing steps will be listed.
You can add extra steps at the end of the macro. The easiest way to do this is (i) click on the Run button in the Macro panel to run the existing steps of the macro; then (ii) click the Record button and add additional steps at the end. Lastly, save the new macro to the Library, giving it a unique name.
If you want to edit the middle of a macro, I know of only one way to do this, and it certainly qualifies as a "workaround." Open a document, right click on the macro to Edit the macro..., and enter the Macro panel's listing of steps. If, as the OP suggests, you've got a macro with 12 steps and you want to edit the 7th step, you need to UN-check steps 7 through 12. At this point, you've got a macro that will only run the first 6 steps, as written. So, first hit the Run button to run the 6 steps. Then, hit the Record button. Perform the new version of step 7. Then you'll have to re-record steps 8 through 12. Save that new version as a new macro, with a unique name.
No, this is definitely not optimal. But it's (a little) better than nothing.

About a month ago, I posted a number of macros for creating Luminosity Selections. These macros acted only on Pixel and Image layers, and could be used to create masks, adjustment layers, filters, etc. Today’s macros are a follow-up set, and are created to act on Adjustment Layers and Live Filter Layers.

These macros apply Blend Options to the adjustment and filter layers to produce the same results you would get with traditional luminosity selections and masks. However, these changes can be viewed in real time.

Instructions (see attached pictures):

1) Create an adjustment layer or a live filter layer like you normally would.

2) Apply the effect that the layer provides.

3) Now, click one of the Luminosity Blend Options macros to restrict the adjustment or filter effect to a luminosity range.


Notes:

1) Each macro restricts an Adjustment Layer or a Live Filter Layer based on the luminosity of the underlying composition - that is, the visible pixels in layers below the one being restricted.

2) NO additional channels are created, so files don’t become bloated.

3) Once you apply a macro to an adjustment or filter, you can change the luminosity restriction by choosing a different one, AND you can see the updates in real time. (For instance, if you want to darken an overexposed sky by applying a Levels layer, create the Levels adjustment layer and apply the “Lights 1 for Adjustments & Filters” macro. If you have affected too many of the midtones and darks, select “Lights 2 (or 3, or 4) for Adjustments & Filters” to restrict the adjustment toward lighter and lighter pixels.)

4) There is an additional macro called “Reset Blend Options to Normal” that will undo any changes the other macros have created, and return the Adjustment or Filter layer to its normal function.

Caveats:

5) Do not apply these macros to your baseline photo. They will not have the desired effect. These macros should be applied to Adjustment and Live Filter layers that are situated above the photo they are modifying.

6) As with my previous set of macros, I am one person with one computer. Obviously, I have not tested these macros in every possible situation. Use them if you like them. No guarantees are made.

7) If you like them, they are yours. Consider this to be “pay it forward” software. Enjoy it.
 
* * * *
 
Edit (Dec 7, 2016) - The afmacros zip file below has been replaced with a new file, named differently. This is in response to the post which follows this one. The edited attachment should work better (or, should I say, it should simply work).
 



Luminosity Blend Options for Adjustments.afmacros.zip

In response to a post I made last May, MJSfoto1956 suggested the use of Blend Options as an alternative to more traditional luminosity masks. It turns out that the use of the Blend Options panel, combined with a little math, makes luminosity based selections quite effective. The trouble is that the method is cumbersome if you do them from scratch each time.

What I have created is a series of Macros that automates the process. The attached afmacros file contains macros for creating Luminosity Selections in their usual and anticipated forms: Lights 1 through Lights 4, Darks 1 through Darks 4, and Midtones 1 through Midtones 4.

Notes:

1) Each action will select a luminosity-based portion of the selected layer.
2) NO additional channels are created, so files don’t become bloated.
3) Once the selection is made, it can be used for an adjustment layer, a mask, a live filter, etc. It can be deselected (like any selection). It can be replaced by using a different selection (e.g., click on Lights 2 to replace the selection made by Lights 1).

Caveats:

4) You must have a Pixel layer or an Image layer selected for the macros to work properly. If you have any other type of layer selected, or if you have NO layer selected, the results you get will be wrong.
5) The macros will undo any Blend Options you may have set on the selected layer.
6) I am one person with one computer. Obviously, I have not tested these macros in every possible situation. Use them if you like them. No guarantees are made.
7) However, if you like them, they are yours. They are my way of saying “thank you” to the Forum for helping me learn a wonderful piece of software!
Luminosity Selections.afmacros.zip

A friend introduced me to Luminosity Masks about a week ago. Since then, I have been fascinated by them and by the power they provide. I started looking for ways to create gradations of Light, Dark, and Midtone selections/masks. Why should the Photoshop folks have all the fun? I found this thread, and started playing around with Affinity Photo. I have finally found a way to create light, dark, and midtone selection channels in 3 different grades each.
 
For those of us who have been confused by all this, I wrote down step-by-step instructions to create 9 different Spare Channels. (Honestly, I'm not sure I could re-create all this without a cheat sheet either!). Here goes...
 
Duplicate background 2 times.
Name the 1st duplicate “Light Temp”
Name the 2nd duplicate “Dark Temp”
With “Dark temp” layer selected, choose Layer > Invert

Select layer “Light Temp”

In Layers panel, Command-Shift-Click on layer icon to create luminosity selection
In Channels panel, right click on Pixel Selection and choose Create Spare Channel.
Rename this channel Lights 1
Deselect the selection.

In Channels panel, right click on Lights 1 and choose Load to Light Temp alpha
In Layers panel, Command-Shift-Click on layer icon to create luminosity selection
In Channels panel, right click on Pixel Selection and choose Create Spare Channel.
Rename this channel Lights 2
Deselect the selection.

In Channels panel, right click on Lights 2 and choose Load to Light Temp alpha
In Layers panel, Command-Shift-Click on layer icon to create luminosity selection
In Channels panel, right click on Pixel Selection and choose Create Spare Channel.
Rename this channel Lights 3
Deselect the selection.

Delete layer “Light Temp”

Select layer “Dark Temp” [remember - this is the inverted version of the background layer]

In Layers panel, Command-Shift-Click on layer icon to create luminosity selection
In Channels panel, right click on Pixel Selection and choose Create Spare Channel.
Rename this channel Darks 1
Deselect the selection.

In Channels panel, right click on Darks 1 and choose Load to Dark Temp alpha
In Layers panel, Command-Shift-Click on layer icon to create luminosity selection
In Channels panel, right click on Pixel Selection and choose Create Spare Channel.
Rename this channel Darks 2
Deselect the selection.

In Channels panel, right click on Darks 2 and choose Load to Dark Temp alpha
In Layers panel, Command-Shift-Click on layer icon to create luminosity selection
In Channels panel, right click on Pixel Selection and choose Create Spare Channel.
Rename this channel Darks 3
Deselect the selection.

Delete layer “Dark Temp”

In Channels panel, right click on Lights 1 and choose Load to Pixel Selection
In Channels panel, right click on Darks 1 and choose Intersect with Pixel Selection
In Channels panel, right click on Pixel Selection and choose Create Spare Channel
Rename this channel Midtones 1
Deselect the selection.

In Channels panel, right click on Lights 2 and choose Load to Pixel Selection
In Channels panel, right click on Darks 2 and choose Intersect with Pixel Selection
In Channels panel, right click on Pixel Selection and choose Create Spare Channel
Rename this channel Midtones 2
Deselect the selection.

In Channels panel, right click on Lights 3 and choose Load to Pixel Selection
In Channels panel, right click on Darks 3 and choose Intersect with Pixel Selection
In Channels panel, right click on Pixel Selection and choose Create Spare Channel
Rename this channel Midtones 3
Deselect the selection.
 
Obviously, the introduction of the Macros Persona will make this process much more tolerable.
 
Also, I have not been able to figure out how to create the selections without actually saving the spare channels. The existence of these extra channels bloats the size of the file considerably. [For instance, I opened a JPG and immediately saved it as an .afphoto file. The original JPG was 11.7 MB and the new Affinity Photo file was 12 MB. After I created the 9 luminosity channels, I saved again, and the new file was now 124 MB.]
 
Also, I can create the 3 Lights channels without creating the others. I can also create the 3 Darks channels without creating the others. But, at least with the method I've come up with, I have to create both the Lights and the Darks in order to come up with the Midtones.
 
I am really looking forward to the Beta of version 1.5 - still said to be "a few weeks" away. I know the developers want to get Symbols into this one - I'm more eager for an implementation of Macros and Batch processing. That will make my daily work SO much easier.

Sorry, but no one seems to have mentioned the (to me, at least) most obvious answer. Apply a blur using a Live Filter layer, invert the live filter layer (which makes its embedded mask completely black), then paint the blur effect back in where it's wanted. This is completely non-destructive, can be made as strong or as weak as one likes, can be turned on and off at will, can be modified with opacity and/or blend modes, and (best of all) it's so damned easy!

Blurring a Face.mp4

You can't use a "Fill Layer" here because Affinity Photo treats that as a vector object. You can't paint on a Fill Layer. Instead, add a new Pixel Layer (or just choose "New Layer" from the Layer menu) and then fill it with 50% grey. Set the blend mode to Overlay. If you paint with white, you will Dodge. If you paint with Black, you will Burn.
Suggestion: use a brush with 0% (or very, very low) hardness, and with 2-5% Flow. I usually keep the Opacity at 100%. The low Flow rate lets the strokes build up slowly, especially helpful if you're using a tablet.
I've attached a macro that you can import into your Library panel. This will create the layer for you.
Dodge & Burn (50% Grey Layer).afmacros

I am attaching a set of macros that allow the creation and editing of layer masks using a red overlay to assist in the process.
*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
Creating masks in Affinity Photo is fairly easy. Either create a new Mask layer and paint on it, or use the Selection tools to select the appropriate area and then create the mask to incorporate the selection.
The absence of a red overlay when creating an initial mask can be overcome by using the Quick Mask tool, which allows the user to create a selection with the visual aid of a red overlay. Once the Quick Mask view has done its thing, (i) turn the Quick Mask off; and (ii) create the new mask layer.
Editing an existing mask is less straightforward. In order to edit a mask, you can paint in black, white, or grey while the mask layer is selected. Or, you can look at the mask in "isolation mode" to do your painting. In the first case, you don't get any type of red overlay to indicate what's masked and what's not; in the second case, you can't see the image being masked in order to tell where your mask needs editing.
Up until now, there has not been a good workaround. This set me thinking...
*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
I am attaching a set of macros called Create/Edit Masks with Red Overlay. This is a set of 4 macros inside a macro category (and, therefore, import it through the Library panel).
The first two are for creating masks utilizing a red overlay. They are an alternative to using Quick Mask to create a selection and then use that selection to create a mask.
More importantly, however, the last two macros are for editing an existing mask with the benefit of a red overlay, being able to visualize the image being masked underneath.
[Note: these macros will not create, and will not adequately edit, vector based masks. They are exclusively for use on pixel based masks.]
Here are step by step directions for using the macros. I will use a photo of the USS Midway in my examples.

1) Create Mask with Red Overlay - Set Up
Click on the first macro. This will create an empty mask layer (one which starts entirely black) embedded in a group. The various other layers in the group provide the red overlay - leave them alone. Paint with white or black (just as you would with the Quick Mask) in order to reveal or conceal areas of the underlying photo. The image below shows a mask with the body of the ship painted in white, and the rest of the mask black.

2) Create Mask with Red Overlay - Finalize
Once you have created the mask as you might like it, click the second macro. This will place the newly created mask at the top of the layer stack, and it will be named "Mask - Drag to Desired Position." Obviously, you should position the new mask as you would like. The image below shows the result of the second macro, before the mask is repositioned.

3) Edit Mask with Red Overlay - Set Up
Here's where the fun starts. You need to have a mask that you want to edit, and it needs to be selected. The mask should be a child of the pixel or image layer, and should not be further nested. (In other words, it should be a child of the image, but not a grandchild.) Click on the third macro. Your selected macro will be hidden and a copy of it will be placed into a group that sits above the appropriate image. The macro copy is named "TemporaryMaskForEditing." Edit that mask using black or white paint, just as you would any other mask. The difference here is that all this is constructed to allow you to see the photo while you are editing the mask. Just as in the Quick Mask setup, the white portions of the mask will reveal the photo below normally but the black portions of the mask will also show the photo, but covered with a red overlay.
The image below is the immediate result of clicking the third macro.

And, the next image shows an edited mask after using black and white paint on the mask layer.

4) Edit Mask with Red Overlay - Finalize
Click on the fourth macro with the edited mask selected. The edited mask will be placed as a child in the photo, the old mask will still be there but remains invisible, and all the other stuff is deleted. The image below shows the result of the 4th macro.

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No guarantees are made, and there are certainly some scenarios where this might not work. But, if it fulfills a need for you, it's yours.
Create:Edit Masks with Red Overlay.afmacros

78deluxe...
The FastRawViewer Preferences are daunting, to say the least. There are so many options, it's hard to know how to set it up. However, on the last page of the Preferences (the tab noted as "Other" in the list) you can set how often the application looks for updates. I have it set to every 7 days. In my experience, these updates are not terribly frequent; I imagine that's because the application is not one that is continually adding new features (other than new cameras to support). Check out the blog portion of their site ( https://www.fastrawviewer.com/blog ) for specifics about what's new in each of their updates. Also, they say that they do not put the newest updates into the "auto check for updates" results for a while, in case an update is seriously flawed. Currently, they are on version 1.5.6 – my version is 1.5.4 and when I check for updates, it will tell me I'm up to date.

So, turns out I was wrong about that. I saved my shortcuts and then hit the "Clear All Shortcuts" button, and then the "Reset" button. This, I assume, brought me back to the default shortcuts pre-packaged with Affinity Photo. Lo and behold, the "D" shortcut for "Set Fill to Black and White" was there. So somewhere along the line, I must have gotten rid of it and subsequently thought it was never there in the first place. I was incorrect – the "D" shortcut is the default choice.

Based on a recent thread started by user Steps, I have finalized and am attaching a macro called "Graphic Novel Effect." It is similar to the "Paint by Numbers" macro I created a while back, but offers better control of the black outlines that are needed in a cartoon or a graphic novel illustration.
The attached file is a macros category (not a single macro) and can be imported through the Affinity Photo Library panel. Once inside Affinity Photo, the category contains a single macro which can be moved into a different category (by dragging it) if desired. Since it is provided as a category, it can also be imported into the iPad version of AP.
When you use the macro, it creates a number of layers inside a group (which can be turned on and off to show or hide the effect entirely). The user is presented with 5 options in a dialog:
1) Posterize - How Many Colors?
The macro is preset to 5 color levels, but anywhere between 4 and 6 generally gives a decent result.
2) Outlines - Adjust Black [line thickness]
This option is preset to 50%, but changing the value will make the black outlines more or less prominent.
3) Outlines - Adjust White [fill smoothness]
This option is preset to 90%. Changing the value will affect the fill (inside the outlines). Keep the value above the value set in option #2 (line thickness).
4) Finish - Adjust the Brightness
5) Finish - Adjust the Contrast
These are preset to Brightness = -15% and Contrast = +30%. Changes made here will have the obvious results, and should be considered a finishing touch.
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As always, I am one person with one computer and have not tested this in every possible scenario. Try it and, if you like it, keep it and enjoy it. This forum has provided me with so many good ideas and answers to questions; this macro is another attempt to “pay it forward.”
Graphic Novel Effect.afmacros

Jowday...  Set it here:

Jowday...  Set it here:

In response to a post I made last May, MJSfoto1956 suggested the use of Blend Options as an alternative to more traditional luminosity masks. It turns out that the use of the Blend Options panel, combined with a little math, makes luminosity based selections quite effective. The trouble is that the method is cumbersome if you do them from scratch each time.

What I have created is a series of Macros that automates the process. The attached afmacros file contains macros for creating Luminosity Selections in their usual and anticipated forms: Lights 1 through Lights 4, Darks 1 through Darks 4, and Midtones 1 through Midtones 4.

Notes:

1) Each action will select a luminosity-based portion of the selected layer.
2) NO additional channels are created, so files don’t become bloated.
3) Once the selection is made, it can be used for an adjustment layer, a mask, a live filter, etc. It can be deselected (like any selection). It can be replaced by using a different selection (e.g., click on Lights 2 to replace the selection made by Lights 1).

Caveats:

4) You must have a Pixel layer or an Image layer selected for the macros to work properly. If you have any other type of layer selected, or if you have NO layer selected, the results you get will be wrong.
5) The macros will undo any Blend Options you may have set on the selected layer.
6) I am one person with one computer. Obviously, I have not tested these macros in every possible situation. Use them if you like them. No guarantees are made.
7) However, if you like them, they are yours. They are my way of saying “thank you” to the Forum for helping me learn a wonderful piece of software!
Luminosity Selections.afmacros.zip

John... I always thought I was good at math, but I didn't catch that. Using DR=SR/DR and so forth certainly makes the typing easier. And the results are the same! Good catch.
FDK... If you have more than one layer, but all the layers above the image are adjustments, you could just put the pixel layer above the photo layer and do the Apply Image there. If you've got multiple layers with pixels on them, then doing a Merge Visible at the top of the stack would get you a summary photo to work on; put the filled pixel layer on top, just above the Merge Visible layer. That would work.
Murfee… Your method also seems to work. You must be better at math than all of us!