awakenedbyowls

To separate the two shapes out into the relevant intersecting parts? This is what Boolean operations are for right? How else would I achieve the end result I'm looking for. There is probably another way using interest and subtract on two variations of the overlapping SS's...

I don't think the concept of a perfect circle exist anywhere in the universe (apart from in concept) I'd like to know how to get close with the Bezzies anyway..

Not sure I follow. If I take that double SS and first perform a divide on it, then select only the parts I want and try to add them - they are all individual layers comprising one basic shape topology and they are all touching - why do I end up with this?

Is there some logical reason why shapes in layers must be joined in order to be added as one layer?

Same reason I learned how to do arithmetic in school before I used a calculator.

There are only two layers in that file. The dark blue was created by some kind of subtractive Boolean, where the two original S shapes overlapped. I also use Boolean I think to get rid of the ends of the S's. And the original S I drew had a slight kink in it too, it wasn't a perfect circular curve. I'm trying to figure out how to draw a perfect circle using the pen tool.

Not sure you are doing it the same way I did, in any case I can't remember now exactly what. This is essentially what I was working with when trying to Add the two layers. I tried to recreate this the way I think I did it and I can't seem to recreate the initial S shapes I drew using the Pen tool, snapping to the grid and snapping the handles to one square every second node to create nice circular bends - now the edges have a slight kink in them. Anyway, in trying to recreate my steps I now have a second design for the S which I am considering instead now anyway. S.afdesign

If I do that it also fills in the holes. edit - however I managed to achieve a square boundary box by performing a series of Boolean operation where I added then used separate layers for the holes to subtract out the holes again, which seems like an awfully convoluted way of performing what should be a straightforward one-click operation???

All the curves are closed as far as I see. I found some extra nodes that didn't seem to fit the symmetry of what I did previously in the middle bit, so I deleted all the nodes in between the two points so that the hole in the large S shape overlapped the middle bit and added, which seemed to work better - but then it added an extra bit of curve inside the shape down near the bottom, so I just filled that bit in as well in the same way and then it all added together properly. And it also automatically reset the boundary box that time.. I don't really understand how or why small imperfections seemed to creep in there and ruin my work flow. Maybe it was something I did, or maybe it's the software. As for unusual to have problems with add (you say) I was working with objects I previously performed subtractive Boolean operations on. One thing about Illustrator that I find works better is the ability to just click and delete sections in overlapping objects.

I'm trying to design a logo and keep everything neat and dimensioned, and the S in the logo is causing me problems. I started off drawing two S's and overlapping them, then I performed a Boolean operation and deleted some nodes to achieve the following shapes that make up the single shape I've trying to create (see first two images - I have separated the layers so you can see the two shapes I'm trying to add) However, when I try to add them together (which should be a straightforward operation) I get the shape shown in the third image, which clearly isn't what I want. What am I doing wrong, or is it a bug? Also, I want to adjust the angle of the shape and then shrink it down in the horizontal axis but when I select it I end up with an angled selection - how do I reformat the selection so that it's square? Help.

Is there a way to select a group of layers and rename them all at once? This would be handy for selecting layers based on their name. I know I can group them but I'm trying to avoid having to many groups and sub groups..

Took me a while to find that, but it's not having any effect whether or not it's selected or not. I still can't multi-select anything with the node tool. I thought maybe it was something to do with shift and I needed to hold that - but no on another layer it appears to work regardless of whether I have Edit All Layers selected. On this particular design though it won't allow me to select anything other than directly through the layers panel. Incidentally, it was on a design I had issues using the Boolean operation on a part of it - adding curves that I had already created using Booleans. I have tried deleted certain parts of that and still I am unable to multi-select with the node tool..

I just had problems with the Boolean operation attempting to add some shapes comprising a letter 'S' I was working on today for a logo. I used two overlapping S shapes and the resulting shape I wanted was made up of one or two subtractive Boolean operations, and some deletion of nodes but when I went to add them all together into one shape it instead started creating more shape layers rather than less, and adding fill where I didn't want it 😒

The above image is taken from a file with lots of layers containing hundreds of fine brush strokes. I was playing around with the features, experimenting and ended up with a loads of layers I probably don't need now. This new set up I've got shouldn't be causing me any issues regarding graphical performance so I'll be keeping an eye on that and setting up regular autosaves. I can often be quite messy with my work flow but I'm trying to get more organised with it. That was lots of fun in Illustrator, grouping things into layers and sub layers and then when you open the file back up Illustrator farts all the layers open so you have to take time and close them all down so you could see where you were. And there was the way it kept flinging layers open when you were working. Thankfully Affinity seems to be a lot better in that regard. I'll take a look through your pointers there in a few days, cheers 👍

I'm trying to multi select objects using the node tool but it's just not working. I happen to have some of these objects in different layers but they are all unlocked and the artboard isn't locked, very frustrating. This is of no use to me if this is a bug and not simply me doing something wrong! It seems to be only a problem when objects are arranged in groups/layers of groups? edit: Actually I don't think I know where to start with some of the annoying possible bugs or stupid ways of doing things I'm coming across today..

👍 Embedded files sound like the way to go as I'm plotting a humungous project with lots of detail. Show me the way to embedded files. EDIT I just converted the above design to a .png file (~3MB) with a transparent background and copied into another design (~30MB) and it shot up 70MB to about 100MB. What's that all about? Something to do with PNG being in RGB and my main design is in CMYK maybe? It does seem to work better when exported to TIFF in CMYK, only added 10MB to the file.

My first creation using my new XP-Pen Artist 13.3 Pro. Very pleased with this piece of kit and impressed at how must it speeds up the whole process. Not sure how to deal with all these fine brush strokes though? Already caused the program to lock up once last night and file size heading towards 100MB? There must be a way to flatten or something? I tried adding all the brushes in each layer together into one layer, but that ended up increasing the file size and running a bit slow..

Got my new XP-Pen Artist 13.3 Pro yesterday and very happy with it - why has it taken me so long to invest in one of these things? Really speeds up work flow, avoids wrist strain from using a mouse and opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Some minor issues I have experienced so far though: I don't find the pen that sensitive to pressure, although it's not bad for a passive device. One thing I noticed when trying to draw a butterfly's antennae; I was using a vector brush and wanted to apply more pressure right at the end so it had a little bulb on the end, but whenever I did that it seemed to fill back along the whole stroke so rather than appearing as a thin line and a blob on the end it had a gradual increase in stroke width. I did achieve the desired effect in the end somehow though, but only through repeating the same stroke several times. I'm a bit confused as to why there are settings for pressure curve in the context box and the brush settings which seem to apply the settings independently; whereas the brush width - if you change that in the brush settings it automatically adjusts this setting in the context box (but not the other way around)? EDIT: Also does anyone know how to save Express Key Settings? Every time I turn on my XP-Pen I have to reconfigure this. I tried import and export configuration in the settings but that didn't seem to apply to the keys.

What a disappointment finding out this feature isn't there..

Was this ever implemented? I'm trying to work out how to get the pencil tool to do this. Seems like a fairly basic feature to me.

I'm experiencing bad lag issues on my new XP-Pen Artist 13.3 Pro. Where and how do I enable this Legacy Tablet input (whatever that does)? EDIT the problem doesn't seem to be there on other brushes, it only seems to affect some - perhaps those brushes which have more detailed srtrokes. So maybe not a major issue..

I'm ultimately aiming for print work, and I know all about how complicated that can get. I often will send test templates with orders to my print company with a view to ordering the right ones next time, or I'll order 3 variations at low cost. I'm currently making a start on a project I've been trying to motivate myself to do since I got this machine 6 months ago. Right now it's mostly greyscale so I'm working in CMYK/8 however ultimately I intend to add plenty of colour to it, as well as producing a variety of end results. I want to reimage an elaborate design I made in Gimp 10 years ago from landscape and wildlife photography into vector art and/or digital painting. After a few hours working on that today I have to say I'm really happy with the vector tool in Affinity (as opposed to Illustrator). No annoying bugs and resultantly a far more productive work pace 👍 Is it better to stay in CMYK mode until later when the bones are in place, then convert to sRGB later? Or should I just stay in CMYK if the ultimate aim is for printing. Of course I want to share them online and on my website so technically I'm aiming for both.

So I had a read of this page ^ Interesting about the colourimeter - didn't know such a contraption existed. I'm not sure what AD or my browser are doing with regards to colour management, or how that relates to my monitor settings though. I did google "what's the difference between RGB and sRGB" though (because I've never bothered to ask that before) and the internet said: ..which is potentially useful since both my PC and monitor are HP, and of course I'm using Windows. So does this mean I'm probably already working with as near to dammit as I could hope for calibrated equipment and I should just keep calm and carry on, or is there something I need to do to tweak the settings for optimum design visualisation?

Funnily enough I just opened up the jpg file in Edge and it matches the colour in Affinity, whereas in Photos or Paint it oversaturates. I sort of understand what you are saying there, but perhaps this require further research on my part via link posted by Joachim_L. I feel more confident now that there isn't anything wrong with my computer.

The second image on the right is the file in AD before I export it to jpg and open in Photos (the image on the left). Hope that clears up any confusion.