TinPianoMan

Check which file format your t-shirt fulfliment house takes. Usually, a png of around 2400px x 3000px will do the job.

I'd like to see the existing tutorials supplemented by a series called something like Basics for Beginners. When I started using AP and AD in December, I had no idea what was going on in some of the tutorials because what I wanted to do was a task that assumed I already had some basic knowledge in place. When I returned to the same tutorial a month later, a lot more made sense.

To take an example, it took me a lot of messing around to get the hang of how to select a color with the color picker and then apply it.
 
Likewise, the erase function.
 
I'd like to see a well-labelled, easy-to-search catalogue of tutorials or maybe 10-30 secs that show how to do the simplest of things.

Here's the latest update on the saga.
 
I used the subtract and combine tricks to rework the text - thank you for highlighting this feature for me, I'd never used it before.
 
I then decided to export all four layers separately as both .eps and .svg and supply them to the printer, along with a psb version that I created with everything in a single file.
 
And still the printer's proof wasn't right. They said they couldn't import the .psb file. So my guess is they were simply trying to bring everything into their system and not actually doing any pre-work.
 
So I bit the bullet and paid for one month's AI to rebuild the file in myself using the very same files I'd sent to the printer.
 
But I've never used AI before and couldn't work out how to do the equivalent of AD's erase blend.
 
In the end, I outsourced the job and sent my AI file along with my layered files. Then I sent the resulting reworked .ai file to the printer and the proof was spot-on.
 
So... what I've learned from this is:
 
designing for the web is infinitely simpler than designing for print AD is much more my kind of tool than AI (which is way too sophisticated for my needs) some printers are less than helpful Thanks once again for all the guidance and input along the way. It's been a long and bumpy road and I'd never have reached the end without the help I got here.

Ungroup and select all the blue elements and combine them. Do the same with the black ones. Now select the two objects and subtract them.
 
I would do the above on a word by word basis.

Select the black and blue layers in the 'shadow' group, Option/Alt-click the 'Subtract' icon on the Geometry toolbar and then reset the fill colour to black. This will give you a compound object whose components can be returned at any time (via the 'Release' option on the context menu) to their original form as editable text. More importantly, it will remain as vector: if you use the 'Erase' blend mode, the result is a bitmap/raster object.

BTW, they really ought not to be opening PDFs, but especially in AI. CD does a better job, but a PDF is more or less a "baked" final format and that, if supplied, is what ought to be used to send to the RIP. But large format printers are notorious for old work-flows like this. And it is wrong in the modern age (i.e., after the year 2000). There are large format printers I use that send the PDF direct to the RIP. I wouldn't use one that opened a PDF for editing.
 
Which is why, after all your efforts of using AI, send them the AI file with the type converted to outlines (curves). This is another practice I refuse to comply with and haven't ever, since 1989, ever sent a native file anywhere in the world.

If you downloaded the AI trial, use it. Export from AD in parts to SVG using only elements that will export as vector and open them and combine them in AI. What I mean is to turn off adjustment layers and if you have transparent objects or other FX on elements, turn them off.
 
Start a new AI document at 100% size. Open the SVG export(s) as files instead of Placing them in AI. Copy and paste those elements in AI.
 
If you have an image, import (place) that directly in AI.
 
They are using some PDF output CMYK color profile. You really need to ask them which it is and I would be surprised if any place outside the USA is using US SWOP.
 
But you still ought to recolor the background to achieve the color you desire. That is reasonably easy in AI as you can select an object and opt to Select Same for the fill color.

Thanks Alfred. I'm not surprised - it didn't seem right when I thought I read it, which I clearly didn't. That also explains why Fido keeps ignoring the bones I give him.  :)
 
The PDF shuffle must be what I read somewhere - I'll give it a try. Thanks!

I'm afraid you've misunderstood. You can't change a *.afdesign file to AI format by changing the filename extension, any more than you can change a cat to a dog by naming it Fido. ;) What you can do, however, is export to PDF and then change the extension from .pdf to .ai; when you do this, Adobe Illustrator should treat it like any other AI file that has been saved with PDF compatibility. :)

Hi TinPianoMan,
You didn't specify which platform/version you are using. Assuming it's a Mac and you are running the Mac App Store versions of our apps this isn't currently working because Affinity Designer 1.5.1 is using an updated version of our file format while Affinity Photo 1.4.3 still uses the "old" (and now incompatible) one. As soon as Affinity Photo 1.5 is out both will start working again as usual. If you need this functionality now you can install the latest Betas of Photo 1.5 and Designer 1.5 for Mac. Alternatively just wait a little more until Photo 1.5 becomes available.

Welcome to the forum seabreeze :)
 
I can see from the description that these files use Smart Objects. Our apps will open PSD files that contain Smart Objects but they will be automatically rasterised. This will most probably cause issues when trying to make changes to the PSD file.
 
Without seeing a sample file it's hard to say if they will work fine in our apps, sorry.

Ok thanks. If you want to limit the effect of the Erase Blend mode to just a few layers, place them (and the mottled effect layer) inside a group or layer. All other layers outside that group/layer will not be affected by it.

Hello MEB,
 
8 months later and we are still waiting for this very useful feature. Can you point me to the  "beta" version you mentioned which has already implemented this feature, please?
 
Thank you
 

Thanks Leigh... So much to learn!

You could also change the Text Layer's Opacity to 75% and its Blend Mode to Soft Light. This should make it look more natural :)
 
Oh, and don't forget an Inner Shadow :)

Hi TinPianoMan,
 
this is a nice effect and I will make a tutorial about that in future.
Depending upon the picture, it will be easy or difficult.
 
The easy way (but not the best):
You need a texture of your cracks. You're right. It it possible with the build-in brushes. There are several grunge brushes.
Make your texture on a layer over your photo, which you want to be effected.
Set the blend mode to something like "multiply".
You can mask out unwanted areas.
 
But for a complex result, you also need to enforce the cracks with curves, add shadows/contours with dodge & burn, displace to the object ....
 
Perhaps this helps.
 
Ciao Jack 

Apple Pencil on iPad Pro is my favorite stylus/iPad combo. Previously I had iPad Air 1 with bluetooth styluses--that combo didn't really compare. For anybody looking at the smaller form factor, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the smaller version of iPad Pro, assuming it works similarly to the current one.

and here https://www.google.com/search?q=cracked+canvas+texture&newwindow=1&espv=2&biw=1664&bih=1289&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwifj7HvhbfLAhVDEywKHYG5DBIQsAQIGw#imgrc=beDvse-qIsROPM%3A you can find some nice examples of cracked canvas textures.

You can play with blend modes, or you can use filter>distort>displace.
 
In both cases you need two layers, one with the picture and one with the texture.
 
Here's a video about blend modes.
 
And here's a video about displace.

In my experience, you may have to tweak the settings as they may be all dialed differently in AD/AP. You would have to figure out what to tweak.
 
 

Hi TinPianoMan,
 
Can I first ask what physical size you are having the item printed at and what DPI your printer requires? There may be a simple solution to the problem. You should always just make the document at the actual size you intend to get it printed at and set the DPI to the requested value in the document setup - this way the output will always have just the right amount of pixel data when rasterisation is required.
 
As R C-R has stated, the problem is that by adding noise (which is a randomised gaussian noise) you are dramatically reducing the likelihood of the PNG compression being able to reduce the file size at all as it is a lossless format and you can't compress things that don't have some form of repetition or re-use (which a randomised gaussian noise is unlikely to have). Similarly, the SVG file you are making will also contain an embedded PNG so will suffer from the same problem (as there is no notion of 'noise' in SVG's format specification, so it will be sent out as a bitmap). If you ever see the file size drop dramatically you are probably either producing a lossy-compressed image (JPEG for example) or you are reducing the number of pixels in the output image.
 
Thanks in advance,
Matt

No answer for a one button solution.....And...Up to you to determine what's "easy"...
 
But surely on shapes like these drawing a custom mask has got to be easier than adding and subtracting pixels around the perimeter with the selection brush. 
 
... 'bout two/three minutes with the pen. 

I hope this helps
 
The majority of the settings found in the Clear User Data window can be found in: 
 
For Mac:
/Users/{your username}/Library/Containers/com.seriflabs.affinityphoto/Data/Library/Application Support/user/
 
For Windows:
C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Affinity\Photo\1.0\user\
 
Clear User Defaults This will clear any custom settings made within the Preferences panel. It will also reset any changes made to the Toolbar, Tools and Context Toolbar back to their default settings. This option is also available in Preferences > Misc > Reset User Defaults.   Don’t Restore Windows and Documents This is normally used to stop the app from trying to restore a previous document that closed unexpectedly.   Reset Studio This resets all panels in the Studio back to their default positions. This is the same as View > Studio > Reset   Reset Object Styles This will delete any custom styles added to the Styles Panel. This option is also available in Preferences > Misc > Reset Object Styles   These settings are stored in objectstyles.propcol and can also be exported from Styles Panel.   Reset File Exports This will delete any custom File Export presets made in File > Export and the Export Persona.   These settings are stored in: file_export_options.dat (  If you have no custom presets this file will not exist )   Reset Snapping Options Presets This will delete any custom presets made within Snapping.   These settings are stored in: snapping_options.dat (  If you have no custom presets this file will not exist )   Reset Fills This will delete any Application Palettes you've added to the Swatches Panel. It will also delete any colours added to the default palettes such as Grey, Colours & Gradients. This option is also available in Preferences > Misc > Reset Fills.   These settings are stored in fills.propcol and can be exported from the Swatches Panel   Reset Brushes This will delete any brushes imported into the app and will reset all brushes within the app back to their default settings. This option is also available in Preferences > Misc > Reset Brushes.   These settings are stored in raster_brushes.propcol and can be exported from the Brushes Panel   Reset Font Replacements This will delete font replacements specified when opening files that contain fonts that are not installed. Replacement fonts are automatically selected the next time you open a file missing the same font.   These settings are stored in: font_map.dat (  If you have no font replacements this file will not exist )
 
Please note: This is different from Preferences > Misc > Reset Fonts. This option forces Affinity to Reload/Repopulate fonts listed in the app. This can be useful when using 3rd Party apps to load fonts.
  Reset Adjustments This will delete any custom presets found in the Adjustment Panel. These are created from Adjustments layers.    These settings are stored in: adjustments.propcol   Reset Macro Library This will delete custom Macros.   These settings are stored in: macros.propcol   Reset Develop Presets This will delete any custom presets saved in the Basic, Lens, Details, Tones and Overlays Panels in the Develop Persona.   These settings are stored in: develop.propcol   Reset Crop Tool Presets This will delete any custom presets saved within the Crop Tool.   These settings are stored in: croppresets.propcol   Reset Keyboard Shortcuts This will delete any custom keyboard shortcuts. You will need to export these by going to Preferences > Keyboard Shortcuts > Save before resetting.

Hi BatteriesInc,
You can Copy and then Paste Style if the object only has a Fill. Currently it's not possible to choose which attributes are pasted from the style you copied.
If you do that regularly you can create an application palette going to the Swatches panel, clicking on the small menu icon on the top right and selecting Add Application Palette and save the colours there. The palette will be available from both documents in the Swatches panel.

Probably a "duh" question, but what is the best way to copy a colour between two open AD documents (in tabs)?
 
Each tab is its own microcosm so they don't share colours in use.  At present I just copy a coloured object between the tabs and use that, but I'm sure there must be a far more efficient way..
 
Cheers!