Harster13

see below

It's been about 16 months since I originally posted this question. I just tried SEVERAL times to duplicate my success in creating a rectangular transparency and I was totally UNSUCCESSFUL! I think it's about time for Serif to wake up and do it right, like they did with DrawPlus!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hello - is anyone paying attention out there? SERIF?

After reading all these replies, You guys are all way ahead of me - and I do appreciate all the contributions. Thank you all! carl123, sorry, I was mistaken and I have nothing to add.

Thank you reglico. I think you provided me with another option in addition to the one I was looking for. I was able to figure out my answer on my own, but you've added an option.

Hello, I'm admittedly a relative beginner at graphic design and I only have significant experience using DrawPlus. I mostly design logos, then print documents like flyers, then banners for web pages. My big question here is regarding logo design. When I send files to clients, I normally send JPGs and PNGs, both full res. and optimized for web display, and I also send PDFs for printing and usually a source file like an EPS, SVG and now with AD I MIGHT also send a PSD. If they want an AI file, I just rename a PDF. So here's the big question. With AD there are many document setup color options and I'm not really familiar with any of them, other than choosing between designing in the RGB or CMYK color space. If I have to choose one color Format and one color Profile in the document setup, as in the screenshot, that will give me the optimal results for my clients, what two choices should I make? I think I understand that maybe this is a BIG, loaded question and there are likely to be many opinions. PLEASE let me have yours. Thank you!

Is it possible to apply a bitmap fill to a line (yeah, yeah, now I gotta say stroke, even though it IS a line) like I could in DrawPlus? I found how to do it with a shape, but how about with a line? Thank you.

Alfred - don't have a clue why dropping the rectangle onto the image thumbnail didn't work for me, but I obviously screwed something up and I'm glad I got the job done somehow too. Thanks for explaining the image issue too.

I'm embarrassed. It's apparently going to take this old man forever to learn my way around AD. So much of the terminology is new to me, that the tutorials, written or video, cause me to glaze over. I learn best by doing what I need to do, and I'm sorry you guys will sometimes pay the price. Since my last post (#17), I took a shower and that's where it came to me. Boy am I a dummy! In my defense, I'm so used to working in DrawPlus that I didn't even think to add a mask layer before I added the rectangle. Once I did that, it all went perfectly. I just want to thank all of you. You guys are great and here's my result (I still don't know how to get the image to show up in this post other than as a thumbnail attachment).

Sorry guys, that didn't do it for me. I have the feeling I'm missing just one little thing. Everything seems to go smoothly, but when I get to the final step, it just cuts off the edge of the photo like I had cropped it.

JimmyJack - I apologize for being such an ignorant beginner, but I am finding it impossible to duplicate what you have done here. I opened your example in AD, but how you got there I don't understand. Can you give me a screenshot or two of the process?

Designer, windows: is there a rectangular transparency coming? That's the question. Simple. Thank you all for your suggestions. Some don't work and I'm afraid some I don't understand. Here's what I'm talking about. It's easy in DrawPlus as the attachment shows and I guess I can just do it there and then export it and import into Affinity Designer when I want that effect. I also don't understand how to add an attachment and have it appear as part of the post. On my screen it attaches as a link that disappears after I view it and return to the post. WTF???

MikeW, sorry. I'm not used to this forum and I find it a bit confusing. After my 1st post I realized I should be posting elsewhere, so I just copied and pasted it here.

No - I'm not spoiled. I was told B-Spline would be part of Affinity Designer. Since I paid, I think I have a right to know WHEN that will happen.

B-Spline Tool, B-Spline Tool, B-Spline Tool. How many people must ask for this and how many times? Back at the end of June I asked about this and the reply was (after some hemming and hawing) that it would be included after some of the bugs were worked out in the beta. Well here we are. I spent my money on the full release version and still no B-Spline tool. I spent my money because I was told it would be included. WHEN WILL WE GET THE B-SPLINE TOOL! This is something that others have STRONGLY requested. It is the one indispensable tool for intuitively drawing SMOOTH lines and yet you have left it out. I see no reason to be nice about this anymore. WHEN????

It still needs the B-Spline tool! PLEASE!

I'm just adding to this - As far as I'm concerned, the B-Spline tool is essential. I completely understand that Serif wants to offer Affinity Designer for Windows as a polished package, but I think you may be guilty of some wrong thinking here. B-Spline is equivalent to a leg. By offering Affinity Designer without the B-Spline you are offering a package with a broken leg. It would be better to take the time to add B-Spline NOW, rather than making what are essentially cosmetic changes by fixing little quirks. I'm sure you think it is the other way around, but not me. There are too many of us who use B-Spline frequently, for this feature to be sitting on the shelf. I could (and would) be using Affinity Designer every day rather than just checking for updates, hoping it will be a useful package at some point. Just my opinion of course......

I understand why Serif would use terminology familiar to Adobe users, but for those of us who have only used Serif software, the Adobe terminology is like a new language. Functions are found in different places, with different names. I will certainly find it harder to justify buying a product that requires learning the program from scratch. Will Serif continue to support and develop DrawPlus?

Alfred, thanks for the "smart mode" hint. After watching a couple of tutorials, that was quite helpful. Still not as good as the B-spline tool, but, an improvement.

Hello, I've found that using DrawPlus, the B-Spline tool is by far more intuitive and easier to use than the Pen tool. I just watched the Affinity Pen tool tutorial and I'm left with the same impression. The Pen tool is unnecessarily complicated and would take much longer to learn to use than the relatively more intuitive B-Spline tool. I probably won't even use Affinity until it has the B-Spline tool. Does anyone have an estimate as to when the B-Spline tool will be available in Affinity?

Thank you Matt. That is enough to maintain my interest and exploration. YES!!!

I can live with ctrl+Z for undo and if I understand you correctly the B-spline tool will be there at some point, yes? How about calligraphic lines? Is this on the agenda or will it be? Maybe? Thanks

Three questions really: Where is the B-Spline tool or equivalent? And where is the calligraphic line tool or equivalent? Where is the undo arrow? Sometimes that is easier than keyboard shortcuts. Without the B-spline tool this software is useless to me and the calligraphic line tool is very useful too. Thank you