user_0815

As long as Affinity continues to be a stand alone product with an affordable perpetual license, I’m fine. 

Just wanted to share a recent alternative movie poster I created for the film, Alita Battle Angel.
The poster is completely hand-drawn in Affinity Photo 2. As I've noted before, I enjoy the hand-drawn and coloured posters by the likes of Drew Struzan and contemporary artists like Paul Shipper and Kyle Lambert.
This work was completed primarily using the Natural Pencil 2B brush (the underlying sketch) and the Round Soft Brush (colouring over and clouds) with more Natural Pencil 2B coloured pencil over the top for the highlights and detail. There is some use of texture brushes such as spatters and custom dust etc. There are no fancy filters or tricks used. I treat the canvas and drawing as though I were working with real physical media and so start with a scanned 'paper' background. I use an XP Pen pen display connected to my MacBook Pro as my workstation.

Frequency Separation is a useful concept for touching up photos. But there are some foundational concepts that should be understood to make the most out of this technique. In this video, I’ll cover these concepts from the ground up. 
 

Variable fonts
Apps: Affinity Designer, Affinity Photo, Affinity Publisher
Platforms: All
You're now able to use variable fonts in all Affinity apps, providing a plethora of new typographic design possibilities.
As well as providing predefined font styles, such as light, bold and condensed, variable fonts give you fine control of specific design aspects known as axes of variation, or just axes for short.
To try out variable fonts in Affinity, apply one to some text and then:
- On desktop, click the Font Variations button on the context toolbar (or on the Character Panel).
- On iPad, tap the arrow to the right of Bold/Italic/Underline/Strikethrough on the Text Panel and then tap Variations.
Variation settings on desktop.

 
 
Variation settings on iPad.

 
You'll see settings for each axis that the font designer has made individually adjustable.

Axis' slider being dragged.
Many variable fonts allow you to adjust their width and weight axes, and possibly italic, optical size and slant. These five axes are common enough that they're defined by the OpenType specification.
All manner of other axes may also be adjustable, such as:
- the height of ascenders and depth of descenders to better fit your chosen line spacing.
- the stem terminals, to choose between straight and swelling.
- the width of counters, which are enclosed and partially enclosed spaces within glyphs.
For examples of other possible axes, check out the axis definitions that are available for variable fonts at Google Fonts.
You may see fewer axes in Affinity than are mentioned by a font provider's marketing. For example, Google Fonts lists 13 axes for Roboto Flex and Affinity exposes five of them. This is because we respect font designers' ability to specify that an axis should be hidden. This is part of the OpenType specification and means that software isn't meant to provide an interface for such axes.
Why would a designer do this? Well, a variable font might adjust an axis internally based on your choices for other axes that you can directly adjust. For example, observe how counter widths change when the weight axis is adjusted in the animation above.

Variable fonts and PDFs
PDF doesn't support variable fonts. So, when you export a PDF of an Affinity document that uses a variable font, we create a static instance of the font with fixed settings.
We've taken steps to ensure static instances of fonts are well named. You should find this minimises the need to identify the original variable fonts if you later import or place the resulting PDFs.

There are a few other minor improvements to mention in 2.5:
1. Some new cameras have been added to LibRAW:
FujiFilm X100VI Leica SL3 Pentax KF (Rioch) Samsung Galaxy S23+ Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Sony ILCE-9M3 (A9 III) [improved] 2. As was requested in a few places before and on the last beta, when you have "Transform objects separately" checked and have a multi-selection, if you type a value in either the width or height field and precede it with an equals sign (e.g. H: '=100px') then it will set all objects in that selection to have that specific width or height value entered. This is opposed to scaling the other objects in your selection proportionally based on the key object which is he result you get without the equals sign.
3. DWG polylines import improvements
We have made some substantial improvements when importing polylines, which now ignores the cached points which AutoCAD creates. This simplifies the resulting curves substantially.

Apps: All
Platforms: macOS, Windows and iPad
A new QR Code tool is now available from the shapes flyout in the toolbar, making it easy to add a QR code to your documents. 
After creating or selecting a QR Code object you will find a 'Payload' option in the context toolbar. Here you can type whatever URL you want the QR code to link to when it is scanned.


In addition to URLs you can use other syntax as detailed below to have the QR code trigger other functions when scanned by a device:
SMS
Payload structure: SMSTO:number:text message
Eg. SMSTO:07513123456:Hello mate!
GEO location
Payload structure: GEO:lat:lon:height
Eg. GEO:40.71872,-73.98905,100
WIFI credentials
Payload structure: WIFI:S:ssid;T:type;P:password;;
Eg. WIFI:S:MyWiFiSSID;T:WPA;P:MyPassW0rd;;

hi @Ash  I tested and wanted to thank you for this massive improvement

I use pencil tool every day and this was one of the most game changer feature for illustrators like me,

Also I'm really happy to see these tools getting attention.

I did a video to show my followers how affinity is getting better and better
 
 

Apps: Designer
Platforms: macOS, Windows and iPad
We have made some further improvements to the pencil tool.
Firstly we are now using a new curve smoothing algorithm which we believe gives general better, smoother, results when using the pencil tool.
Secondly as has been commonly requested we have now changed the "Auto-close" method so that when you have that option checked in the context toolbar the curve only closes when you are near to the start point of the curve being drawn. You will now get an indicator when you are in range of the start position of the curve so you know when a curve will be auto-closed.

Apps: Designer
Platforms: macOS, Windows and iPad
Affinity Designer now includes a new width tool which is available by default alongside the pencil tool in your toolbar:

The Line Width Tool gives you an on-document way of editing the pressure profile of any curve. For example the curve below has 3 pressure points (5 including the start and end pressure). While in the Line Width tool the position of those points are shown along the curve, and you have the ability to drag to change the width and position of them. 
You can also click to add a new pressure point, or double click to remove any pressure point on a curve.

There are various modifiers available which you can see in the status bar:
Shift + Drag - allows you to modify the width at any point without adjusting it's position
Cmd (Mac) / Ctrl (Win) + Click - manually enter the width required at the chosen point
Ctrl (Mac) / Ctrl (Win) + Drag - move the point position without adjusting the width
Double click - remove pressure point
Additionally you will find some other options in the context toolbar when using this tool:

Adjust Line Weight - if this is turned on then should you drag the width of any point to be greater than the current line width (i.e. greater than 100% pressure) the line width will be increased to allow you to drag the width unrestricted. If it is turned off then the maximum width you can drag to is 100% of the set line width.
Allow point reordering - This option allows to you to specify whether you want to allow the tool to drag one point past another along the curve, effectively swapping their order, or not.
Snap to curve nodes - This will show any nodes on the curve as small white dots and will snap any pressure points to those nodes
Snap to widths on same curve - this will snap the width at any pressure point on a curve to other widths which already exist on that curve. This only applies when holding shift (i.e. you are adjusting the width without altering the point position).
Snap to curve geometry - this will snap the width to the geometry of any selected curves (again if you are holding shift). 

color palette for free for everything you want to do with it. have a nice day.

Skin Color.afpalette

Really, if I make a suggestion and they implement the feature, the reward for me is that feature becoming a reality without having to spend thousands of dollars to build it myself.

Compound Masks give you much more power and flexibility when combining masks. Today we’ll look at how to use the Compound Mask feature in Affinity Photo, along with ways to combine them with adjustment layers.
 

This post covers the main bug fixes that are included in 2.4.2. The fixes are organised by operating system.
(A) Bug fixes which affected all platforms 
Export Preview does not correctly display results when using Rasterise = Nothing AF-2284  .CR2/CR3 images import with desaturated/washed out colours when switching between RAW engines (B) Bug fixes which affected Desktop (Windows and macOS)
Customer .docx file placed within a text frame in a new doc gives "Failed to Save" message. AF-2158 Tables: Update from Selection on Default format enables 'Delete' causing app to crash when deleting format. AF-2142 (C) Bugs fixed which specifically affected Windows
Pixel and Pixel Grid gridlines are thicker in v2.4. AF-2167 Attempt to fix RAW files having Artefacts when opened. AF-2178 Crash when changing between Light and Dark UI with stroke panel and unselected curve on page. Crash - adding pages from files and specifying a section to add. Layers panel: layer drop zones broken. AF-2394 Can't undo live filter or adjustment layer creation. AF-2265 CTRL modifier for boolean Add now makes compounds. AF-2432 Grids fail to instantly update on document when modified. AF-2224 Using a keyboard shortcut for Geometry > Add results in a compound shape as if ctrl \+ add was clicked. AF-2444 Builds on arm devices failing to render documents with OpenCL enabled. AF-2173 (D) Bugs fixed which specifically affected macOS
Crash when dropping Promised files into a document. AF-2264 Threadlock opening documents on some devices. AF-2264 Crash clicking Regular Expressions with the layer name text field active. AF-2139 Mac Apps crash when an image is dragged and dropped from a Zip file. AF-2264 Certain RAW images render in black and white when developed AF-2179 (E) Bugs fixed which specifically affected iPad
"Lessons" tab name changes to "Samples" after opening settings.   Affinity Windows applications include the fixes in lists (A)+(B)+(C)
(A) Bugs fixes affecting All Apps
+ (B) Bug fixes affecting desktop Apps
+ (C) those fixes affecting Windows Affinity macOS applications include the fixes in lists (A)+(B)+(D)
(A) Bugs fixes affecting All Apps
+ (B) Bug fixes affecting desktop Apps
+ (D) Bug fixes affecting macOS Affinity iPad applications include the fixes in list (A)+(E)
(A) Bugs fixes affecting All Apps
+ (E) Bug fixes affecting iPads. If you have reported a bug and it is not yet fixed, please do not report it again. More fixes will be made in the forthcoming 2.5 beta cycle.

What you are describing is called defeatism. As in, no matter what one does they fully expect to fail or are excessively willing to accept that they will.
IOW, it is an extremely negative way of looking at the world, one that thankfully is not representative of how most people think.

Thanks @Patrick Connor and @Ash for your professional responses. Really appreciate your contributions and clear explanations here on the forum. Although I, like obviously several others here and on other channels, have a difficult time in believing corporate ways after take overs (by multiple experiences) and only believe it when it's a few years later, it's of no use to stay negative (for nobody. That's just a waste of energy) and it's best to give it the benefit of the doubt and just go with the flow.
 
Thanks a lot for taking the time to respond thoroughly. It shows that you are involved and that's really something. It's also well appreciated that you didn't sensure this thread and kept it open. At least as far as possible for what I can see. As that sometimes must be hard for you I can imagine.
Let's hope everything works out well for everybody here and this turned out to be just a bump in the grand scheme of things   (Which it probably is anyway, as are most things in life! haha 😀) and turned out to be groth in the end everybody is happy with!

I think my Affinity app is snappier since Canva took over!

Thank you Ash and Patrick-- your statements help. I won't be jumping ship anytime soon. I'm content to wait and see what happens.
I must admit that the tone of much of this thread has been a bit more than I can stomach, so I'll probably be just lurking in the shadows, but I wish you all well.

As long as Affinity continues to be a stand alone product with an affordable perpetual license, I’m fine. 

Really appreciate you hopping into the firestorm here and clarifying these items @Ash. I for one will take it at face value and until proven wrong. I look forward to what the future can bring!
*****
I know this isn't the most popular opinion but I just want to say I am willing to give the team at Serif an opportunity to prove themselves. Every one of us on this forum is living a unique life with decisions that need made. We make those decisions using the best information we have at the time, even though they might not make sense to anyone else. It really bothers me to see this barrage of attacks against the leadership at Serif and insinuating that they are only money hungry scrouges looking to make a pile of money. Who is to say each of us wouldn't have made the same decision? 
I do understand too that purchases like the one discussed here have often screwed over the customers. But it isn't necessarily the rule. As someone else pointed out, DaVinci Resolve, was purchased by BMD and the changes that came were great. There is a chance that this merger can have the same results. (If I am wrong in 2 years, I will be disappointed, but then again, there is nothing I could do about it anyway)
Not that I will change anyone's mind for sure, just thought I'd toss my voice into the void to help nudge this forum towards a little more positivity. 😄
Cheers and wishing each person who may read this the very best!

I have looked and Canva previously and decided it's not for me.    I design all my own things, create my own templates.  I have no requirements to use basic ones that someone else has created to their own or some generic requirements.  Same goes for images, etc.  I have NEVER used the Stock option in Affinity.  I have no need.  I create my own.  Why use a stock image that is probably used by thousands of others?  No individuality.   
I also have no interest in working "in the cloud".  In fact, I flatly refuse to do so. 
So, unless Affinity products can operate as standalone products, away from the Canva Cloud Circus, I won't be paying for an upgrade to V3 if that ever happens.  I'll just continue using V2 and forfeit any possible additions. 

Well we did ask them to commit to a perpetual license model. I totally get the pessemism around that pledge. We have all been stung in the past by similar pledges. However all we can do now is continue on and wait and see what happens. I'm not going to bother learning new software just yet. V2 is still being developed and at least for me is able to do all I need to do in this vein. It will be several years before I will need to worry about upgrading.
I'm a cynical bugger by nature but I can be hopeful. Fingers crossed this time the company is telling the truth. It's not like we don't already have enough to be stressed about these days. Let's not add to it if we don't have to.

Adobe stocks were falling in the latest days. I see that the announcement has given them some breathing room.

 
(Just sort of kidding. Financial markets are always the last to acknowledge about real-world innovation).
EDIT: Uh-oh. This is what happened to the Adobe stocks after the solemn promise to never cancel the perpetual license of the Affinity apps:

 

Hi All,

I am thrilled to announce that Affinity is joining the Canva family.
This is a moment of great excitement, anticipation, and profound gratitude for all of you who have been part of our story so far. 
We know that those of you who’ve put your faith in Affinity, some since we launched our very first Mac app, will have questions about what this means for the future of our products. Since the inception of Affinity, our mission has been to empower creatives with tools that unleash their full potential, fostering a community where innovation and artistry flourish. We've worked tirelessly to challenge the status quo, delivering professional-grade creative software that is both accessible and affordable. 
None of that changes today.
In Canva, we’ve found a kindred spirit who can help us take Affinity to new levels. Their extra resources will mean we can deliver much more, much faster. Beyond that, we can forge new horizons for Affinity products, opening up a world of possibilities which previously would never have been achievable. 
Canva’s revolutionary approach to design democratisation and commitment to empowering everyone to create aligns perfectly with our core values and vision. This union is a testament to what can be achieved when two companies that share a common goal of making design accessible and enjoyable for everyone come together. 
I want to express my deepest gratitude to our incredible Affinity team. Your passion, dedication, and relentless pursuit of excellence have been the driving force behind our success so far, and I can’t wait to continue this journey with you all. 
To our loyal users and the creative community, your support and feedback have been invaluable. You’ve inspired us to push boundaries and continuously improve, and we’re excited to embark on this new chapter together. 
The future is bright, and I am incredibly excited to continue our story together and create a world where design is within everyone's reach.
With heartfelt thanks,
Ash
For more information...
We have made four pledges to the Affinity community which you can read here. We have included some FAQs at the bottom of the announcement article here. A video message from me with some more background is on YouTube here. This announcement post is locked, but I have included a duplicate of it in the questions forum here which you can respond to.

You can also find details of the four pledges we are making to our community here

Hi Jhtucker100

Welcome to the Affinity forums, thanks for letting us know - we've reproduced the issue and it is now with development to be fixed. 

It is worth also noting that unfortunately an Undo doesn't bring the missing strokes back in this instance, so you would have to reload your file.