AffinityJules

Use the option at the bottom of the comment box drag files here or choose files. Attach the image then upload it.

Upload the picture for us to see - it usually helps.

What you're experiencing is left over junk when using the refine tool after making a selection. Personally I keep well away from the refine tool because it always disappoints and needs improvement. It works with some images but is disastrous in others. And how a tool can place elements outside of the boundary/parameters that have been set are totally beyond my comprehension. I've never understood it.

How are you opening the file/picture in Affinity Photo? If you place an image from the file menu (jpeg or not) Affinity will read it as an image file. If you drag an image from an open folder into Affinity (jpeg or not), this too will be read as an image file. If you open a file from the file menu (opens in a separate window) then copy & paste from the menu tab into your document, this will be read as a pixel image - and thus editable by the method you were trying to do. I don't know why Affinity behaves this way - I'm no expert, but it just does. Hope this helps to explain it a bit more. There are lots of people in here who are far more capable than me in giving a more technical explanation.

No you're not going insane, it's just the software wanting you do a particular function/step. Without seeing a screen shot it sounds like you're trying to make a copy from an image file, rather than a rasterised layer. Rasterise the layer first then make the copy & paste.

Simply click on my attachments from the dropdown list on your profile. (top right corner) This will bring up a thumbnail list of all your posted content

https://blog.spoongraphics.co.uk/tutorials/handy-techniques-for-cutting-out-hair-in-photoshop The link above will direct you to a very old tutorial where I first learned about advanced techniques for background removal from hair. The tutorial itself uses the superior competitor program, but the techniques are exactly the same.

Try shrinking the selection then apply feathering to suit. Doing it like that will make it appear more natural.

The refinement tool works wonders on certain images, while on others, it leaves behind a mess for you to clear up! I'm no expert, but I've never understood how, after making a selection and seeing the marching ants correspond to the selection just made, it then proceeds to produce artifacts outside of the selection bounds? I've been mucking around with it for 2 - 3 years, so in a sense I know where I'm coming from. These days I avoid it like the plague. Never been that impressed by it. As menioned above: when trying to make a selection from a solid background - green screen etc, it helps to use channels alongside level adjustments to create a stark contrast to make the selection very accurate. Give it a go. additional: Your picture (top) has not got a good selection to begin with, the selection should be tighter/closer to the beard for the finished result to improve.

Oh yeah, oh yeah!

As far as my knowledge goes AP has no direct replacement/alternative to smart blur found in photoshop. If I remember correctly the smart blur - if used to excess - created a smoothed-out painted look to the image? You could try using a live lens blur then setting the blend mode to overlay - that produces good results, but it isn't a smart blur in itself. Others in here might have a better take on what to do.

An example of what R C-R suggested, placing a mask on top of a group. Is this what you are trying to do?

The box is visible when I opened the file in Photo. It looks like you may have used a mask on the moon layer as this action always leaves a faint border around the edited image at its original size (it shouldn't and Serif are yet to address this fault). The border is easily erased but you will have to rasterise the layer first.

Try the GMIC plug-in. It's free and has a lot of artistic effects.

Sometimes sorry isn't enough! 😝

Hence the protective sphere.

1) It looks like you're right clicking the mouse and using that menu to perform this action. In that case, with the thumbnail selected/right click/press duplicate, and this should copy your adjustment. 2) Use the edit menu as I described (see attached image) then from there copy & paste the colour balance adjustment and place it in the layer. 3) Use the layer menu to accomplish the very same thing. Click on duplicate selection or duplicate to copy any layer or adjustment.

With the colour balance selected, use the edit menu/copy the colour balance, then use the the edit menu to paste the copy. Basically copy & paste.

I like playing with fire - but that's not to say that I'm an arsonist!

Hi Walt. Yes. I am referring to pixel layers not image layers.

Before the last update for photo I was able to use such tools as cloning, dodge and burn, or any other tool I chose to use on a pixel layer I had applied adjustments to. But now, if I apply an adjustment layer to an existing pixel layer then try and use the clone tool etc, it doesn't work unless I first rasterise the layer in question. There are times when I don't want to rasterise the layer simply because I am not done with my editing of that layer. Is this expected behaviour? If it is then I'm not a fan.

Out of curiosity I opened your file in Photo and the perspective tool did as you described, but, after rasterising the image and trying the perspective tool again it behaved as I would expect it to, namely, normally.

The only time I have ever known that to happen to me (I'm no expert)- is when I have rotated the canvas while the perspective tool is active. This in effect will rotate the dual perspective grid through 90 degrees. Is this what you have done to the image?

Yes, I agree. It's just another aspect of AP which needs improvement. Until the devs decide to upgrade the tool we're stuck with it.

Thanks for that - just tried it and it works again. What an odd thing this hardware accelerator is! Some things work with it while others do not.