NotMyFault

Hi Averham, getting a perfect selection can be hard if your underlaying photo has areas with low contrast, very similar colors, or heavy texture. Refine selection works well in general, but only if you have identical requirements in the complete area. You photo looks like a prime example for a more complicated situation. I would suggest that you split the mask into two parts: first the area with the hair, where refine selection works very well. Create a mask from this selection, and deactivate it in the layer panel, and select the pixel layer again. To select the lower part, i would suggest wto alternatives: use the freehand selection tool with type "magnetic" activated. This allows to relatively quickly select areas with hard edges. Do not use "refine selection"! use refine selection, but with completely different setttings: "border width" smaller (e.g. 5%) "Smooth" to a sutable value e.g. 1-5 pixel Feather 1-3 pixel select the mask layer, select the brush tool, color 100% white, and paint out the selected area with a large brush. Deselect all, you mask layer with the combined mask is ready for use (activate). Unfortunately, when you enter "refine", you have only one global set for these parameters, making it impossible to use it in your case in one step, where different settings are required. Regards, Timo

Hi, the procedural text filter - preset manager has the option to filter. How can you add a preset that it is shown in the "alpha"selection ? It shows no results by default, and i could not find out how to add a preset into this category. Regards, Timo

Hallo Thomas, Du hast also 2 Bilder geöffnet, und möchtest etwas von Bild 1 selktieren, und kopieren, und dann in Bild 2 Einfügen. eigentlich geht das genau so einfach. Allerdings wird das Kopierte als neue Ebene oberhalb des Bildes eingefügt, und nicht "direkt" in das Bild. Es gibt evtl. 2 Probleme: Wenn die Bilder in der Größe stark abweichen, kann es sein, dass die eingefühte Kopie ausserhalb des angezeigten Bereichs erscheint. Dann einfach das "Move" Tool wählen, und die Ebene an die gewünschte Stelle verschieben. Wenn Du die beiden Ebenen zum Schluß wieder in eine zusammen fassen möchtest, kannst Du das per "Layer->merge down" oder "Document->Flatten" machen (sorry, hab die Englische Version) Ein älteres Tutoriel hilft Dir eventuell: https://player.vimeo.com/video/202749497 Gruß, Timo

Hi Jan, your post has many questions and suggestions, please let me allow to focus on the first of them: And I am wondering what is the drawback while using the 32 bit? The export says the same file size with 16 a 32, but a user gets much better file to work with. Performance may degrade while editing in Photo. E.g. try a curves adjustment with LAB color format. You need much more RAM for files with high pixel dimensions some functions are unavailable in RGB32, e.g. frequency separation, dust & scratches filter, When you use color gradients (e.g. for vector shapes, pixel layers), and "merge visible", photo applies (unwanted) dithering The photo files are much larger (before export) In RGB32, you use a linear color profile - this could lead to unexpected results when converting and exporting RGB32 is quite valuable for very specific task like HDR merge. But i often get files > 1 Gbyte from simple CR2 raw files of ~25 Mbyte after a few edit steps. When you do not need these extra color bit depth, RGB/16 or LAB are more practical in every aspect. Regards, Timo

Hi, It was announced since Photo 1.9.0 that: Blend modes now work on “alpha only” layers (masks, adjustments, live filters, etc.) I would like to ask for how this feature can be used? I could not spot any difference for a mask when changing the blend mode from normal to any other mode.

Hi Gabe, Sorry to object in this special case, but the procedutal text filter is absolutely able to work without any pixel leayer. Never the less, the bug i reported was a typical layer 8 problem (user in front of PC): i accidently entered 1 at the wrong place / time. I wanted to hit the field for the alpha channel, but focus was somwhere else so i accidently set the opacity to 10% which explains the near transparent layer.

Hi, looking for a more in depth documentation about functions in procedural texture and equations filters. The table in the help file provides mostly the names and parameter list, lacking more detailed definition. Using the forum seach, help search, and finally google to find more did not revale useful results, as names are often generic and used in other contexts, e.g. try tocui https://affinity.help/photo/en-US.lproj/index.html?page=pages/Filters/filter_equations.html?title=Equations Here are my questions: Where can i find the complete definition of the functions? Where can i find a complete list of "persistent variables" like h,w, R,G,B,A, I, x,y ? The scope where these variables exist, e.g. color format like RGB / GRAY / LAB, equations or procedural text filter, ... Thank you in advance.

Thank you Gabe, i totally misinterpreted how blend ranges work.

Hi @opermaks, thank you for your friendly comment. I just clicked "unfollow" to this thread and will leave you kids alone.

Hi, the "difference" blend mode is great to spot any differneces between 2 layers. Identical pixel blend to pure black, any difference are rendered to non-black, which can be amplified by a levels adjustment. Unfortunately, this will only work when alpha is 1 (pure white). Otherwise, he blend formula will lead to non-zero results for color and below-one results for alpha, making this useless for spoting differences. My question: Is this by design? To be useful for spotting differneces, i would expect it to deliver RGB=0 and alpha=1 if both layers have equal RGB and alpha values, for those cases where alpha <> 1, too. In the picture, you can find a gradient in the bottom from white to black, 100% opacity In the top, a copy of the gradient with 50% opacity On the left, the original gradients. On the right, i added a copy with blend mode "difference". As you can see, only the right bottom quarter shows pure black as expected. The right upper quarter shows non-black, even if the layers are 100% identical both in RGB and alpha. blend mode difference and alpha.afphoto

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Hi UTAKU, would you mind sharing the document? It would make it easier to help you. Regards, Timo

Hi, i made a quick tutorial how to edit the alpha channel as pixel layer, using any pixel tool you want to use, including copy & paste. There are some constraints: Works for pixel layers, may not work for other layers types like vector shapes, text, etc Workflow is not yet non-destructive. May not work if original layer is deeply nested in other layers or groups. Looking foreward for your feedback. Currently investiganting to extend this idea into a non-destructive workflow, and to non-pixel layerds like vector shapes. 2021-02-21_19-36-46_edit_alpha_channel.mkv

Hi cwill, i just uploaded a tutorial for a similar question. I did not fully understand your PS workflow, if you can provide a hint i migth find a similar solution for Affinity. regards, Timo

Image credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wild_hair.jpg 2021-02-21_18-49-21.mkv