cadobir

This was very difficult to do, and the results are not quite satisfactory. I wanted to draw a starburst of individual lines for a shading effect - you sometimes see this in cartoons. After several attempts, I used the Star Tool, set the number of points to 60, inner circle radius to 0%, outer circle to 55%. Then I superimposed a Circle (Ellipse Tool), selected all, and used Divide to break it up. But all the radiating lines were joined at the ends! Finally I found the center point of the circle and marked it; deleted all but two sections, eliminated the attaching lines at the ends of one section, grouped those two lines, dragged their center point to the center mark, duplicated the group, rotated it to match the other remaining section, duplicated that with transformation to fill out a semicircle, and finally deleted the unneeded section from before. That is a LOT of work, and the starburst isn't all that satisfactory. Is there an easier way to do something like this? Half Starburst.afdesign

I agree. I was just examining the options for smoothing a curve in a specific case: I drew a line with a pressure contour; I expanded the line to produce an outline; then I chose Node Tool > Actions > Smooth. The results were not quite as good as I hoped.

I'm looking for filters in AP that serve the same function as Photoshop's Maximum and Minimum filters. (Photoshop:: Filter : Other : Maximum, e.g.) One way I use these filters is to refine selection masks by expanding the black or white area of the mask. This also works to thin or thicken lines in line art. I see that AP has Minimum Blur and Maximum Blur, but those are not the same thing. Does anyone know what I mean, and where to look for it if it exists in AP? Or perhaps whether it's an upcoming feature?

I'd like that too. Illustrator's Smooth Tool is very efficient and flexible. I have no doubt at all that the Affinity team can create something similar.

Oh, OK. I didn't actually understand what you said, but I poked around and found a way to get what I want. Please see attached. Compounds 2.afdesign

Thanks, crabtrem, I have attached a file to my post.

Hi, MEB, I'm also trying out the Release Compound command and don't understand why it ONLY works on objects that have been Divided using Layer > Geometry > Divide. I am testing by superimposing one shape over another and using geometry commands such as Add, Subtract, Intersect, etc. I would expect to be able to edit the resulting parts separately, not as a single unit with parts hidden. What's up? Please clarify. file:///Users/dl/Desktop/Compounds.afdesign Compounds.afdesign

Can you please clarify the part about " not on pixel selections without distorting the image unless you create a new empty layer"?

It would be very useful to have scaling, rotation, skewing separate from the Move tool. If I want to scale or rotate a select group of nodes in an object, at the moment, I can't. But In Illustrator I have used that functionality a great deal.

I work a lot with line art, particularly calligraphy. The work is based around the use of 2-bit color, also known as bitmap mode (in Photoshop). This is required for a range of specialty printing, engraving, embossing, etc. Printers in these specialties WILL NOT ACCEPT art in any other form, except occasionally vector art. Conversion from hand-calligraphy or drawing on paper to vector art is very complicated, and depends on an intermediary step of bitmap conversion. Please include a bitmap mode to your color modes. Thank you.

I would like the ability to transform selections by pulling nodes to lengthen or shorten sides, enlarge or shrink entire selections, and warp selections. I use this functionality in Photoshop constantly. Affinity Photo is becoming a worthy competitor, but this functionality is missing.

It would be great to be able to quickly toggle view of adjustments on/off. In Photoshop, you can this by showing or hiding adjustment layers (or whatever). In Affinity Photo Beta, Adjustments are separate from Layers, and you have to switch palettes to toggle view. A simple n'off switch in the adjustment dialogue, or in the panel where its name resides, would be very helpful.