Search the Community

Don’t know why, even if I am doing wrong, but, the right panel is hiding after a text selection with the text tool. It makes almost impossible to edit artwork with this behavior. I need to close AD and open it back to that tool panel shows up again. But in the moment I select the text again, it vanish. I have been using AD for DTP since its first version, but the V2 is driving me crazy with this behavior. I wondered that 2.1 would solve it, but no. I have the AD 1.4 installed in this iPad and the right panel is there, as it should be, even after a text selection. 😀 Some Background: Using AD on M2 11inch iPad Pro An external display is attached to the iPad Magic Trackpad and keyboard is connected via BT Let me know if I need to provide any extra info.

Hi, I've recently started noticing that the Export Palette option on the swatches menu is disabled in AD. Today was the first time I needed it in anger and was flummoxed as I couldn't find the reason why. Does anyone know the conditions which have to be met for this option to be enabled? This was in 2.0.4 on Windows. As an aside, I was able to open the same project file in the current Beta and it exported the palette no problem. This was version 2.1.0.1781(beta). That exported file could then be read by the current release so I'm able to continue with work for the moment.

Hello there, I'm hoping to perform a series of actions on multiple elements within a layer/group. I can do that now, but only after repeatedly getting inside then (involuntarily) outside then inside a layer/group. Is it possible to limit all actions within a layer/group until I explicitly exit with a command? (For example, in Illustrator, one must double-click an empty area to exit editing a group.) Thanks

Had fun allowing the background to double as a color with this one. Although I have never done it myself, one of my favorite illustration production methods is screen printing. With each color applied separately, there are happy accidents like the plates not lining up exactly right that make every copy unique. Because I went even simpler by omitting overlapping colors, this piece had to be planned and executed differently than previous pieces I’ve done. I had to allow for contrast, details, and a light source within a very limited color palette of 3 colors (near black, orange, and grey) on a more vintage off-white base. This is true vector with one subtle texture raster layer over the top that can easily be replicated for any size. Happy Sunday, all!

I'm curious if anyone is using AD to output cut vinyl for stencils on a Mac? If so, what machines are you using?

[This is *not* a request for an Affinity animation or motion graphics app. Not that that wouldn't be nice! 👼] Is anyone familiar with/have experience using Affinity Designer and DaVinci Resolve for 2D motion graphics? If so, are there tutorials, YouTube channels, or other resources you recommend that you could point me toward? (I know how to use Google and search, but if you've already waded through the resource morass and have some stuff bookmarked, that would be helpful!) And my more general question is... Does anyone have any informed recommendations on the best mograph app to use alongside AD? I want to completely dump Adobe and right now AE is the only thing keeping me. A free option would be nice, but not if it sucks. So I'm interested in looking into paid (non-subscription) programs, too. I'm especially interested in anything that can support vectors, but I could do without if I had to. Thank you! (Hope this is in the correct subforum. If not, please move!)

I tried yesterday to export a designe for my client its made with pen tool and few brush layers with blend mode set to Erase. When I tried to export it as pdf/svg transparent background ( that was already set on the document setup) Its not work and its export with white background and the erase layers was also visible (and not erased nothing) Even if I tried to ⌘+A>Export>svg/pdf>selection without background its not worked Its work fine only when I tried to export it as a png transparent I'm really need help because its for a client and the time is a little bit short Thank🦋❤️🦋

Hi. Disaster release 1.9 contains another bug: Select a layer (inside a group) in a layer stack, have an object in clipboard, click Insert at the top of the layer button, it gets highlighted, but on paste the object appears at the top of the layer stack. It worked flawlessly in all other previous releases I can think of since like version 1.5. Same goes when the same button is selected and one clicks New Layer icon.

Can APub, and AD, output PDFs with a transparent background? I would like my document to have rounded corners as a pdf. TIA Added: I found can have transparency in APub. But the transparent areas become white in Apple's newest version of Preview when exported.

I don't seem be able to export eps files without problems anymore. I now have to manually expand lines and convert AD shapes to curves. I have to find these workarounds by trial and error. These eps file are being imported into Apple's Keynote. There are no gradients or special effects applied to this file. Just lines and shapes. 1. When I export the whole document it is transparent, the pistons and cylinder show but the bounding box is HUUUUGE and there are many selection problems with many eps files on a page 2. If I export without the background the cylinders and pistons do not show, the whole engine is black 3. I have attached the AD file and an image of the eps as all black. The black image is how apple sees it in the finder and how keynote imports it 4. Is there a resource that explains all these back room rules? I've never had any issues whatsoever with AI and exporting eps files and I am not a programmer so I do not understand all the under-the-hood programming rules on how software is supposed to work. Sorry but I am a graphic designer and not an engineer. TIA GM-Winton 16-278A V-16.afdesign

Hello there, the picture says it all, I guess, but just for clarity: there seems to be a hard coded Mitre limit in the Contour tool and there are situations where it needs to be adjusted. These are plain vertices, no funky extra ones underneath, yet the obtuse corner is behaving as expected but the acute angle leaves no choice but to either alter the geometry or switch to Illustrator’s Offset tool, where it can be adjusted. Please make AD even greater, thanks! Best regards, Matt

Hello, I can’t enter anything above 50 px in the radius input box. The only way to successfully achieve a higher value is to grab an object’s handle (be it corner, or side, doesn’t really matter) and drag it left to decrease the value and right to increase it. Unfortunately there’s no cursor on my screenshot but that’s how I did it. Immediately after increasing the value via the input it resets to 50. The same for moving the pop-up slider. cheers Matt

Is there any way to lock the brush size when changing brushes? There have been a few instances recently where I've created a drawing using curves, or imported an SVG from Blender, and then wanted to apply a brush to the curve(s) retrospectively. Selecting a new brush sets the stroke width to that set in the brush settings. Doing this with a group overrides any difference in the stroke widths within the group. This is especially frustrating when experimenting with different brush styles as each selection then requires and adjustment of the stroke width to something acceptable. Invariably all the brush sizes are too large for the designs I'm working on. Am I doing this wrong or is this just the way it works?

I was just wondering does AD and AP need to run on a specific resolution? My PC is running 1920x1080 165Hz in a repeating pattern using Symbols I get white lines in my project, but when I export the project the white lines disappear. How do I fix this, so I'm not freaked out thinking I messed something up in my project? Inside Affinity Designer I see this.

Hi, I have create this illustration with both vector and pixel layers. I want to add a black / white outline to it. So far I tried to look for a way I could offset the path but I could not find anything. I also tried to united/add all items but that options is not even available.

Hi, I have create this brush in Pixel persona using a square brush and adding a texture that I have created using symbols in vector personal. I could not add an SVG as texture so I added an PNG. The problem is that is looks very pix-elated. Looks really bad. I tried to make the texture bigger, smaller, played with zoom but it still looks bad. Do you have any idea what I should to to make it look batter?

Hi! Please, teach me how to create lot of lines that emphasize the perspective of the bridge, as in the main illustration for version Affinity Designer 1.8 (marked in red in my picture). In the Welcome window, there is a sample file with this image and even a mention for a tutorial, but I did not find such a lesson. Get sample file in AD: Help→ Welcome→View Samples→(Page2) Sunset Bridge Marianna Orsho Large preview from this artice.

I’m intentionally seeking to learn from some of my favorite artists by attempting to emulate aspects of their styles. This particular exercise in admiration is based on the flowing ribbons and gradients of @serdarduran’s work. Created solely on Affinity Designer for iPad with Apple Pencil (including the sketch, which is a first for me).

Independent commercial fishermen have lost a huge chunk of their market due to lockdowns around the world. Support local fishermen; eat seafood. This piece was inspired by Zutto. Found her amazing work through Affinity's Spotlight blog. (Yes, I’ve been mulling over her bubbly style for quite a while now; The date on that blog post is January 2019 😅) It was a little challenging to translate the more liquid style to something with very symmetrical, defined structure. It probably would have worked better if I hadn't done a head-on view of the crab so that the legs were overlapping. Ah well. Onwards and upwards. Drawn on iPad Pro with Apple Pencil.

I read the Affinity help section online, but sill didn't get it completely. It says: when selected, objects in the exported file have relative positions for maximum editability. If this option is off, object positions are fixed to create a file which is optimized for viewing. Does this mean if the option is unchecked object position can't be edited? I tested exporting to EPS and I'm still able to edit the object position no matter whether it's selected or not. I guess I'm missing something somewhere! Can someone please enlighten me?

As I’m coming from Adobe Fireworks I’m sometimes still struggling with muscle memory (or memory in general). In FW it is simple to draw a rectangle marquee over an image, for example, and then copy and paste this selection into a new raster object, or, to drag a marquee, switch to the transform tool, and be able to transform that selection (e. g. stretch a part of the image) right there. How would something like this be done in AD? In AD, I’ve been able to extract part of an image with the workaround of duplicating the image, using the vector crop tool and rasterizing the result. But now, if I resize the object it is adding semi-transparency to the edges; in Fireworks I was also used to being able to resize/stretch such an object while keeping hard edges. What am I missing here? Or am I thinking this from the wrong side?

During setting up and altering a FX Gradient overlay settings AD crashes under OSX El Capitan, see the supplied video for the taken steps ... screencast.mp4

Hi, I know the question of importing Rhino created Ai files into AD has been asked a few times already. The main goal is: Importing a vector export format (eg: AI, DWG, DXF, etc) which contains all layer information into AD. (PDF alas does not meet this goal) I figure, since we're on Rhino 6.21 and AD 1.7.3, there might be some added support between these two. So has there been any improvements on this particular part? If not, has anyone had any success on importing DWG with layer information into AD? I noticed this format is not supported on AD, is there a reason why?

Hello! I have had a few issues recently that seems to be performance related (serious lag and erratic behaviour of node tool and move tool) I have attached a video of a work session (sorry if it's long and tedious, it's a realistic snippet of how I, and probably many others, have to work) I don't know how to put subtitles on a video so I will put a list below with the issues I found. Now, I must say, as it have been pointed out multiple times a smooth and/or simplify option on path and nodes would be greatly appreciated. I know that I will receive comments on the fact that I should learn to be proficient with a pen tool before trying to smooth paths, because that what I have been reading a lot on these forum. I get that most people who answer here are "creators", but I suspect a lot of us Designer users are what we call "artworkers". Meaning we have to work on files given to us by others (who don't care if their files make sense or not - they don't give a crap, they couldn't be bothered, don't even try to talk to them ) The case I am presenting here is a 146 kb .eps file provided by the studio in charge of digitizing the assets from Schultz estate. They provide those files (take it or leave it) to those who buy the licensing rights. My work here is to smooth out the jagged lines, because the scan was probably done, digitized via livetrace (and converted to .eps) from a small/damaged/blurry line drawing. So if you have the patience to go through the video, you'll see that the file has 81 layers (which I tried to organise a bit prior to recording the video). You'll see that I really lack the availability to use a smooth tool or a simplify option. I tried to use the "smooth" function in the contextual menu, but it makes little difference to the end result. so the list of issues with the timecode are below: 0.06: trying to use the space key to pan the canvas, it's either slow or simply not working (it sometimes does) have to use the navigator instead 0.14: Same with using the zoom (Space bar + CTRL) 0.38: Trying to select a shape with the node tool (it sometimes works) end up using the layer panel (wading through 81 layers) 1.24: The node tool now has a mind of its own. At the particular moment I am not even touching the tablet with the pen. I am just hovering over the drawing after clicking the node and the node tool has now picked up the node and travels with it. I get the same behaviour with a mouse. (but who would use a mouse?). Again, I am not clicking, nor click/draging the node. I have to do a number of CTRL+Z to restore state. 3.10: Happens again. As I said, the original file is 810 KB. It's 146 kb when saved as an afdesigner file. Beyond the lag/performance issue, I would like to plea for artworkers workflow to be taken into account in the development of the software. When I do an inventory of all the features I'd like to add (select similar for example) I can see that these are features aimed at modifying shapes and paths as opposite as creating new ones. It seems to me that the project managers had "creators" in mind and not artworkers (simplifying here), meaning that if you are working on a generic .eps or .ai file created by someone else, it's infinitely easier do it in Adobe Illustrator (because those feautres exist in .ai), whereas I have no trouble using all the - very well - thought-out tools of Affinity designer if I want to create a design from scratch (I am someone who is naturally very neat with her layer stack, and I always name and group my layers, it's even a breeze if someone has to work on my files ). But if you decide that your software isn't aimed primarily at artworkers, then I think you're losing out (particularly given the price and licencing model, artworkers are AD natural customers. Apologies for the Sundays ramblings.... Hope everything makes sense... record_000001.avi

Since the upgrade to version 1.7.1 one of my keyboard shortcuts isn’t working anymore; it shows a yellow triangle (that indicates to me that there is a conflict with another option) and the tooltip “move inside” when hovering over the field with the pointer. I have several problems now: It doesn’t tell/show me with which option it is conflicting, and there is no way to search for the option(s) where keyboard shortcuts are used. What does that cryptic message “move inside” mean? Nothing is happening when I click the field.