Using the New Layer and New Layer from Snapshot within the Layers heading on the menue bar

[RealAle]

I Have been using Affinity Photo since it was first put on the market.

I am intrigued as to what uses New Layer and New Layer from snapshot can be put to.

My reason for asking is that in all the time I have been using Affinity all bar a few basic changes are made as a separate layer in their own right.

The first two tasks I do when I open / create a new image is to Duplicate and Save history with document and then save the image. I am then ready to work on it if required.

I could understand it if all editing carried out was not activated within its own layer but directly on the initial background image so would be destructive and a new layer has to be created so leaving the integrity of the original image intact before applying any adjustments.

I have looked in the tutorials, the Affinity Workbook and You Tube and yes there is a lot on layers, but I have not discovered one that uses either of these two options.

Am I missing something?

This may be something I should put in another thread, but does anyone feel like me that the fine option with select does not appear to be as sensitive / accurate as it was when this program was first on the market?

 

[walt.farrell]

Layer > New Layer or the New Pixel Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel both give you an empty pixel layer.

Once you have it, you can (for example) paint on it with a paint brush. If you used the paint brush (or clone brush, patch brush, ...) on your existing pixel layer, without creating the new layer, it would be a destructive operation. Having the new layer lets it be non-destructive.

Layer > New Layer from Snapshot lets you create a new layer from the contents of a Snapshot. What you do with it after that is up to you.

[RealAle]

Hi, Thank you for that -

That makes sense - I knew there must be a reason for it. I have always worked on the duplicate layer and with the odd thing that did not have its own layer I either pulled back the history bar or replaced the duplicate layer whilst leaving all the other layers alone.

I have just tested it and the paint brush works like a treat. I have not got the clone brush to work but back in my mind there is a tutorial that covers cloning from one layer to another.

If I get stuck, I will post again.

New layer from snapshot it appears to me that what you are saying I actually do but in a different way by duplicating.