Pixelated outline on image placement/import AFFINITY PHOTO

[NewAffinity]

I am new to Affinity Photo and would appreciate guidance on basic issue please;

When I import/place a selection I have made of a figure into another photo the outline is extremely pixelated.  I have tried adjusting the size of both images to match but it still happens.  I make my figure selection using smart selection tool, then refine selection.  I then blur very slightly the outline because it looks too sharp.  I then import the selection into another photo/scene but there is big pixelation on the edges. 

Does anyone know how to prevent this please?

[DM1]

9 hours ago, NewAffinity said:

I then import the selection into another photo/scene but there is big pixelation on the edges.

What method are you using to to this step. (Importing selection is not usually required).

[NewAffinity]

Hi, I copy the selection ‘CMD C’ in it’s own file and then paste CMD V into the scene I want the selection in.  Then I resize into the image.

[NewAffinity]

ANother question is how do you save aN EXTRA copy of the whole file in the actual AFFINITY photos library? Thank you.

[DM1]

11 minutes ago, NewAffinity said:

how do you save aN EXTRA copy of the whole file in the actual AFFINITY photos library?

Files appearing on the apps Home screen are stored in the apps 'sandboxed' memory and cannot be accessed, only opened. Think of them as 'tabs' that you can switch over to. This is not a secure storage method as the only way to backup your images is via iPad full data backup.

For security you should use the Save option available on the 3 bar tab next to the icon in the Home screen. This saves an .afphoto file into the defaults storage area (determined in settings). This can be in Cloud or on iPad. These files can be copied and moved to create safe backups or multiple versions. In the Workscreen Document menu you will also find an option to Save a Copy to any location available to the iPad.

[DM1]

30 minutes ago, NewAffinity said:

Hi, I copy the selection ‘CMD C’ in it’s own file and then paste CMD V into the scene I want the selection in.  Then I resize into the image.

I attached a selection made with .5px smoothing and completed as new layer. No blurring noted, you can see facial hairs.  What resolution image are you working with? If low resolution you might need to resample the image. 

[NewAffinity]

thanks for guidance on saving files.  Understood 🤙🏼
 

Re ur selection pic: Wow!   that is amazing. How did you make your selection?   How do you apply 5px smoothing pls? At one point?  

Re resolution; so it has to be higher?   I have been working with background images from internet.  Do I need to match resolution for background image and selection?  What is a good size?  In affinity photo ipad  it gives pixel count for whole image vertically & horizontally only. Not per inch.  What is the px for your image above pls?  Is say 3000 px horizontal ok?

 

Lastly, in my last project random boxes without any pixels in them at all have began appearing all over the Finished image. Just popping up randomly when I move the image or touch the screen at all.  

I think I’ve done something wrong in layers or affinity photo as a whole. I’ve put Screen recorded video of it below. 🤭

[DM1]

@NewAffinityThe random boxes look like they are related to the image redrawing. I think I have seen this reported before. Try deleting history as this should free up ram. Also best not to have other apps open as all consume ram that AP needs.

The image I used was around 20Mpx. The higher the resolution the better the selection. Smoothing used was half a px (0.5px) not 5px. After refining, the Context menu has a white triangle on rhs. Tap that to get sub menu. Sub menu allows you to set Smooth and or Feather, you can also change Output via drop menu to New layer or New layer with mask (saves copy /paste action).

if you are using low res images from internet then results will be poor. If unable to source higher res images you could try resizing (Document menu Resize) to higher pixel resolution/DPI and resampling (Sub menu) using bilinear sampling. 

[NewAffinity]

HI THANK you.  I deleted history but still the same.  Now occurring in all images I open so you must be right re ram specifically used by affinity photo app. Not sure what to do.  I’ve closed all files I’m not using that are ‘stored’ in affinity photo.

Re Context menu.  I’m on an ipad.  So when I create selection and the object has the selection mask around it do I then press white triangle symbol on right of screen in context menu where adjustments & filters etc are?  I’ll need to contact affinity re the blocking out of pixels in my images because currently I can’t do anything at all

 

Re low res images; I’ll do that thanks ie increase resolution before adding selection.  Never resampled anything before.  Where is that sub menu?

 

As you can tell, I REALLY am new to this!

[NewAffinity]

Hi, i so I just closed all files except necessary on Affinity photo and turned ipad off and on again and IT WORKED!  I opened up a saved version of original image file and it seems all good and fixed and no weird blank squares. Yay!

I just did a selection to try out your suggestion above re .5px softening etc.

I did selection and mask.  then I clicked on triangle in right hand context column.  I just got ‘default’ subheading and no other heading would appear even when I clicked back & forth arrows either side of ‘default’.  Have i don’t something wrong?

 

[DM1]

The icons down the right side of the screen are Studios. The Studio 'triangle' is the Macro studio where you access macros. Press the ? in bottom right corner to identify all the icons.

The Context menus are associated with Tool icons (left side of screen). Tools vary depending on selected Persona (icons at top of Screen. Context menus appear on the bottom of the screen and sometimes have sub menus accessed by tapping a small white triangle at either end of the menu (note not the macro icon 🙂).

Here is how I did the selection with an output to a new layer that I can move around .

[DM1]

10 hours ago, NewAffinity said:

As you can tell, I REALLY am new to this!

Some good info here...

 

[DM1]

11 hours ago, NewAffinity said:

Re low res images; I’ll do that thanks ie increase resolution before adding selection.  Never resampled anything before.  Where is that sub menu?

 

[NewAffinity]

Thank you!  I did it.  I copied your selection directions and it so much easier than what I was currently was doing.  I didn’t even know I could save the selection automatically as a layer on its own. 🤭

I really enjoyed that thanks.  I’ll try the resolution change now as I’m about to put my selection into a separate background Pic now. 🤙🏼

[NewAffinity]

15 hours ago, DM1 said:

Some good info here...

 

Thank you. I’ll study these videos.🤙🏼

 

 I have watched many of the YouTube serif videos but couldn’t seem to pull all that info together and remember at once When working on an image myself.  This forum is amazing help too. Thanks.