Paul

[Paul Bond]

Hello, I have just switched over from Photoshop to Affinity Photo, in Photoshop I regularly created clipping paths on images to then import

into QuarkXpress, is this possible in Affinity?

[v_kyr]

Hello,

yes it's possible though not in the same as easy manner.

1. In Affinity Photo you would first use the Pen tool to create a vector curve around the pixel/image part of your interest.
2. Then you duplicate your main pixel/image layer and clip that below the curve you've draw with the Pen tool, so the curve contains only that part of the image and not the rest.
3. Now you could select the curve layer (which has the clipped pixel/image layer beneath clippsed) and copy and paste that between apps, or you export just those two layers (just hide the initial main layer) into some file format.

  A short demo of how things look that way in APhoto and then when copied and pasted into ADesigner  ...

[Paul Bond]

Many thanks for your reply, will give it a go.

[thomaso]

Is a clipping path also possible to be maintained for exported files?

When I export a JPG there is a clipping/path option:

What its the right use of this option?
To me it doesn't make a difference if its ticked or unticked, it does mask but always exports without path:

[lepr]

2 hours ago, thomaso said:

Is a clipping path also possible to be maintained for exported files?

When I export a JPG there is a clipping/path option

What its the right use of this option?
To me it doesn't make a difference if its ticked or unticked, it does mask but always exports without path:

You'll get a clipping path in the exported JPEG if you use a vector mask, not a clipping path, in the Affinity document.

[thomaso]

On 9/10/2020 at 5:28 PM, anon2 said:

You'll get a clipping path in the exported JPEG if you use a vector mask, not a clipping path, in the Affinity document.

What are the steps to achieve the masking layer as separate, editable object? To me, regardless of the setting "Convert clips to paths", I only get the pixel layer exported, no vector object.

1. APh with vector mask:

2. Exported JPGs placed in APub:

[lepr]

12 minutes ago, thomaso said:

What are the steps to achieve the masking layer as separate, editable object?

Open, not place/import, the clipped JPEG in an Affinity app.

[thomaso]

46 minutes ago, anon2 said:

Open, not place/import, the clipped JPEG in an Affinity app.

Ah, this works. – Any idea why place/import doesn't transfer the Affinity mask layer?

Not only it's cumbersome to first open the JPG in APub and then copy/paste the layers, but, worse, it doesn't show the file name but calls it "Background (pixel)", and disables a workflow with linked files.  – I got used from ID to place a JPG and still have access to its clipping path(s).

[lepr]

16 minutes ago, thomaso said:

Ah, this works. – Any idea why place/import doesn't transfer the Affinity mask layer?

Not only it's cumbersome to first open the JPG in APub and then copy/paste the layers, but, worse, it doesn't show the file name but calls it "Background (pixel)", and disables a workflow with linked files.  – I got used from ID to place a JPG and still have access to its clipping path(s).

The clipped JPEG is placed as an Image object in an Affinity document and the Affinity apps (currently) do not allow the user to access the content of an Image object.

You can open the clipped JPEG in an Affinity app and save as an Affinity document containing a Pixel object with vector mask, and then place that document as a linked document in a parent document. Yes, very cumbersome in comparison to the InDesign workflow to which you are accustomed.

[thomaso]

3 minutes ago, anon2 said:

The clipped JPEG is placed as an Image object in an Affinity document and the Affinity apps (currently) do not allow the user to access the content of an Image object.

The missing path layer still appears to me more like a bug than a missing feature. At least using the "Edit Image" button could open the placed file with its entire content within Affinity. – To be forced to save a JPG with clipping path especially for Affinity as an additional, separate, native, less compressed Affinity document sounds weird and inefficient.

[lepr]

25 minutes ago, thomaso said:

The missing path layer still appears to me more like a bug than a missing feature.

I see what you mean by missing path now: the entire unclipped content of the clipped JPEG Image object is rendered in the containing document. Yes, that surely is a bug.