Improve vectore drawing tools and get rid of Node tool

[Aloof]

Hey Affinity team,

 

please have a thorough look at the Illustrator plugins from Astute graphics http://astutegraphics.com/to see why Illustrator is way ahead as a professional drawing tool. Their interfaces are astonishing. Especially, look at the tools included in VectorScribe to see how the interfaces for the Pen tool and Node tool can be merged in favor of direct manipulation instead of interfaces relying on modifier keys.

 

Honestly, I think the Astute graphics team has a great set of inspirational UI tweaks that make vector drawing such a more pleasant and precise experience. I wish Affinity would implement many of similar behaviours.

 

Kind regards

[JimGoshorn]

If only Affinity and Astute could work out a plug-in deal...  :)

[Hokusai]

"plugins from Astute graphics http://astutegraphics.com/to see why Illustrator is way ahead as a professional drawing tool. Their interfaces are astonishing."

Aloof,

 

I agree with you, Astute does offer some wonderful tools that make working with vectors easier and it would be great if Designer had some of that functionality built in (or as Jim pointed out, if Designer could use Astute's plug-ins) but it is funny that you refer to Astute's plug-ins to show how Illustrator is "way ahead" as a professional drawing tool. If Illustrator were truly way ahead, wouldn't they offer the same or greater functionality and tools as Astute's plug-ins?

 

Hokusai

[aitte]

Oh my god. If Designer can ever do this I'll be blown away:

http://astutegraphics.com/software/vectorscribe/

[JimGoshorn]

Considering that Astute has to use the interface that Adobe provides, it does make you wonder what Adobe could do if they really wanted to.

 

In any case, Astute plug-ins do make Illustrator harder to walk away from and may ultimately be a deciding factor for me.

[peter]

The dynamic corners and dynamic shapes tools look very familiar. :ph34r:

 

As for the other features, measure and path extend...well it's looking a lot like a future road map ;)

[aitte]

Rounded corners works great in Designer.

 

The shape tools in Autism let you switch shapes after you've made one. Should be easy to bring to Designer: Change shape and maintain the same outer dimensions (bounding box) for the new one's size.

 

Extending path: This I want...

 

And the generally slicker and faster way of working with vectors I want too ;)

[digital_wampa]

Yes I have illustrator and have an an older astute plug-in - which does help the functionality of illustrator, at about $100 USD extra on top of what your paying for illustrator.

 

Illustrator does have a great pen tool its very precise and fast and having a profile drop down for line profiles is cool (and useful) too - if affinity can improve the fluidness and speed of it pen tool and cost less than half a plug-in - I mean its a no brainer.  The extras like extending a line are nice but with good fast pen tool that becomes less of a need. 

 

But a node reduction illustrator already has - u can't paint away nodes but u can reduce... which is something you use and need in a professional drawing app definitely. 

[JimGoshorn]

The Simplify command works on the entire path instead of selective areas of the path. Also, I have found Astute's brush seems to be more accurate (at least for me) than Simplify (and if you hold down Option/Alt, it will ignore the tolerance setting and just delete the point). Additionally, they have a Smart Delete which will delete the selected anchor point while adjusting the path to try and maintain it's shape.

 

Think of the effort Affinity puts into Designer and you will understand why Astute's plug-ins are so well liked.