Blend tool in Designer

[Athanasius Pernath]

Blend tool (object blending) has been requested since 2015. It's a crucial part of doing parametric / creative work. Any chance to put in onto priority / pipe?

Thanks

[Clayton]

I too was disappointed to see this wasn't part of 2.0, but I'm hoping this fresh infusion of capital (from finally letting us support Designer again, some for the first time since 2014!) will allow Serif to staff up a bit more and build out some of these long-requested features (without taking another eight years).

Vector warp is huge, and it's so good to see it finally come to Designer. I hope the fact that even the hero image for the feature, which shows a field of stripes that you must currently create one at a time by hand, means a blend tool is in the works for 2.1!

[ThatMikeGuy]

I agree with this. Additionally, if they plan to introduce true vector brushes, this will be an important component. Given the lack of other sophisticated (vector) coloring options, a blend tool is essential. I don't think a Gradient Mesh tool is quite as important because of the pixel persona abilities. 

[dv8.info]

I agree totally - top of my wish list! BTW @Clayton A similar effect to the hero image in the tutorial can be created by making a compound path from the rectangles and using a gradient fill, then pasting inside a circle. Then you can warp the compound path layer. I can't be sure if they have actually used an object blend in the video.

[baoyu]

On 11/10/2022 at 12:10 AM, Clayton said:

I too was disappointed to see this wasn't part of 2.0, but I'm hoping this fresh infusion of capital (from finally letting us support Designer again, some for the first time since 2014!) will allow Serif to staff up a bit more and build out some of these long-requested features (without taking another eight years).

Vector warp is huge, and it's so good to see it finally come to Designer. I hope the fact that even the hero image for the feature, which shows a field of stripes that you must currently create one at a time by hand, means a blend tool is in the works for 2.1!

Maybe Serif should consider allowing plugin development and making a plugin store.

Thus, Serif itself could release first-party high quality plugins as a source of income and at the same time user or thrid-party developer like Astute Graphics could help developing "long wanted, low priority" or some "few needed but hard to implement" functionalities.

[dv8.info]

7 minutes ago, baoyu said:

Maybe Serif should consider allowing plugin development and making a plugin store.

Thus, Serif itself could release first-party high quality plugins as a source of income and at the same time user or thrid-party developer like Astute Graphics could help developing "long wanted, low priority" or some "few needed but hard to implement" functionalities.

Yes I would be very happy to see Astute involved but I don't know what that would mean for its relationship with Adobe 

[baoyu]

Just now, dv8.info said:

Yes I would be very happy to see Astute involved but I don't know what that would mean for its relationship with Adobe 

It is an independent company what is not tied to Adobe. And Astute in the past just talked in this forum willing to develop plugins for Affinity suites.

[deeds]

Blend tools require unwinding of the curves' vertices, which requires a foundational level consideration of this need at the creation point, such that all shapes are created with an indexing system aware of and subservient to this need. I don't think this was done, so no blend tool for you. Or me.

 

And no soup, either.

[Dedi Satria]

i agree to add blend tool

[Graphite Addict]

+1 I need blend.

I got my only other must have with V2 - vector warp/distort. It is currently a rather flakey beta build quality but I trust the issues with it are a top priority for fixing, just as Serif have fixed newly added features in the past.

For some Blend tasks a combination of Power Duplicate and Vector Warp can work as a workaround, I welcome that. However a proper Blend is still required.

[dv8.info]

I'm finding the Warp tool to be much smoother and more predictable than the Adobe Envelope Distort tool (BTW)

[Cuando]

+100

[MKallas]

I'll quote myself since I kind of put some effort into it already, under V1 discussion.

"So, I just started the trial with "cash in hand" to pay and it seems there is no Object nor Path blend tool.
Unfortunately this is 100% deal breaker for me, for 95% of my vector work is dependent on vector steps blend - fabric textures and hair, no way doable by hand. Come on, guys! I really wish to move away from Adobe. You make it hard."

It's 2022. Blend-morphing is a must have. Otherwise Affinity Designer positions itself in the freeware slash amateur category.
You are losing big bucks, if not the whole business with oversights like this. Should the word go around, NO-ONE is going take the risk of moving over to Affinity Designer.
Having blend morph can be critical for many.

I'm not spamming. Example of vector work I couldn't do shifting over. Remember the saying: "Everything that can be done in ... can be done in...." B****ks.
https://www.behance.net/gallery/145661579/Social-Media-illustrations-for-lingerie-shop

[KennyLucius]

Blend tool is the only upgrade I'm looking for. I would be willing to pay handsomely for it. Otherwise, version 1 is good enough.

 

[debraspicher]

Kindly, please add this feature. +1

[deeds]

++

[fde101]

On 11/11/2022 at 10:55 PM, baoyu said:

Maybe Serif should consider allowing plugin development

They have already indicated this is being worked on.

[1GR3]

+1

[retrograde]

It's not a blend tool and agree I think we definitely need one but the new somewhat hidden quick grid feature can help to layout simple shapes from the shape tools.

To use it, grab a shape from the shape tool panel and drag it out, before letting go of the tool press the right arrow key to add copies of your shape to the right of the original. Each press adds a new copy, holding the arrow key adds space between each copy. You can use any of the arrows keys to add copies in that direction. While still pressed you can resize the shape as you make additional copies and they will all resize at the same time. It's not a perfect solution as it's kind of a one way workflow, once you "unclick" you lose the ability to add more copies or make any adjustments. Hence the need for a proper blend tool, but for some cases this quick grid feature will suffice.

Like the opacity/noise toggle feature in the colour panel this one is kind of hidden, once you know, you know, I suppose. Someone should start a thread on these forums of hidden features of the suite, I'm sure there are probably more out there...

[visualrevolt]

On 11/12/2022 at 4:05 AM, dv8.info said:

Yes I would be very happy to see Astute involved but I don't know what that would mean for its relationship with Adobe 

The problem with Astute plugins, they are based on subscribtion model. The whole annual plan for set of 21 plugins is £129 they cost more, than entire Affinity suite.

[baoyu]

17 hours ago, visualrevolt said:

The problem with Astute plugins, they are based on subscribtion model. The whole annual plan for set of 21 plugins is £129 they cost more, than entire Affinity suite.

You don't get the point. If Astute come and make their subscribtion-based plugins, you have the right to not use it.

The point is that Affinity haven't implemented the SDK for third party plugin development.

If they do, there will be free/affordable plugins.

[ThatMikeGuy]

On 12/1/2022 at 4:39 AM, MKallas said:

I'll quote myself since I kind of put some effort into it already, under V1 discussion.

"So, I just started the trial with "cash in hand" to pay and it seems there is no Object nor Path blend tool.
Unfortunately this is 100% deal breaker for me, for 95% of my vector work is dependent on vector steps blend - fabric textures and hair, no way doable by hand. Come on, guys! I really wish to move away from Adobe. You make it hard."

It's 2022. Blend-morphing is a must have. Otherwise Affinity Designer positions itself in the freeware slash amateur category.
You are losing big bucks, if not the whole business with oversights like this. Should the word go around, NO-ONE is going take the risk of moving over to Affinity Designer.
Having blend morph can be critical for many.

I'm not spamming. Example of vector work I couldn't do shifting over. Remember the saying: "Everything that can be done in ... can be done in...." Bollocks.
https://www.behance.net/gallery/145661579/Social-Media-illustrations-for-lingerie-shop

I take it that you mean the swooping, curved lines that form the background textures as in the example below. There are some ways to get that in AD. While it has some disadvantages, you could achieve something similar with the new Warp FX layers. I pasted a quick sample below. A Blend tool gives the advantage of being able to have a live connection at either end of the array and so, this is not the same thing. But I wouldn't agree with your statement that "NO-ONE is going take the risk of moving over to Affinity Designer."  But, still, a Blend tool would be very nice to have. 

[fusedthings]

Yes please! It is requested for sooo long now and i cant get my mind around why its still missing. Might be the single most feature I really wanted to see in V2. 

[JariH]

Blend tool. Yes, please!

[creg101]

I totally agree that a blend tool is necessary, I was about to buy the whole suite for the special pricing, but now I’m not so sure as I use this function a LOT in adobe products, it’s the only thing stopping me from pushing the ‘buy’ button…