Tutorials Difficult to Follow

[couchpotato]

Does anyone else have trouble following the tutorials? Admittedly, I'm a beginner with AF, and assume they're not made for me. But I would like to see a more detailed approach instead of the cursor flying around the screen while accompanied by a myriad of clicks. A couple of cases in point -- the sky replacement tutorial and the add borders tutorial. After several attempts at both, I've given up. There's no way a beginner can accomplish those tasks based on simply following the lessons. Way too many details skipper over. If nothing else, why not have the cursor highlighted so we can see where it is on the screen. But slowing down, and detailing each step would make a big difference.

 

RC

[My Strawberry Monkey]

Hi Couch Potato,

 

Welcome to the forums. I think that's great feedback. Some of those tutorials start from a certain point and yes if someone was brand new to this it might not be as straight forward. Like anything new there will be those moments of frustration. There are many tutorials available, I've even created some here Affinity TV Tutorials (click on that link, be great to hear some feedback)

 

I would suggest maybe starting with something you fill a little more comfortable with and then go back and try again. There is a great support network on here including myself who will be more than happy to guide you through this learning period.

 

If you have some more thoughts and suggestions then let me know as it will also help me to create simpler content at a more suitable pace.

 

 

Allan

[My Strawberry Monkey]

Also there was a similar post here https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/18323-extremely-simple-way-to-add-borders-around-an-image-file-like-in-ps-cs5/

 

Where a similar point was made regarding the borders tutorial. In that post I made a comment and shared a link to a short tutorial I made for that post. It was specific to him but you should be able to follow along and adapt to your needs.

 

 

 

Allan

[couchpotato]

Thanks Allan.

 

I took a look at some of your tutorials and found them much easier to follow. A bit difficult to see the cursor, but you verbalized each step as you took it and didn't leave out the minor actions. That's just the type of help I need to accomplish the task. My process is to watch the tutorial on my iPad while I have AF open on my iMac and apply each step, pausing the tutorial if necessary. It works pretty good, but only if the steps are there in the first place.

 

No doubt Simon's tutorials are meant for the more advanced user, but I see he has begun a series for the novice and they're considerably easier to follow. Too bad all of his tutorials don't follow this same format - there are so many good subjects covered -- but as you noted frustration is apparently part of the process. I could be wrong, but I do think the marketing of AF would benefit greatly from clearer tutorials. So many people give up on Photoshop precisely because it's too overwhelming, and tutorials that leave one frustrated just reinforce that impression. Do more advanced users dislike detailed, step-by-step tutorials? I would think they'd just simply skip the parts they don't need. 

 

Anyhow, thanks for your commitment to keeping it clear. With a complex program like AF, there are going to be lots more users thanks to help like yours.

 

RC

[couchpotato]

Just had a look at the 'Borders' tutorial. Excellent.

 

RC

[James Ritson]

Hi couchpotato,

 

Thanks for your feedback, I'm sorry you're having difficulty following the tutorials; as you've noted the majority of the tutorials are not specifically targeted at beginners and they do assume a working knowledge of image editing software in general.

 

There is a Beginners video here that serves as a more gentle approach to the software, but a beginners set of videos are in development, and they will indeed be easier to follow and will take more time to explain concepts and steps that are unfamiliar to beginners.

 

Regards,

James

[My Strawberry Monkey]

Hey RC,

 

I agree there are some great tutorials from the team and I know I wouldn't be able to do what I do without them. As a trainer at Apple I approach things differently and it's so much easier when teaching in a group or One to One as I can see and determine your level of understanding and cater towards that, that's going to be very difficult in a video. Tutorials are needed for both beginners and more advanced users. I prefer step by step but i'm adaptable and willing to learn with a bit of patience.

 

Tutorials I dislike are speed tutorials with 2000BPM techno music in the background with no talking whatsoever how is anyone ever meant to learn like that?

 

Regarding the marketing, well its difficult... I know the process I have to go through to get mine created, and like I said my experience with Apple has given me a different approach and I have my plans for tutorials and where I would like to take them. There are thousands of channels for Ps (don't get me started on the tutorials) and to your point marketing tutorials makes a difference as per you feedback and the growth of Affinity TV (hoped you clicked subscribe by the way).

 

Stick at it, there are some great things coming from Affinity HQ and I have confidence that you will progress far with Affinity Photo.

 

 

Allan

[My Strawberry Monkey]

Thanks Allan.

 

 With a complex program like AF, there are going to be lots more users thanks to help like yours.

 

RC

 

:D  :D

Thank you for the feedback, that's made my day... and yep thats my plan for Affinity to take over the world :o (well the design world first, them maybe the whole world) :D

[My Strawberry Monkey]

Just had a look at the 'Borders' tutorial. Excellent.

 

RC

 

Feedback and support like that is what's going to help Affinity TV grow. So spread the word...

 

Thank you.

 

Allan

[Dale]

Just a quickie in addition to the beginners' video link already posted, there are a few others that are suitable for learners in this album. And as mentioned it'll be a set that expands.

 

Cheers.

[davcoll]

Many Thanks for these links,I am still a digital 'darkroom' virgin.

[couchpotato]

Hi couchpotato,

 

Thanks for your feedback, I'm sorry you're having difficulty following the tutorials; as you've noted the majority of the tutorials are not specifically targeted at beginners and they do assume a working knowledge of image editing software in general.

 

There is a Beginners video here that serves as a more gentle approach to the software, but a beginners set of videos are in development, and they will indeed be easier to follow and will take more time to explain concepts and steps that are unfamiliar to beginners.

 

Regards,

James

 

Thanks James.

 

Just for the record, I've been an Aperture user for some time, and Lightroom for the last six months or so. AF is light years beyond either. I accept that by 'gentle approach' you mean tutorials that assume little knowledge of AF, and not that the user might have some sort of fragility  :) (I'm an old bloke, so I may be being oversensitive here) . I get the impression I'm beating a dead horse, but I remain convinced that adding 10 or 15 percent to any tutorial duration, and using that time to verbalize each step, beginning to end, would benefit the adoption of AF. We watch any tutorial to learn how to accomplish a specific task, so why not ensure, for all users regardless of experience, that the tutorial makes that possible? I don't think advanced users would object to that, and sometimes may even appreciate it. 

 

Anyhow, onwards and upwards.

 

RC

[TinPianoMan]

I'd like to see the existing tutorials supplemented by a series called something like Basics for Beginners. When I started using AP and AD in December, I had no idea what was going on in some of the tutorials because what I wanted to do was a task that assumed I already had some basic knowledge in place. When I returned to the same tutorial a month later, a lot more made sense.

To take an example, it took me a lot of messing around to get the hang of how to select a color with the color picker and then apply it.

 

Likewise, the erase function.

 

I'd like to see a well-labelled, easy-to-search catalogue of tutorials or maybe 10-30 secs that show how to do the simplest of things.

[Barbie]

Does anyone else have trouble following the tutorials? Admittedly, I'm a beginner with AF, and assume they're not made for me. But I would like to see a more detailed approach instead of the cursor flying around the screen while accompanied by a myriad of clicks. A couple of cases in point -- the sky replacement tutorial and the add borders tutorial. After several attempts at both, I've given up. There's no way a beginner can accomplish those tasks based on simply following the lessons. Way too many details skipper over. If nothing else, why not have the cursor highlighted so we can see where it is on the screen. But slowing down, and detailing each step would make a big difference.

 

RC

Yes I have found it too quick at times, good point

[jhmdigital]

Aged 75 I've been using versions of Photoshop for some 30 years as a serious amateur photographer. During that period I've watched numerous tutorials from a variety of presenters. Some were impossible to follow because they were far too fast and / or the sound track was unintelligible due to poor quality, fast speech, or accent.

 

I think that Affinity tutorials are among the top of the best tutorials I've seen, well paced and clearly articulated.

 

The problem, as already stated, is that it is impossible to create a tutorial suitable for both beginners, intermediate and advanced / professional users. They have to be 'stepped' starting with a set for basic use for beginners and then building up with are complex tasks for intermediate and advanced users.

 

Another problem is that Affinity users have varying learning abilities and differing goals.

 

All I say folks is give Affinity a chance. They have made an excellent start and are building on what is fantastic support when you consider the software costs against Photoshop many of whose tutorials are produced by third parties.

[couchpotato]

The problem, as already stated, is that it is impossible to create a tutorial suitable for both beginners, intermediate and advanced / professional users. They have to be 'stepped' starting with a set for basic use for beginners and then building up with are complex tasks for intermediate and advanced users.

 

Well, I agree that you won't know how layers work unless you watch a good tutorial or two about layers. But if you haven't, you should still be able to follow a different tutorial that incorporates layers if the tutorial details each action in that tutorial. Then it's just 'monkey see, monkey do'. 

 

Another problem is that Affinity users have varying learning abilities and differing goals.

 

Learning ability won't usually be a problem if the tutorial is clear. As for differing goals, when I watch a tutorial on sky replacement my goal is to do a sky replacement. Take a look at that one. It begins with three or four layers already open, menu's open and close mysteriously, the screen image changes with no corresponding instruction, and the cursor is mostly invisible. 

 

I have AF as my Lightroom external editor, and will continue to study the excellent library of tutorials. I haven't had 30 years of Photoshop experience (is Photoshop really that old?) so I'm going to have to work a lot harder at it than you. But that's pretty much my point. Many of us are coming to this level of editing complexity for the first time, so why not approach tutorial production with that in mind. It's not that hard. 

 

RC

 

PS. Love your sauce  ;).

[MEB]

Hi couchpotato,

The documentation team is already working on a set of tutorials geared towards new users/newbies.

It should cover the basics in more detail and be easier to follow. Just give them some time.

Thanks for your feedback.

[JohnM]

It would be really helpful if the photo used in the tutorial could be available, just as you did with the panorama stitching.

Thanks

[mikep]

Hi Couchpotato,

Really glad to see your post I thought I was the only one struggling with learning AP! I put a post on today asking for more novice videos and more help in general for beginners. As I mentioned in my post we are not all photo editing experts. It is a great shame that this great software is still very hard for total novices to get to grips with. I just hope the new videos will not be to long in coming!

Think we need to keep reminding the boffins at AP that we are still here and waiting for help!

 

Regards

Mikep

[couchpotato]

Thanks Mikep.

 

My hope from the beginning was to convey the idea that almost every tutorial can be presented in a manner that can be followed by just about everyone. I haven't been very successful.

 

The fact that this thread has had 350 or so views, and the thread announcing the three tutorials for beginners around 3500 views illustrates there are many, many folk out there approaching advanced AF type editing for the first time. Beginners tutorials are as important as any others. But having a library of specific task tutorials that can be followed by all would seem to be a great way to enhance the acceptance of AF.

 

Cheers.

 

RC

[pbass]

I'm far from an expert with vectors, but when I watch most of the in-house vids at Affinity, I keep thinking to myself "I'm glad I already know what that term means", or "I'm glad I understand that the colour wheel effects 2 different parameters, depending on whether circle or donut is selected". 

 

There are a zillion small things that are perplexing until someone explains them to us. And unlike with Adobe products, there aren't shelves & shelves of books available at all levels. 

 

The problem is that videos are usually made by experts who are so immersed in the programs that they've lost all track of just how much complexity they've absorbed over the years. They can't even imagine what it's like to not know, for instance, what a stroke is.

 

I think the product could really benefit from Square One videos. Ideally, they should be made by someone whose field is teaching, and who has learned about vectors only recently!

[Madame]

I'm waiting for Lynda.com to make tutorials for Designer. They already have a series for Photo.

In the meantime, the staff are just a question away.

[LenC]

I am a perplexed and frequently frustrated newcomer, in spite of some contact with scientific image analysis and paint programs 20 years ago. But I will be patient.

 

Main point: In addition to the videos, a glossary would be useful. (If someone knows one on the internet, please post the link.) Examples: types of layers and of masks and of channels. Some operations/adjustments are mathematical like opacity; some are painterly. How to proceed to accomplish some common tasks?

 

In this forum I saw a discussion of how to turn the built-in help into a document. Could the clever users make this available as a file through this forum so all those interested do not have to repeat the process?

[LenC]

Actually folks, I found the iBook Help and will not bother you again until I have absorbed it. Prefer books over videos, at least for introduction. Maybe this good stuff deserves to be in a pinned thread.

[ronniemcbride]

I'm waiting for Lynda.com to make tutorials for Designer. They already have a series for Photo.

In the meantime, the staff are just a question away.

 

Thank you for your patients, Madame. Your wait is over. I hope what i covered will be of use to you. This is the first Affinity Designer course now available on Lynda.com

 

Affinity Designer Essential Training

with: Ronnie McBride

 

...is now live : http://www.lynda.com/Page-Layout-tutorials/Affinity-Designer-Essential-Training/429633-2.html

 

Course Description:

Looking for a compelling alternative to Adobe Illustrator or CorelDRAW? Affinity Designer is a powerful and affordable vector-design application mixed with pixel-based texture and retouching tools—all in one easy-to-use interface. It was created with the professional-level features that any artist, designer, or illustrator needs to execute high-quality results.

 

Here Ronnie McBride introduces new students to the workflows and tools required to get them up to speed with this fast, powerful, and professional application. He shows how to work with Affinity Designer's workspaces, called personas; use the drawing tools; and create custom brushes.  After completing this course, students will feel more confident and proficient at using Affinity Designer in their own work.

 

Topics Include:

Creating a new document

Setting up margins, guides, and grids

Drawing vector lines and shapes

Using the Pen tool

Creating and editing text

Scaling and rotating objects

Selecting areas and color ranges

Using layer masks

Adding layer effects and adjustment layers

Creating new brushes

Exporting your work