Can Vector brushes be vector brushes?

[albertkinng]

I really appreciate the brush-making feature on Affinity Designer. However, I'm not sure how to create vector brushes instead of raster ones. Is there a way to select a vector rectangle and convert it into a brush that can be repeated like a paintbrush stroke? Alternatively, is there a way to duplicate a vector shape using the Apple pencil or pen tool? I'm looking to achieve something similar to the sample image attached.

[kmarquart]

Here here!!  I hope Serif/Affinity are working on this which is a big omission when compared to Illustrator.

[firstdefence]

Vector brushes are not completely vector at the moment, they are a raster image on a vector curve, which really makes them, at best, a "hybrid vector curve/raster image brush" but thats a bit of a mouth full to keep saying so vector brush is used to describe them but they are not true vector brushes.

[albertkinng]

I appreciate the capability to use PNG or selections as brushes. However, I am wondering if there is a method to select a vector shape and replicate it. Similar to cloning the shapes in a single stroke. I hope my explanation is clear.

Suppose I wish to design a birthday party artwork and want to include confetti throughout. Is there a method to select a few confetti vectors and replicate them across the canvas, rather than copying and pasting them?

Edited May 20, 2023 by albertkinng
Better explanation

[v_kyr]

See related ...

... etc.!

[albertkinng]

2 hours ago, v_kyr said:

See related

No. I ended up here after realizing there’s not a single video for real vector results. All of them ended up in raster format. I need to multiply vectors as vectors. I can create brushes already the way everyone does. 

[walt.farrell]

14 minutes ago, albertkinng said:

No. I ended up here after realizing there’s not a single video for real vector results. All of them ended up in raster format. I need to multiply vectors as vectors. I can create brushes already the way everyone does. 

If you need real vector brushes, you will need a different application.

 

[firstdefence]

54 minutes ago, albertkinng said:

I need to multiply vectors as vectors

You could create a vector and convert it to a symbol so you can change all instances of that vector, else you can create a vector and use power duplicate to create multiple versions. You can also use the transform panel as part of the power duplicate to transform the vector.

By example I recently made a short video on how to make a spiral in affinity.

 

 

 

[Boldlinedesign]

2 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

If you need real vector brushes, you will need a different application.

 

Vectorstyler offers 100% vector brushes. Hopefully designer will catch up eventually. The 2.1 update is a good start

[v_kyr]

3 hours ago, albertkinng said:

No. I ended up here after realizing there’s not a single video for real vector results. All of them ended up in raster format. ...

Affinity's so called vector brushes aren't real vector based brushes, as you already know in the meantime.

[albertkinng]

3 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

you will need a different application.

You’re always so painfully honest. I’ll like a little bit of hope on this forum! 🤣

[albertkinng]

2 hours ago, firstdefence said:

I recently made a short video

Thanks! I already do that but is good to pointing that out for others as well in this forum! 

[albertkinng]

27 minutes ago, Boldlinedesign said:

Vectorstyler offers 100% vector brushes.

I download the trial… too Inskape-ish for my taste.

[firstdefence]

8 hours ago, albertkinng said:

I download the trial… too Inskape-ish for my taste.

Agree, the feature list is impressive and I do use Vectorstyler (VS) for vector production when Affinity lacks the ability but the VS GUI needs a lot of work, it all seems very cluttered and the icons are very samey which is probably one of the reasons why it seems cluttered.

Not sure if this is true, could be the stuff of legends, but this is a single individuals work, which, if so, is very impressive.

[albertkinng]

56 minutes ago, Red Sands said:

Vectorstyler - relatively cheap

I have given it a try and used it for 30 days. While it possesses great power, I find it to be cumbersome and not user-friendly. Consequently, I don't envision myself relying on it as my primary design tool.

Ever since Affinity made its debut, I have been using it as my primary tool, even when Adobe CC became the industry norm. I kept Adobe CS6 as a backup, but I have never encountered any costly issues with Affinity. I have found ways to fulfill the requests and requirements of clients, agencies, and teams using Affinity. Even though you imply that Affinity may be outdated or not a legitimate professional company, it has become my primary source of income since I made the decision to use it for design.

Based on my 25 years of experience in graphic design, I can confidently share one undeniable truth: The best application is the one you are most proficient in using, not the one with all the fancy features and tricks.

[animositysomina]

Despite V. 2.1. now having some really cool features and I finally started working with the Affinity Designer for Ipad again, I have to say that I miss this "feature" too. I bought tons of so called "vector" brushes for AD just to find out afterwards, that they're basically raster brushes in the end. 
And the response here:

18 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

If you need real vector brushes, you will need a different application.

 

is not constructive or helpful at all. 

Vector brushes should have been real vector brushes right from the start, and it wasn't clear to me as a new user back then.

[walt.farrell]

8 minutes ago, animositysomina said:

And the response here:

18 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

If you need real vector brushes, you will need a different application.

 

is not constructive or helpful at all. 

I'll have to, respectfully, disagree.

Users who need true vector brushes shouldn't use Affinity. It should be helpful to them (or, the OP) to know that they aren't missing something, and that the answer to the original question is: you can't do that.

 

[firstdefence]

1 hour ago, walt.farrell said:

I'll have to, respectfully, disagree.

Users who need true vector brushes shouldn't use Affinity. It should be helpful to them (or, the OP) to know that they aren't missing something, and that the answer to the original question is: you can't do that.

 

Ooooh! walt, if a vector brush is touted as such then it should be fully vectorised else call it what it is, the stroke should not be a raster image, it should be a vector such as a vector SVG and the stroke should be expandable, Vectorstyler has the features to make some great vector brush heads for affinity "vector"  brushes. I'm not a programmer but would it really be that hard to use vector SVG files instead of png?

 

[walt.farrell]

6 minutes ago, firstdefence said:

Ooooh! walt, if a vector brush is touted as such then it should be fully vectorised else call it what it is, the stroke should not be a raster image, it should be a vector such as a vector SVG and the stroke should be expandable, Vectorstyler has the features to make some great vector brush heads for affinity "vector"  brushes. I'm not a programmer but would it really be that hard to use vector SVG files instead of png?

 

I have no idea how difficult it would be.

I can say that they are not true vector brushes today, and thus "use another application" seems a perfectly fine answer, to me. There is nothing to be done in Affinity if you need true vector brushes.

Also, yes, they could have used a different term for this kind of brush, which might avoid some of the ongoing confusion.

[firstdefence]

7 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

I have no idea how difficult it would be.

I can say that they are not true vector brushes today, and thus "use another application" seems a perfectly fine answer, to me. There is nothing to be done in Affinity if you need true vector brushes.

Also, yes, they could have used a different term for this kind of brush, which might avoid some of the ongoing confusion.

If Affinity did everything everybody wanted it would be called bloatware lol! Why they don't have a board of seasoned professionals advising them with decades of experience I'll never know.

[Old Bruce]

26 minutes ago, Red Sands said:

7. Yell at the clouds

If I shake my fist at the clouds while yelling then things move at an immeasurably un-measurable faster rate.

EDIT: Thanks Walt.

[walt.farrell]

3 minutes ago, Old Bruce said:

If I shake my fist at the clouds while yelling then things move at an immeasurably faster rate.

As I understand the meaning of "immeasurably" that would mean very much faster. Which would be good.

I'm not sure, but "unmeasurably" might be better in this case

[Alfred]

38 minutes ago, Old Bruce said:

If I shake my fist at the clouds while yelling

Is this you, @Old Bruce?

[Boldlinedesign]

3 hours ago, Red Sands said:

Me neither - but I let it do its magic, then paste/import it into Affinity or other programs. 

Affinity has more deficiencies and issue than professional and professionally implemented (!!!) features and algorithms - consequently, I don't envision myself relying on it as my primary design tool.

Based on my more than 30 years of experience in graphic design, photography, project management and product development, and as a married family man, I can safely share this:

You can't make such simple formulations that hold true in more than a few simple cases. Reality is often bound together by multiple tools, methods, disciplines and personality types. Believing in indisputable truths in such scenarios is one of humanity's biggest mistakes. It also depends entirely on what you are doing and what your output medium is. There are simply so many variables that can be combined in countless ways. 

Life and work are a zig-zag between obstacles. But when it becomes a seismograph-under-Japanese-earthquake pattern, I say stop. If I don't, the boss or the time consumption does.

I can't seem to find the parallel between inkscape as Vectorstyler that @albertkinng inferred. I do see vectorstyler resembling illustrator in terms of layout and complexity though illustrator seems more meandering in purpose. I used illustrator for 20 years and that experience made switching to vectorstyler fairly smooth. There's a ton of overlap in all vector editing programs and staying with those and building on from there, it didn't take too long to feel comfortable using vectorstyler full time. Affinity is more simplistic to be sure, but it's for a different purpose in the design world. For those needing illustrator level vector tools, but do not want to pay the adobe tax, vectorstyler is the answer. If you don't need all that, use affinity. 

The affinity suite for me is something I use for fun or when I want to create raster missed with vector designs utilising the three programs with their ability to link. 

Honestly, if Vectorstyler had more tutorials and videos explaining each tool, I believe the ongoing process would be much faster and easier for new users. It will get there

[albertkinng]

2 hours ago, Boldlinedesign said:

can't seem to find the parallel between inkscape as Vectorstyler that @albertkinng inferred.

It’s ok, it’s only an opinion and personal preference. I won’t change Affinity Suite to any other app right now. My business run smoothly with these apps and are excellent with collaborative needs as sharing network fonts and assets libraries for my team. We use Eagle app, Cloudmount and Rightfont to work and has been excellent so far. UI/UX recently are being worked with Penpot app and that department is getting stronger.