3 questions regarding vector lines

[Joe S.]

1. Besides stamps (the image used to create a vector brush), textures, & opacity, is there any real functional difference between the Pencil tool and the Vector Brush tool?

2. Does the 2nd method in this video to delete parts of vector lines work on iPad? The guy uses the pen tool to create a shape that covers the parts of lines to be erased; puts that shape layer above the layer with the lines; selects both layers; switches to the Move tool; and hits Subtract. When I do it, both layers are deleted.

3. Is there any way to change the color of the lines & nodes when selecting vector lines? When selecting a different vector brush they obscure what the strokes look like, so I have to deselect, look at the strokes, select again, adjust size/pressure or pick a different brush, then deselect, look at the strokes, rinse repeat.

[walt.farrell]

23 minutes ago, Joe S. said:

1. Besides stamps (the image used to create a vector brush), textures, & opacity, is there any real functional difference between the Pencil tool and the Vector Brush tool?

The Pencil Tool gives you a simple line with a simple stroke. It also has functions like Sculpt Mode.

24 minutes ago, Joe S. said:

3. Is there any way to change the color of the lines & nodes when selecting vector lines?

I'm not sure what you mean about changing the color of nodes, as I don't think they have a color. For the strokes, you should be able to select them with the Move Tool, then set the color using the Color panel or the Swatches panel.

[Joe S.]

9 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

The Pencil Tool gives you a simple line with a simple stroke. It also has functions like Sculpt Mode.

I'm not sure what you mean about changing the color of nodes, as I don't think they have a color. For the strokes, you should be able to select them with the Move Tool, then set the color using the Color panel or the Swatches panel.

Sculpt mode doesn’t seem to do anything different from what I can tell.

re: the color of the nodes: what I mean is when a stroke is selected, you can see the line running through with nodes. The line is blue, the nodes are white, and the box around the section is blue. When there are a lot of nodes, it’s hard to see what the changes in the strokes are when choosing different brushes.

[walt.farrell]

3 hours ago, Joe S. said:

re: the color of the nodes: what I mean is when a stroke is selected, you can see the line running through with nodes. The line is blue, the nodes are white, and the box around the section is blue. When there are a lot of nodes, it’s hard to see what the changes in the strokes are when choosing different brushes.

You could (in Designer) create a new Layer (vector layer, capital L) layer, and in its Properties you give it a color. Then anything within that Layer will use that color instead of the default blue for the bounding box and the line running between the nodes. Unfortunately, the Properties setting does not seem to be available in the iPad version.

 

[Joe S.]

OK, thanks. Any ideas on #2? That would make a huge difference in productivity, otherwise it's prolly better to do vector lines in Clip Studio Paint due to how you can easily delete segments.

[walt.farrell]

I haven't looked at the video, and don't have time to; sorry.

But in that area of function, the desktop and iPad applications should be the same. If you're having a specific issue, please describe it, and (ideally) provide a sample .afdesign document and a screen recording created by iPadOS showing the issue.

[MEB]

Hi @Joe S.,
Welcome to Affinity Forums
You can subtract shapes from lines (as in the video) as long as the lines (strokes) are expanded first to turn them into a shape. To Expand lines go to the Edit menu (ellipsis icon) on top and select Expand Stroke.

Another method is to simply use the Knife Tool. With the line selected, switch to the Knife Tool and draw a straight segment to cut/break the line in two pieces or draw a "shape" around the area you want to delete to break/cut the line in the intersections then delete the part you don't want.

[Joe S.]

Thanks MEB. The knife tool works but it's not a smooth process, the shape substraction cuts down the number of steps quite a bit.

Admittedly, I'm spoiled coming from Clip Studio Paint where the vector eraser can delete parts of strokes up to the point where they intersect with another stroke. iirc Adobe added this to Fresco as well, it's just more sensible & user friendly than the way every other vector app does it/

[MEB]

Hi Joe,
The feature you just described (removing "tails" from intersections) has been requested a few times before and is under consideration for future updates.

Just for completeness there's yet another way to delete line's segments (not an arbitrary area just segments between nodes) of the line: with the Node Tool selected press and hold CTRL (if you have a keyboard paired with the iPad or by using the Command Controller on screen) and tap de segment you want to delete. You can toggle the Command Controller going to Document menu (the hamburger icon on top) and selecting Toggle Command Controller.

[Joe S.]

17 hours ago, MEB said:

Just for completeness there's yet another way to delete line's segments (not an arbitrary area just segments between nodes) of the line: with the Node Tool selected press and hold CTRL (if you have a keyboard paired with the iPad or by using the Command Controller on screen) and tap de segment you want to delete. You can toggle the Command Controller going to Document menu (the hamburger icon on top) and selecting Toggle Command Controller.

Thanks MEB, that sounds helpful. 

[Joe S.]

Is there anything in the docs about this? I’m not able to delete any segments with the node tool and any of the command options activated.

[Joe S.]

For #3, I realized just now that what I want is Preview mode, which doesn’t show any lines or bounding boxes.

[Bri-Toon]

On 12/12/2023 at 8:57 AM, Joe S. said:

Sculpt mode doesn’t seem to do anything different from what I can tell.

The sculpt mode can redraw selected lines, or continue a path from its endpoint.

Also, you mentioned Clip Studio Paint. I am familiar with the vector tools in that program as well. What tools are you looking into replicate in Affinity Designer?

[Joe S.]

36 minutes ago, Bri-Toon said:

Also, you mentioned Clip Studio Paint. I am familiar with the vector tools in that program as well. What tools are you looking into replicate in Affinity Designer?

The #1 thing is being able to delete segments of vector lines, up to the point where they intersect with another vector line. It makes cleaning up linework so easy that I've thought of starting all my linework in CSP, then importing the svg and adding pressure curves, etc.

#2 would be figuring out how to vector fill more consistently, it works much more easily in CSP (though I know it's not a vector fill, but filling is just easier).

[Bri-Toon]

Well for that first one, the Shape Builder Tool works very similar to vector eraser in CSP, whereas you can delete line intersections. The only difference is that you have to select the paths first. Is this what you mean?

 

[Joe S.]

Yes, that's it! Are the remaining strokes able to be vector filled or should that be done before cleaning up the line?

[Bri-Toon]

You can vector fill them either before or after cleaning up the lines. What matters is that the line work much be touching. That is why I intersect the strokes, to save myself from going back to move the lines together.

[Joe S.]

From using CSP, I got in the habit of intersecting strokes because it was easier to clean up than try to create perfect lines, so I think this will work. Thank you!