Change of interpolation type when scaling elements

[earl_grey]

Hi,

I know there was already a topic like this. But always, when I try to resize pixel art or old graphics (low resolution), it always destroys my work and creates blurred edges.

Affinity Photo has a tool named Pixel Tool, and in Serif 2.3, they added a pixel grid. And I think Affinity can be good software for editing pixel art graphics, but having the ability to change interpolation during resizing would significantly enhance its capabilities in this regard. 

 

I do not want to rescale the whole document, I want to rescale one or two elements in the document.

 

Like Draw Plus 😎 (bugged version with immutable german language as default):

 

or like Gimp:

 

[earl_grey]

this is important to me, affinity always frustrates me in this...

[Dan C]

On 1/1/2024 at 11:33 AM, earl_grey said:

I do not want to rescale the whole document, I want to rescale one or two elements in the document.

I'm unsure if this will apply to your specific workflow, however you may wish to try the below options:

When using the Move Tool to resize your object, ensure that Force Pixel Alignment is enabled and Move By Whole Pixels is disabled on the top toolbar:

This will ensure that your elements are on whole Pixel values for the X,Y & H,W transform and may reduce/resolve the blurriness you're seeing when Transforming.

Alternatively, you can use the Blend Options to force Anti-aliasing to be off specific layers, which may also stop this from occurring.

You can find the Blend Options under the Cog icon at the top of the Layers Studio and then change the Anti-aliasing setting as required:

Note this setting applies to each layer individually and therefore will need to be changed across multiple layers, if necessary in your file.

I hope this helps!

[earl_grey]

8 hours ago, Dan C said:

I'm unsure if this will apply to your specific workflow, however you may wish to try the below options:

When using the Move Tool to resize your object, ensure that Force Pixel Alignment is enabled and Move By Whole Pixels is disabled on the top toolbar:

This will ensure that your elements are on whole Pixel values for the X,Y & H,W transform and may reduce/resolve the blurriness you're seeing when Transforming.

Alternatively, you can use the Blend Options to force Anti-aliasing to be off specific layers, which may also stop this from occurring.

You can find the Blend Options under the Cog icon at the top of the Layers Studio and then change the Anti-aliasing setting as required:

Note this setting applies to each layer individually and therefore will need to be changed across multiple layers, if necessary in your file.

I hope this helps!

ok its work nice!

[earl_grey]

On 1/2/2024 at 5:34 PM, Dan C said:

I'm unsure if this will apply to your specific workflow, however you may wish to try the below options:

When using the Move Tool to resize your object, ensure that Force Pixel Alignment is enabled and Move By Whole Pixels is disabled on the top toolbar:

This will ensure that your elements are on whole Pixel values for the X,Y & H,W transform and may reduce/resolve the blurriness you're seeing when Transforming.

Alternatively, you can use the Blend Options to force Anti-aliasing to be off specific layers, which may also stop this from occurring.

You can find the Blend Options under the Cog icon at the top of the Layers Studio and then change the Anti-aliasing setting as required:

Note this setting applies to each layer individually and therefore will need to be changed across multiple layers, if necessary in your file.

I hope this helps!

 

Okay, it's not working well. If I edit some UI elements (not vector but raster) and try to resize a gradient (with transparency) with anti-aliasing turned off, after resizing, I end up with a blurred graphic. I have to work in GIMP and then copy the graphic to Affinity. Please consider adding a "resize tool" or something similar in the next updates. 🥹🙏

 

 

[Medical Officer Bones]

I agree with @earl_grey. Affinity doesn't allow for sufficient control over layer sampling algorithm nor (anti-)aliasing control. These issues are the source for recurring issues and requests over the years since Affinity was first released.

As an example of how this may be implemented, compare with PhotoLine and Krita:

In PhotoLine the layer properties allow the user to easily control:

• the anti-aliasing (on or off)
• the resampling algorithm when a layer is scaled (also used when layers are exported)
• pixel snapping

...for each individual layer(!). The resampling method is set for bitmap layers only (for obvious reasons).

And additional resampling algorithms are available that help retain crispness of scaled-down art (CatmulRom).

In Krita:

Again the resampling algorithm is easily controlled. And again transformation of the OP's example results in a straight transformed pixel row.

Simple and effective. It'd be great if the Affinity devs would afford Affinity users the same level of control over the resampling method.

That said, I am happy to see that we now have access to a Force Off anti-aliasing option for layers in Affinity. But that behaviour should be consistently implemented throughout other actions, such as transformation. When I transform pixels like the OP's example and stretch a column of pixels in Krita and PhotoLine, the result will be a simple repetition of those pixels when stretched horizontally. (In PhotoLine anti-aliasing is best turned off to prevent anti-aliased edges.)

But that doesn't happen in Affinity. It still adds strongly blurred anti-aliasing and results in that strange blurred result. That makes it almost impossible to use for scaling pixel art elements or even stretching bitmap-based GUI elements.

Which once more is a good example of "close, but no cigar".

I've checked tutorials online, and the vague blurred edges are apparent in images like the one here:

https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/tutorials/create-a-head-turning-pixel-stretch-effect-in-the-budget-friendly-affinity-photo

Notice how the band of stretched pixels blurs toward the edges.

Unless I am missing something here? Does an option exist to avoid this unwanted behaviour in Affinity (Photo)?