Affinity Designer 2 iPad Bug: Blocks of pixel layers do not show up while drawing.

[Collin S]

Hello,

I opened Affinity Designer 2 on iPad today with the intent to use the drawing features on pixel layers. However, I found that as I would try to draw in my pixel layer, large blocks of the layer would be completely invisible as I drew through them (see following screen shots).

Image 1: I attempted to draw smooth loops around the canvas. You can see where they clearly got chopped off.

 

Image 2: After finishing the stroke and moving the view, it refreshed to show the whole layer. Moving the view does not always fix it, but usually does.

 

What I found is that this error occurs when I try to draw on a pixel layer that is inside of a layer group or vector layer that is inside an artboard. Non-artboard documents seem fine, and if I make the pixel layer an immediate child of the artboard, it seems to work fine. The problem isn’t completely consistent, but happens more often than not. Its behavior ranges from having edges of the layer clipped off like in the above images, to sporadic squares of blank spots scattered around the layer. It effectively makes painting in such layers impossible.

I am using Affinity version 2.4.0.2301 on a 12.9” M1 iPad Pro (5th generation). My iPadOS version is 17.3.1.

Let me know if you need any additional information.

Thank you,

Collin

 

[Dan C]

Hi @Collin S,

Welcome to the Affinity Forums & thanks for your report!

14 hours ago, Collin S said:

What I found is that this error occurs when I try to draw on a pixel layer that is inside of a layer group or vector layer that is inside an artboard

I can confirm this is an issue our team are aware of, and it is currently logged with our developers to be fixed. As you've mentioned, this will only occur within an Artboard when using Groups or Layer containers, though unfortunately I'm not aware of any workarounds at this time.

I will be sure to 'bump' this with the dev team now, to bring it to their attention once again - we hope to have this issue fixed in a future update.

I hope this helps

[RJRR]

5/30/25:  IPad 18.5, Designer 2; Pixel mode, Round Brush (weight 2, 3, 4), multiple layers: 1 pixel, 1 background, 2 vector.  The vector and jpg background are used intermittently as references only intermittently visible.  
 

Problem 1: No settings were changed. I could not draw in the center off the drawing where I had previously been drawing. By changing various settings I was finally able to draw: change brush, add a pixel layer then deleting it, switch from brush to select, etc, I was finally able to draw again.

Problem 2: A faint grey line appeared “magically” appeared in the drawing.  This has happened multiple times a I’ve never found a.solid way to remove the line short of starting over, losing many hours of work or methodically erasing the line.  This generally destroys the work.

[walt.farrell]

22 hours ago, RJRR said:

5/30/25:  IPad 18.5, Designer 2; Pixel mode, Round Brush (weight 2, 3, 4), multiple layers: 1 pixel, 1 background, 2 vector.  The vector and jpg background are used intermittently as references only intermittently visible.  
 

Problem 1: No settings were changed. I could not draw in the center off the drawing where I had previously been drawing. By changing various settings I was finally able to draw: change brush, add a pixel layer then deleting it, switch from brush to select, etc, I was finally able to draw again.

Problem 2: A faint grey line appeared “magically” appeared in the drawing.  This has happened multiple times a I’ve never found a.solid way to remove the line short of starting over, losing many hours of work or methodically erasing the line.  This generally destroys the work.

Welcome to the Affinity forums.

Please start a new topic, as more information will be needed and there is no indication at this point that your issues are related to this topic or that they are a bug. I would suggest starting in the Questions part of the forum, here, and please be sure to include screenshots or (if you can find a way to force it) a screen recording showing the issue happening.