Fitting text around an image

[Stuart Blackwood]

I am trying to fit paragraph text around a photograph. How is this achieved in Affinity Design? The text layer and image layer are separate. A PDF example is attached

Example.pdf

[MEB]

Hi Stuart,

There's no automated way to do this yet, however for basic designs there's a simple workaround you can use: basically you have to place the text inside a shape to use it as a frame for the text with the Frame Text tool. However before you do this you have to create a rectangle shape a little bigger than the image you want to use (it will serve to add a margin around the text - in the attached image below it's the equivalent to the blue circle) and subtract it from the main shape (the green rectangle in the screenshot below). Then with the resulting shape still selected, place the Frame Text tool over it (the cursor will change to a "T" inside a polygon) and click to fill it with text or paste you text there.

 

[mba]

Please explain it again....I didn't understood!! What do you mean for "Artistic Text" Tool?!?! Where do I find it? I have the german program!!!

[MEB]

Hi mba,

Welcome to Affinity Forums :)

Affinity programs have two text tools: The Artistic Text Tool (its icon is an "A") and the Frame Text Tool (its icon is a "T") - see screenshot below. The first is mainly used for small sentences/words where you may want to apply some effects or attach along a path or use on a button. The Frame Text Tool is used for blocks of text. To switch between them click on the small arrow on the bottom right of the button to open a pop-up menu (as you see in the screenshot).

 

 

Here's a few video tutorials about the Text tools that may help:

• Artistic, Frame and Shape Text
• Text on a Path: Overview
• Text on a path: Worked Example

 

Regarding the reply in my previous post. Here's the process described step-by-step:

- to wrap text around an image you first have to create a shape where you will place the text inside - in the example i'm attaching below it's the red rectangle

- then place you image in the position you want over the red shape

- create new shape slightly larger than the image which will be used (in the following step) to create a margin around the image. Make sure it above the main shape in the Layers panel - in the example attached below this corresponds to the green shape

- select both the red shape and the green shape then go to menu Layer ▸ Geometry ▸ Subtract (you can also use the icons in the main toolbar in the Operations section)

- now select the Text Frame Tool click on the red shape (you may need to click it twice if it's not already selected) and start typing or paste text copied from another source there.

 

You may need to adjust the position of the image and the nodes around the image in the red shape to optimise their position in relation to the text (so the margins look similar optically since the text leading will interfere with this). To control those adjustments use the Nudge keys shortcuts so both the image and nodes move the same amount (currently you can't move both nodes and image simultaneously).

 

All this should become much more easy and powerful once automatic text wrapping is implemented. The process described above is just a workaround and only applicable in simple cases.

wrap_text_around_image.afdesign

[Radionut44]

At present the subtraction process happens according to the position top to bottom of the object. I think it would be useful to be able to let the last selected determine which object is subtracted from which. Being able to align objects according to the last selected would also be consistent with what is done in other programs.

[must1]

Any news about 'automatic text wrapping'?

[MEB]

Hi must1,

Welcome to Affinity Forums

No, no changes here. This will come with Affinity Publisher (public beta available this summer) and eventually ported back to Affinity Designer.