Is there a way to merge a contour to the path?

[user_0815]

Hi,

I'd like to know wether it is possible to "merge" a contour in to the actual path. For example: Draw a line with the pen tool and add a 20pt contour. Now I want that shape not as a line with two handles + contour but as a rectangle with handles on the outer edges.

Thanks!

[GarryP]

I don’t know why you’re not just drawing a Rectangle of the size you want but I don’t know more about what you’re doing in general.

In the case you gave, as much as I can understand it from a limited-scope video, you can select the layer that has the Contour applied and press Bake Appearance on the Context Toolbar to turn it into a rectangular Curve layer. (You cannot convert a Curve layer to a smart shape, such as a Rectangle.)

[user_0815]

Thanks Garry, I've already tried Bake Appearance and it doesn't do that. I'm less experienced in Designer than in Photo. My example is simplified to visualise what I'm trying to do. I've come across this question a few times now and every time I just startet over again. Currently I want to draw a logo that was done in Illustrator a while back and the person who did it originally said she just used the pen tool to draw it out in one go. The original file is gone, so I went ahead and used the pen tool. As you can see in the video, there is an issue with the inner corners which are twice as wide as we need them to be.

That's why I though I could turn the "line with contour" in to an actual path without contour in order to adjust the inner corners individually. 

I went ahead and traced the entire shape so I can adjust every corner individually, but I'd still want to know whether it is possible to merge a contour in to the path itself. This would have been useful for me several times now.

[GarryP]

I don’t know how you would get the result you want but using the Contour Tool – maybe someone else can advise on that – but it doesn’t sound like the right choice of technique to me.

If I were drawing the ‘white pointed curve’ that I can see in your video I would probably just create the curve, select a Mitre Join and large Mitre value, then use menu “Layer → Expand Stroke”, and then manually ‘cut’ some of the sharp corners off.

See attached video – at the end I’m just selecting nodes and pressing the Delete key.

[thomaso]

13 hours ago, user_0815 said:

"merge" a contour in to the actual path. For example: Draw a line with the pen tool and add a 20pt contour.

It seems you confuse the Affinity "Contour" with the Affinity "Stroke" or "Curve". You can apply multiple strokes to a curve / or apply a contour to a stroke / or have a stroke occur as a fill inside a contour. While "Strokes" turn to rectangular shapes with "Expand Stroke" a "Contour" may result more complex.

[user_0815]

Thanks @GarryP and @thomaso, Expand Stroke is exactly what I was looking for! 👍 

The German menu entry translates to "Expand Contour". (I don't percieve this as self-explanatory for what is does, but as I said, Designer isn't my daily tool.)

Yes, I haven't yet understood the details about contour and stroke. In my UI I can only seen curve (Kurve) and contour (Kontur).  But thanks anyways for your help!

[GarryP]

You’re welcome.

Glad my accidental journey down the wrong path to the Contour Tool didn’t cause too much confusion.