My first impressions as Gimp User.

[Dracken]

[i'm German, excuse me if I write something wrong, I will try my best)

Hello Guys,

 

I did started with: https://pixlr.com/editor/that is very very simple, then I did get into Gimp ~2months ago. And I learned more and more.

So today I saw your Software and I did just try it out. But... I can not really handle it.

 

I am a photo remodeler, I try to give images a new taste, a new view or simply improve the quality.

And sometimes I create a image on my own work, but I can that better in Real Life :D

 

 

 

 

So, I started and got really stuck.

 

 

I will edit this or answer to the thread if other people response to it.

 

Lol... okay...

My Client is on German and I did just right now click on "Hilfe" (Help) and... it did close the software :D (Okay, it is still a beta)

 

The first thing I miss, is that the software do not add an entry to the windows "right click menu", so i can not say on an Image "Open with Affinity" I can select "open with Gimp" but that is not what I want at this time. Add this soon please.

 

Uhm okay, why is it not allowed to save the example images from the affinity examples as .jpg or whatever? if I click export it say it is not allowed.

I have so much more to say but it is hard to say that all in English. Is it possible to write it down in German or maybe make a Video with feedback?

 

 

Greetings

Dracken

 

 

[pixelstuff]

I think you can manually add an app to the "Open With" dialog if you choose "Choose Another App" (on Windows 10). Probably similar wording on Windows 7. It will then be in the larger list, but the more you use it the more likely it becomes one of the first options I think.

[cgrantmccool]

A "Save" file will create an Affinity file type similar to the Adobe PSD or Gimp XCF. It is rolling all your edits into one place for future work/undo/etc.

​To get to other file types you need to select Export.

[dominik]

 

I have so much more to say but it is hard to say that all in English. 

 

 

 

Hallo Dracken,

 

willkommen im Affinity Forum. Wenn Du möchtest, kannst Du Deine Vorschläge erst mal hier auf Deutsch einstellen und ich übersetze das dann ins Englische. Ich kann das nicht für alle Deine künftigen Beiträge machen, aber für den Anfang schon  :)

 

Schöne Grüße,

 

d.

 

 

===

 

 

Hello Dracken,

 

welcome to the Affinity Forum. If you like you can post your ideas in German for now. I'd volunteer to translate them to English. I can't do that for forever but as a start I can help you.

 

Cheers,

 

d.

[Dracken]

I think you can manually add an app to the "Open With" dialog if you choose "Choose Another App" (on Windows 10). Probably similar wording on Windows 7. It will then be in the larger list, but the more you use it the more likely it becomes one of the first options I think.

 

I did try it, I could open it on that way, but I have to set the check box "open it always with affinity", but I don't wanna open it always with an editor, normally I watch images with irfanviewer.

So i need something like this:

 

A "Save" file will create an Affinity file type similar to the Adobe PSD or Gimp XCF. It is rolling all your edits into one place for future work/undo/etc.

 

​To get to other file types you need to select Export.

 

I did understand that, but if you start the tool you get some free pics from official affinity and I did click on export (did learn that in gimp too).

But it says no permission. It is like try to edit an pdf. Adobe don't like it if you try to change an pdf.

So and affinty give us free images but not the right to save it as .jpg .pnd or whatever.

Hallo Dracken,

 

willkommen im Affinity Forum. Wenn Du möchtest, kannst Du Deine Vorschläge erst mal hier auf Deutsch einstellen und ich übersetze das dann ins Englische. Ich kann das nicht für alle Deine künftigen Beiträge machen, aber für den Anfang schon  :)

 

Schöne Grüße,

 

d.

 

 

===

 

 

Hello Dracken,

 

welcome to the Affinity Forum. If you like you can post your ideas in German for now. I'd volunteer to translate them to English. I can't do that for forever but as a start I can help you.

 

Cheers,

 

d.

 

Thank you, I will try to write my Feedback and hope you can translate it :)

Could I make an Video and upload it on Youtube and post it here? I can speak in English but I can't promise that everyone understand me :)

(or is it not worth because the dev's will not watch it?)

[dominik]

 

Could I make an Video and upload it on Youtube and post it here? I can speak in English but I can't promise that everyone understand me :)

(or is it not worth because the dev's will not watch it?)

 

The devs pay attention to posted videos. They even ask for it. Often it has turned out as a good way to explain certain problems. That way they were able to resolve the bug(s).

 

Don't hesitate to speak in English. People here are friendly and if they don't understand they will ask  :)

 

Cheers,

 

d.

 

 

===

 

Die Entwickler sehen sich Videos (oder animierte GIFs) an. Oftmals haben sie schon um einen Bildschirmmitschnitt gebeten, um ein Problem genauer zu verstehen... Und es dann gelöst.

 

Ich denke, Du kannst mit Deinen Englischkenntnissen einfach drauf loslegen. Wenn jemand etwas nicht versteht, dann wird er nachfragen. Sei da nicht zu bescheiden  :)

 

Schöne Grüße,

 

d.

[Mark Ingram]

You can use Google Translate to go from German to English, and we can do the reverse when reading it. Hopefully things won't be lost in translation!

 

---

 

Sie können Google Translate verwenden, um von Deutsch nach Englisch zu gehen, und wir können das Umgekehrte beim Lesen machen. Hoffentlich geht es in der Übersetzung nicht verloren!

[Dracken]

Okay I will make my Feedback in small part videos, so you can give better feedback on a single clip.

I do not upload the video public only for you guys.

 

Generel I must say as Gimp user I have really much problems to find what I need, it is like I come from Europe to China, everything looks so different O_O.

 

To say something positive: In Gimp you can not rotate, move and transform at the same time, you have always end your job and take the next tool to work. In Affinity, you just take an object and do whatever you want with it with only one click, I really missed that in Gimp :)

Video 1:

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVccIpcW-ok

 

 

Video 2:

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqD9lwFjDpg

 

 

Video 3:

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suqGXyy9S8o

 

 

Video 4:

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-biei_zbZw

 

 

 

____

I can't see my videos, is it because I am new? (the forum try to show it, but it is empty and it show only 2 Video, is it limited to 2 embedded videos? )

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVccIpcW-ok

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqD9lwFjDpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suqGXyy9S8o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-biei_zbZw

 

So here the links open it by yourself.

 

 

I hope you can understand me in the videos, I'm a bit nervous :D I have no grafic tablet and work with mosue only.

 

 

P.s.: @dominik I life near to Hamburg :D I'm from Stade :)

[dominik]

Hello Dracken,

 

greetings to Stade  :)

 

I want to encourage you with your videos and writing. Your English is good and sufficient to explain exactly what you mean. At least I understood very well.

 

Some answers. Since I am new to AP I do not know everything, though.

 

1) If you want to open image files with AP constantly you can tick the box at the bottom of the window where you select an alternative app to open the image with. It says "Immer diese App zum Öffnen von .jpeg Dateien verwenden".

 

2) Black cursor in front of black image content. This was discussed in the AD forum some time ago. I assume the developers are aware of this and try to find a solution.

 

3) I do not know if the missing right click menu is a bug. It is worth bringing it to attention.

 

4) I support your idea of modifiing a selection area. If it's not already there it should be added.

 

Cheers,

 

d.

[dominik]

 

 

4) I support your idea of modifiing a selection area. If it's not already there it should be added.

 

 

I found in the help file how to do it. Once you made a selection you turn on 'quick mask' from the toolbar (it is the icon of a white sqare with a grey circle in the middle. You also can press 'q').

 

Once the quick mask is on it can be modified in many ways. If you switch to the move tool ('v') you can resize and rotate it as you have shown in your Gimp video.

 

Actually AP crashed when I try this.

 

d.

[Dracken]

(I colored the English parts)

 

German:

Das problem beim "Immer diese App zum Öffnen von .jpeg Dateien verwenden" ist, dass ich ja nicht immer das Bild bearbeiten möchte, manchmal möchte ich mir ja Bilder einfach nur anschauen, wie ich es ja im Video glaube ich auch sagte. Deswegen ist Gimp ja auch nicht gesetzt. Zum normalen öffnen nutze ich Irfanviewer.

 

Zur Maske/Auswahl, den Button für die Maske oben habe ich gefunden; aber Masken sind für mich noch neuland da muss ich mich selbst in Gimp noch reinarbeiten; aber dann markiert er alles rundherum rot aber die mitte bleibt normal sichtbar, aber wie ich das nun dadurch besser verschieben kann, weiß ich auch nicht.

 

 

 

 

Da sind nun auch keine Optionen um das besser auszuwählen.

 

 

Wieso werden die Videos eigentlich nicht eingebettet? \ Why are the videos not embedded?

 

 

back to english:

I found at the moment a other option to open an image, I can drag the image on the AP shortcut.

 

 

Btw. : I don't use this "dxracer" pic for advertising, it is just one of my last photos and it looks good for editing, because I can work on the pillow :) (at the pillow?), because it is obliquely (heißt das echt schräg?)

 

p.s.: Ich musste erstmal überlegen was AP heißt, in Spielen steht es oft für Ability Power^^. Dann fiel mir ein das du wohl Affinity Photo meinst.

Generell ist es so, aktuell, wenn ichw as in Gimp öffne weiß ich sofort wie ich damit ein Bild bearbeite mit Affinity stehe ich vor ner Wand und weiß einfach nicht weiter, dass ist total frustrierend, weil die Videos von AP sahen echt toll aus aber ich finde einfach keinen Anfang.

[dominik]

(I colored the English parts)

 

German:

Das problem beim "Immer diese App zum Öffnen von .jpeg Dateien verwenden" ist, dass ich ja nicht immer das Bild bearbeiten möchte, manchmal möchte ich mir ja Bilder einfach nur anschauen, wie ich es ja im Video glaube ich auch sagte. Deswegen ist Gimp ja auch nicht gesetzt. Zum normalen öffnen nutze ich Irfanviewer.

 

Zur Maske/Auswahl, den Button für die Maske oben habe ich gefunden; aber Masken sind für mich noch neuland da muss ich mich selbst in Gimp noch reinarbeiten; aber dann markiert er alles rundherum rot aber die mitte bleibt normal sichtbar, aber wie ich das nun dadurch besser verschieben kann, weiß ich auch nicht.

 

 

 

 

Da sind nun auch keine Optionen um das besser auszuwählen.

 

 

Wieso werden die Videos eigentlich nicht eingebettet? \ Why are the videos not embedded?

 

 

back to english:

I found at the moment a other option to open an image, I can drag the image on the AP shortcut.

 

 

Btw. : I don't use this "dxracer" pic for advertising, it is just one of my last photos and it looks good for editing, because I can work on the pillow :) (at the pillow?), because it is obliquely (heißt das echt schräg?)

 

p.s.: Ich musste erstmal überlegen was AP heißt, in Spielen steht es oft für Ability Power^^. Dann fiel mir ein das du wohl Affinity Photo meinst.

Generell ist es so, aktuell, wenn ichw as in Gimp öffne weiß ich sofort wie ich damit ein Bild bearbeite mit Affinity stehe ich vor ner Wand und weiß einfach nicht weiter, dass ist total frustrierend, weil die Videos von AP sahen echt toll aus aber ich finde einfach keinen Anfang.

 

 

First I'll translate these for you:

 

German:

Das problem beim "Immer diese App zum Öffnen von .jpeg Dateien verwenden" ist, dass ich ja nicht immer das Bild bearbeiten möchte, manchmal möchte ich mir ja Bilder einfach nur anschauen, wie ich es ja im Video glaube ich auch sagte. Deswegen ist Gimp ja auch nicht gesetzt. Zum normalen öffnen nutze ich Irfanviewer.

 

The problem with "Always open this file format with this app" is that I do not always want to edit this photo. Sometimes I just want to look at it, as I mentioned in the video. This is the reason why I did not select this option for Gimp, either. As a picture viewer I use Irfanview.

 

 

Zur Maske/Auswahl, den Button für die Maske oben habe ich gefunden; aber Masken sind für mich noch neuland da muss ich mich selbst in Gimp noch reinarbeiten; aber dann markiert er alles rundherum rot aber die mitte bleibt normal sichtbar, aber wie ich das nun dadurch besser verschieben kann, weiß ich auch nicht.

 

On masks and selections: I did find the button for the quick mask at the top. But masks in general are new to me and this is something I have to learn about, even in Gimp. When I click the quick mask button everything around the selection turns red but I do not understand how this would help me to move/transform the selection.

 

d.'s answer:

 

When you are in the quick mask mode the red 'cover' indicates what is selected and what is not. Only the parts that are not covered in red are part of your selection. In the small dropdown menu right to the quick mask button you can select to show this in black, white or red. Or to show it not at all.

 

When you hit 'v' you change to the Move tool and then you can transform the selection as would do in Gimp.

 

 

Wieso werden die Videos eigentlich nicht eingebettet? \ Why are the videos not embedded?

 

I don't know. Others will chime in.

 

 

Btw. : I don't use this "dxracer" pic for advertising, it is just one of my last photos and it looks good for editing, because I can work on the pillow  :) (at the pillow?), because it is obliquely (heißt das echt schräg?)

 

You could say "edit the pillow".

 

The better translation for "schräg" in this case would be 'diagonally' or 'at an angle'.

 

 

p.s.: Ich musste erstmal überlegen was AP heißt, in Spielen steht es oft für Ability Power^^. Dann fiel mir ein das du wohl Affinity Photo meinst.

Generell ist es so, aktuell, wenn ichw as in Gimp öffne weiß ich sofort wie ich damit ein Bild bearbeite mit Affinity stehe ich vor ner Wand und weiß einfach nicht weiter, dass ist total frustrierend, weil die Videos von AP sahen echt toll aus aber ich finde einfach keinen Anfang.

 

Translation:

P.S.: I first had to think about what AP is supposed to mean. In games this is an abbreviation for 'Ability Power'. Then I understood that you mean Affinity Photo. My situation is this that when I open an image in Gimp I know immediately how to work in this environment. In Affinity I am clueless and I don't know what to do. This is very frustrating to me. The AP videos look great but I just don't know where to start.

 

 

d.'s answer:

We all have/had to learn in one way or the other how to use a software. I myself studied a lot of (paid) tutorials at lynda.com to know how to work with Photoshop. This now helps me to know my way around in AD and AP.

 

I suggest you watch the Affinity tutorial videos one by one and look for topics that are interesting to you. Also do not just watch but repeat what you have seen by yourself. Start with simple things like selecting areas and explore what adjustment layers do to your images.

 

There are also many tutorial videos on YouTube (many of them for Photoshop) where you can learn how to work with masks.

 

I hope you do not loose the fun with working with the Affinity programms.

 

Cheers,

 

d.

[Dracken]

Hey dominik,

I worked today again with it, and sadly yes I did lost the fun with it, so I did go back to gimp.

I would say Affinity is better for old Photoshop users. For me as Gimp users, is it too different.

 

It is like learning Japanese, it feels so unfamiliar.

 

I did try to work in the mask with V, but that is just complicated, I really like the modus in Gimp more.

 

I would say, I wait until the Beta is gone and I will come back and take a new look on it.

(Ich warte bis die Beta vorbei ist und werfe dann noch mal einen Blick darauf.)

 

I hope the staff will answer on my videos and give some feedback, so I can continue with my feedback.

 

 

 

-----

 2 new things:

 

1.  I wanna use this:

 

 

 

 

To transform an object, the standard example: to make boobs bigger ;) ( I'dont make that, but that explain it good, but I use it to let someone look not so fat).

 

I found this:

 

 

 

 

But however i move the slider, nothing changes and I don't see other options to form the object new. And it is in the same menu like in gimp and it says "transform". (verformen).

 

 

2.

One menu is not translated into English.

 

 

 

 

Google say it means "Ausgleich" or "Gleichungen" (Equations) I have no idea what that make, but I did saw the English word.

[dominik]

 

 

 

Hi Dracken,

 

 

I worked today again with it, and sadly yes I did lost the fun with it, so I did go back to gimp.

I would say Affinity is better for old Photoshop users. For me as Gimp users, is it too different.

 

I am sorry to hear that. It is a matter of personal preference and experience if one feels comfortable with a given toolset. I think you are correct with your judgement that Affinity may feel more familiar to Photoshop users. The other way round I did never get the hang of Gimp when I tried it (long time ago)  :)

 

I also never got very comfortable with Adobe Illustrator (even though I can work with it). That is one of the reasons why I plan to switch Affinity Designer.

 

Also consider that it is not only about the software itself but about certain image editing techniques one has to learn. Especially in regard to montage with masks and selections. This is not an easy one.

 

To your questions:

 

But however i move the slider, nothing changes and I don't see other options to form the object new. And it is in the same menu like in gimp and it says "transform". (verformen).

 

I suggest you look up 'verformen' in the help file (> F1). The master slider alone does nothing at all. You click in the image and set anchor points. You then can move those points in any direction you want and this transforms the image. I think this is very powerful and is the right tool to make someone look thinner.

 

 

One menu is not translated into English.

 

Remember this is a beta version. This is a good find and it would be good to post this in an extra thread so that the moderators can take a note of it.

 

I switched AP to English and looked up in the help file what 'Equations' does. It let's you enter mathematical formulas (equations) and this will produce some kind of distortion on your picture. It is a filter for the more experienced (or adventurous) users  ;)

 

 

Please be patient with the software and with yourself. It takes some time to learn how things work. And I am sure you will find your way around after some playing and trying.

 

Cheers,

 

d.

 

 

[Dave Harris]

I did try it, I could open it on that way, but I have to set the check box "open it always with affinity", but I don't wanna open it always with an editor, normally I watch images with irfanviewer.

 

If instead you add Affinity to the Windows Send To menu, you can use that without changing the edit settings. (I'm not saying we shouldn't offer to add a menu item automatically, just suggesting a workaround.)

[Dracken]

Now I understand the transform tool it is AWESOME! Gimp sucks sooo much on that.... :D

I found something that I love!! :D

 

 

I edit my Send to Folder, but it is not the best, I hope you change it soon :)

[dominik]

Now I understand the transform tool it is AWESOME! Gimp sucks sooo much on that.... :D

I found something that I love!! :D

 

Hello Dracken,

 

there is more to love in AP. I suggest you look into a tool calle 'Gitterverzerrung':

 

1) Create a pixel layer e.g. by copying the diagonal pillow to a new layer (CTRL+j)

2) Click on the "Gitterverzerrung" tool.

3) Now you can move the corner points of the marked rectangle and all pixels are transformed accordingly.

4) You can even click and move in the middle between the corner points and bend the image in- or outwards.

5) With a double click inside the bounding box you can add aditional 'control points' and move these around and use the handles to rotate around the 'control point'.

 

This should help you to make a person look bigger or thinner or very funny, too.

 

Cheers,

 

d.

[SrPx]

. I think you are correct with your judgement that Affinity may feel more familiar to Photoshop users. The other way round I did never get the hang of Gimp when I tried it (long time ago)  

 

 

Yep, totally agree. Am a Photoshop user (professional, not hobbyist) since '95, Photoshop 2.0 at companies, and I can say I totally feel "at home" with the UI, both Photo and Designer. Which is a total success, IMO, if wanting to be an alternative to Photoshop (and illustrator) , that for several of us (freelancers, hobbyists and a number of companies) is quite a possibility.

[Dracken]

Hello Dracken,

 

there is more to love in AP. I suggest you look into a tool calle 'Gitterverzerrung':

 

1) Create a pixel layer e.g. by copying the diagonal pillow to a new layer (CTRL+j)

2) Click on the "Gitterverzerrung" tool.

3) Now you can move the corner points of the marked rectangle and all pixels are transformed accordingly.

4) You can even click and move in the middle between the corner points and bend the image in- or outwards.

5) With a double click inside the bounding box you can add aditional 'control points' and move these around and use the handles to rotate around the 'control point'.

 

This should help you to make a person look bigger or thinner or very funny, too.

 

Cheers,

 

d.

 

Thanks, I did try it out already, but uhm... how do I save my work? press Enter do not save the work.

German: (Sobald ich auf eine andere Ebene klicke ist alles verschobene/verbogene wieder rückgängig, wie mache ich es also wirksam?)

 

I did click just for fun on the color buttons at the top but yeah... I could not reset the color it only reset my transformations :(

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is that a bug or why is that not in the protocol list?

[dominik]

 

 

 

Thanks, I did try it out already, but uhm... how do I save my work? press Enter do not save the work.

 

There is a blue button at the top right that says 'Apply' (even if the language is set to German. This seems to be a bug). Apply means 'anwenden'. You click on it and your changes are saved.

 

You could as well click on a different tool. It saves your changes, too.

 

 

I did click just for fun on the color buttons at the top but yeah... I could not reset the color it only reset my transformations  :(

 

There must be a bug and this should be brought to attention of the developers. I'll post this.

 

After you pressed one of the colored buttons you can click 'Apply' and the modifications are in effect. If you want to reset the colors that you accidentially changed you can use the 'Protocol' panel.

 

d.

[Dracken]

I used strg+z but it did not work :(

And I know "apply" :D that is normal for me ;)

I know a lot english but I know not everything .

[dominik]

I used strg+z but it did not work :(

'

Hm, that is strange. Did you try to use the 'Protokoll'? That way you can step backward and forward until you found the correct version of the document you want to keep.

 

d.

[Wiredframe]

[i'm German, excuse me if I write something wrong, I will try my best)

Hello Guys,

 

I did started with: https://pixlr.com/editor/that is very very simple, then I did get into Gimp ~2months ago. And I learned more and more.

So today I saw your Software and I did just try it out. But... I can not really handle it.

 

No offense, really. But as you are saying, you're a beginner in image manipulation. You should learn the basics and discover workarounds when something is not at present and report bugs and feature requests when you really feel ready for it. Give yourself more than just a day to get used to a completely new software.

 

"Übung macht den Meister :)"

[Dracken]

I know what a bug is and what not :)

I learned already a lot in Gimp but I'm still in learning phase, and I'm sure the affinity Team is happy about every feedback and not only from pro's.

 

So I got a new bug, I had it already a few days ago, I can not use my mouse to ..german: um etwas auszuwählen mit dem lassowrkzeug.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1u5GwbpnjE

 

And I found something that is still not translated.

 

@Dominik : I did try this time the color buttons again and this time I got an entry in my protocol and could reset it with strg+z.

So it was again a bug :( Looks like I'm good at bug finding :D

 

(I still don't see my embedded videos -_-.... Forum bug ?)

[dominik]

 

So I got a new bug, I had it already a few days ago, I can not use my mouse to ..german: um etwas auszuwählen mit dem lassowrkzeug.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1u5GwbpnjE

 

And I found something that is still not translated.

 

 

 

Hi Dracken,

 

I watched your video and I think you misunderstand how the lasso tool works, becaus for me the tool works as expected.

 

Freehand: You click and hold the mouse and drag and that way you select an area.

Polygonal: You click and click and click and you create a selection with straight lines.

Magnetic: You click and let go the mouse button. Then you move the mouse (without clicking) around an area and AP tries to find automatically borders between areas of different color.

 

Please try it again. I am sure you will get the hang of it.

 

 

And, yes, there are some missing translations  :)

I suggest that you post these in a seperate thread with a clear topic name. Otherwise moderators/devs won't take notice of that.

 

 

 

 

 

(I still don't see my embedded videos  -_-.... Forum bug ?)

 

I tried to find out how to embed in posts but have not found an answer. Perhaps others can chime in?

 

I suspect that embedding YouTube videos is disabled. You just can post a link to it.

 

d.