[AP] Pixellated Circles

[Richard S.]

Hi,

I am really trying to use Affinity Photo as my main image editing app, but I have found a few things which do not seem to work as expected (even though they are the most basic of things).

 

Issue 1:

I created a new document, then created a new layer by clicking on the "new pixel layer" icon in the layers palette. I then selected the elliptical marquee tool, and with the shift held down - drew a circle. However - the circle was extremely jagged

 

Issue 2:

I selected the brush tool, then selected a circular brush, then clicked once on the canvas, and once again - the circle was extremely jagged.

 

I presume I am missing something obvious here, as these are the most basic of basic things. If not, then I will repost in the bugs thread.

 

Thank you all in advance for any advice you can give on these issues.

[R C-R]

The elliptical marquee (& all the other pixel section tools) can only select whole pixels, so their outlines will conform to the edges of pixel boundaries. For diagonals or anything else that does not line up exactly on pixel boundaries, you will get the stair-step jagged edges you see.

 

Likewise. pixel brushes can only paint whole pixels so you will see a similar effect when you use them, although depending on the settings you may see anti-aliasing (adjacent pixels filled with a similar color) to reduce the abrupt transition from one pixel's color to that of nearby ones.

 

There is no cure or workaround for this other than using larger sized canvases with more pixels so the jaggedness is reduced.

[Richard S.]

WOW - can't believe a smooth circle cannot be created :(

[MEB]

Hi DesignMeister,

1. Check/tick Antialias in the context toolbar for the Elliptical Marquee Tool (and other selection tools) to get an antialiased selection.

2. In the case of the Paint Brush Tool change the hardness to a value lower than 100% in the context toolbar.

[Richard S.]

Thanks MEB

Antialias worked perfectly for the marquee, and 98% worked for the brush.

[Alfred]

WOW - can't believe a perfect circle cannot be created :(

 

But a perfect circle can be created: it just won't be a perfect circle on your screen, or on most other output devices.

[R C-R]

But a perfect circle can be created: it just won't be a perfect circle on your screen, or on most other output devices.

I don't think this is true for Affinity Photo -- everything is created as a pixel-based shape, even vector objects once they have been created. Or at least I have not found a way to use the shape tools in AP to create true vector objects free of pixel edge effects.

[Alfred]

I don't think this is true for Affinity Photo -- everything is created as a pixel-based shape, even vector objects once they have been created. Or at least I have not found a way to use the shape tools in AP to create true vector objects free of pixel edge effects.

 

My bad: you're almost certainly right. In that case, perhaps my answer should have been something along the lines of, "WOW - I can't believe a perfect circle can be created in any pixel-based image editor." :P

[Richard S.]

MEBs workaround worked (even though it's a workaround). :)

[MEB]

Affinity Photo is a raster editor. All objects/layers (vectors included) are rendered to a pixel grid on screen. This is by design. It's the same in Photoshop and other image editors. There's no way to view them as vectors like you do in Designer although you edit them as such.

 

@DesignMeister,

That's not a workaround. It's how you get smooth (antialiased) selections in Affinity Photo (no jaggies) using the selection tools. You will find the same option in other raster editors as well.

[Richard S.]

MEB,

I'm not expecting vector circles, I was simply saying that I do not have to do those extra steps in my other apps.

 

Thanks for trying to help anyway.

 

Thank you.

[Richard S.]

With all due respect MEB - this is not the case in Photoshop, as I have been using it since the early versions, and have never had to take additional steps to get a smooth looking circle via a brush.

Also, I have used a 256 pixel circular brush and set the hardness to both 99% and 98% and it is still jagged.

 

If this is how AP does it, then fair enough. The thing is - I really want to use AP as my main image editing app, but things like this prevent a complete migration :(

[R C-R]

Try exporting those smooth looking circles you get in Photoshop to a raster-only format. How smooth do they look now?

[Richard S.]

They still look extremely smooth when exported as both png and jpg. They always have done, which is why I am perplexed why this is not the case in AP?

[Peregrin]

With all due respect MEB - it is not the same in Photoshop, as I have been using it since the early versions, and have never had to take additional steps, just to get a smooth looking circle via a brush.

If this is how AP does it, then fair enough.

 

The thing is - I really want to use AP as my main image editing app, but things like this prevent a complete migration :(

I'm not entirely sure what issue you're having.  Is the image resolution the same as what you'd use in PS?  I'm not sure if they've added it yet or not, but I've heard that it'll eventually be possible to set the defaults for these tools, which would make it easier (assuming your problem is what I think it is).  If you could post a few screenshots it might make things easier to understand.

[Richard S.]

The image is set to 1024 x 1024 @ 72dpi in both apps.

PS provides a very smooth looking circle with no additional steps required, simply by choosing a circular brush and then clicking once on the canvas.

I do the same in AP and it creates a jagged edged circle (even when the hardness is set to 99% or 98%).

 

I am simply trying to work out why this is happening :(

[MEB]

DesignMeister,

Photoshop has antialiased enabled by default for the elliptical marquee tool, while Affinity Photo doesn't (we probably should have it enabled by default too).

Regarding the brush, it may also depend on Photoshop settings. If you post a few screenshots as Peregrin suggested we may be able to help you better.

Maybe there's some bug or issue you have discovered that we are not aware.

[Richard S.]

MEB - thanks for the reply.

I'm in the middle of migrating to a new machine, so my dropbox is not yet set up - therefore I cannot upload an image.

 

This is what I am doing:

 

I create a new document (1024 x 1024 @ 72 dpi).

I create a new pixel layer.

I select a 256 pixel circular brush.

I set the hardness to 99% (or 98%).

I click once on the canvas - and get a jagged circle.

 

I'm using the latest beta version.

 

Hope that helps :)

 

Thanks.

[MEB]

This is what i get in latest Affinity Photo 1.5.0 GM (Mac) with your settings:

 

[Richard S.]

I'm using the latest 1.5.0 (GM Seed), and my circle is not as smooth as yours?

I will uninstall the app, and then try reinstalling.

 

Is there a preferences file stored anywhere on my system which will also need to be deleted?

 

Thanks MEB :)

[MEB]

Where are you you setting the brush? Are you picking it from the brushes panel?

[Richard S.]

I uninstalled AP, then reinstalled, and the circle now looks smoother when I set the hardness to 99%.

Can you please just clarify - the reason I need to set the hardness to 99% is because AP does not antialias brushes automatically?

 

If that is correct, do you know if future versions will have a preference to change this, so that they can be set to automatically become antialiased?

 

Thanks MEB :)