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I'm pretty close in deciding to make a move from Illustrator to Affinity.

I love the corner smoothing abilities, adding varying widths to a single

line etc.

 

But it's been a while since I had the 10 day trial and can't remember

how the pen tool performs ( how the tool operates would be a real

deal breaker!) Unfortunately I can't get a clear demonstration either from

any of the tutorials I've watched.

 

Basically I'm looking for the pen tool to respond according to the first

video I've uploaded Illustrator Pen tool (recorded from Illustrator).

So being able to control wether the next point you place in a basic vector

shape is a curve or straight line on the fly, and to what degree it curves.

I know some Vector programmes behave more closely to the second

video I uploaded Illustrator Pen tool_basic ie, curve angle determined as

soon as the next point is placed, and must be adjusted after.

Thanks in advance

 

Illustrator Pen tool.mov

Illustrator Pen tool_basic.mov

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The pen tool works a bit differently, but there are comparable results. Attached, a quick line I drew switching between the basic curve mode, constrained, and snapping turned off, w. 1 node tweaked on the fly by invoking the node tool control during the pen use.

 

post-34886-0-95759300-1485368285_thumb.jpg

iMac 27" Retina, c. 2015: OS X 10.11.5: 3.3 GHz I c-5: 32 Gb,  AMD Radeon R9 M290 2048 Mb

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The upcoming version of Affinity will leave Illustrator's pen tool deep in the dust.

 

https://www.facebook.com/Affinitybyserif/videos/699855700189277/

Mac print publishing X-Press & Adobe hostage, cooking on extrem high level, subscribing with joy to US Cooks Illustrated & Foreign Affairs, the british Spectator and the swiss Weltwoche - absolute incompatible publications 

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BarKeegan, have you watched the Affinity Designer - Pen Power video tutorial? Although it is slightly out of date (it does not show the Polygon Pen mode) this should show you how the tool can be used in pen mode to control if the next point you place in a basic vector shape is a curve or straight line on the fly, and to what degree it curves.

 

Basically, if you click but do not drag when creating the next node, it will be a sharp (not curved) node; if you click & drag you can control the path's curvature through that node.

All 3 1.10.8, & all 3 V2.4.0 Mac apps; 2020 iMac 27"; 3.8GHz i7, Radeon Pro 5700, 32GB RAM; macOS 10.15.7
Affinity Photo 
1.10.8; Affinity Designer 1.108; & all 3 V2 apps for iPad; 6th Generation iPad 32 GB; Apple Pencil; iPadOS 15.7

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BarKeegan, have you watched the Affinity Designer - Pen Power video tutorial? Although it is slightly out of date (it does not show the Polygon Pen mode) this should show you how the tool can be used in pen mode to control if the next point you place in a basic vector shape is a curve or straight line on the fly, and to what degree it curves.

 

Basically, if you click but do not drag when creating the next node, it will be a sharp (not curved) node; if you click & drag you can control the path's curvature through that node.

Cheers, I've watched that tutorial, but I think there's a slight difference between

how I draw the next point and what you see in the tut. I click once more on the

last anchor I lay down before proceeding, which in Illustrator seems to give you more

'subtle' control over the overall shape of the curve. The tut did seem to suggest though

that holding the option key might give me that same control, unless I'm interpreting it wrong...

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In Affinity, if you click again on the last anchor (node) with the Pen tool, you will create a new one on top of the old one. Using the CMD key is a shortcut that temporarily switches to the Node tool, which allows you to fine tune any node in the shape (by changing its location or the position, type, or angles of its control handles). The option key alone ignores snapping (both whatever is set in the snapping options on the Main toolbar & the four options in the Context toolbar). While using the CMD key to switch to the Node tool, you can also use the Option key to delete node control handles (by clicking on them), just as you would if you had selected the Node tool from the Tool panel.

 

There are also several other options available on the Context toolbar, like for setting Pen Mode or converting selected nodes among sharp, smooth, or smart.

 

It can be a bit overwhelming at first but you do have complete control over the curve's shape once you understand how all the options work together.

All 3 1.10.8, & all 3 V2.4.0 Mac apps; 2020 iMac 27"; 3.8GHz i7, Radeon Pro 5700, 32GB RAM; macOS 10.15.7
Affinity Photo 
1.10.8; Affinity Designer 1.108; & all 3 V2 apps for iPad; 6th Generation iPad 32 GB; Apple Pencil; iPadOS 15.7

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In Affinity, if you click again on the last anchor (node) with the Pen tool, you will create a new one on top of the old one. Using the CMD key is a shortcut that temporarily switches to the Node tool, which allows you to fine tune any node in the shape (by changing its location or the position, type, or angles of its control handles). The option key alone ignores snapping (both whatever is set in the snapping options on the Main toolbar & the four options in the Context toolbar). While using the CMD key to switch to the Node tool, you can also use the Option key to delete node control handles (by clicking on them), just as you would if you had selected the Node tool from the Tool panel.

 

There are also several other options available on the Context toolbar, like for setting Pen Mode or converting selected nodes among sharp, smooth, or smart.

 

It can be a bit overwhelming at first but you do have complete control over the curve's shape once you understand how all the options work together.

I getcha, I suppose I'll have to embrace the differences. And like I said it looks like it does have loads of great features. Will miss the purity of Illustrator's pen though. Thanks for the feedback

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