That background layer

[Paul Martin]

I've been using various image programmes for over 30 years, but I only use paiting photo programmes when I have to.

For some reason I have never understood why every design makes you promote/duplicate a "background layer" before you can do anything with it. What conceivable use to anyone is an unedictable background layer? Why not have it already promoted/duplicated as the default?

 

I just thought that, with Affinity being pretty much a clean start, someone might want to consider it...

[kaffeeundsalz]

Well, when you open an image, the existing information on how that image looks has to go somewhere. Where else should Affinity put it other than on an initial background layer? Perhaps what you mean is that this background layer is locked by default so you can't edit it. But that's not true: A locked layer in AP only means that you can't transform it. Everything else is possible: You can paint, dodge/burn, smudge or any other brushwork, apply filters, do selections on it, take it to the Liquify or Tone Mapping Persona and so on. Even the Perspective and Mesh Warp Tool works on locked layers. If you have to transform it, click the Lock/Unlock Button – and you're done.

 

Why not have the layer duplicated by default? Because there are endless ways of manipulating images in AP that simply don't require this. For example, all adjustments are non-destructive by default and get mapped to a separate layer. Live filters have their own layers, too. In fact, duplicating the background layer is only ever necessary if you want to apply some destructive editing on it and want to be able to go back to your original. And talking about a clean start, you may have noticed that if you create a new document in Affinity, it does indeed have no initial layers.

[R C-R]

Affinity does not create any layers when you create a new document, nor does it name a new layer you add to the document "Background" or assign any other name to it.

 

What it does do by default is assign a single layer document that has no layer name you import in to the app the name "Background" & lock it. You can change the locking behavior in Preferences > User Interface if you don't want it locked on import.

 

Regardless of that you can edit any layer, whether locked or not, regardless of its name.