How to erase part of a circle

[kalinoaj]

I start with a blank page and draw a simple circle (no fill) with the circle making tool.

 

At this point it appears to have handles.

 

When I try to erase part of the circle with the  brush erase tool ,(hopefully leaving  leaving behind an arc), it won't work.

 

I looked up erase a vector object and it says:

 

FROM HELP

------------------start help ---------

1. From the Layers panel, select a pixel layer.
2. From the Tools panel, select the Erase Brush Tool.
3. From the Brushes panel, select a brush of your choice.
4. Adjust the context toolbar settings.
5. Drag on the page in the direction that you want the erase brush stroke to follow.

----------------------------------------  end help ------------

*** Basic question(1) where is the "Layers panel"?

 

Is this that top to bottom open panel

that appears at the right side of an open AP document?

 

*** Basic question (2) EXACTLY where and how do I "select a pixel layer" in that panel?

 

 

Items 3 thru 5 are clear enough

 

 

[v_kyr]

Seems you are going to make this in AP (?), here is how you would make that in AD instead which should be very similar from the usage steps...

• 

 

The (1) layers panel is usually on the right side if you didn't changed it's location sides inside the UI. - Inside that panel is a list of shown (2) pixel + vector layers.

 

 

[Alfred]

Instead of drawing a circle and erasing part of it, why not use the Pie Tool to create the arc directly? :unsure:

[kalinoaj]

Thanks to those who replied!

 

But neither answer was what i am looking for.

 

I used the circle  only as an example of erasing, so the PIE tool won't apply to other shapes.

Also I want to have it explained for AP not AD.

 

I am looking for an answer to my two questions that i will repeat:

 

FROM AP HELP

------------------start help ---------

1. From the Layers panel, select a pixel layer.
2. From the Tools panel, select the Erase Brush Tool.
3. From the Brushes panel, select a brush of your choice.
4. Adjust the context toolbar settings.
5. Drag on the page in the direction that you want the erase brush stroke to follow.

----------------------------------------  end help ------------

*** Basic question(1) where is the "Layers panel"?

 

Is this that top to bottom open panel

that appears at the right side of an open AP document?

 

*** Basic question (2) EXACTLY where and how do I "select a pixel layer" in that panel?

I do not see any thing labeled  pixel layer

[v_kyr]

See:

• Layer Concepts
• Layers Overview

 

Look through the AP videos here to get an idea of how to do and use certain things!

[R C-R]

I suggest you start with the Affinity Photo Beginners - Layers video tutorial. At about the 3:00 mark you will see the Layers panel in its default location.

 

Also note that you cannot erase part of a vector layer, which includes the ellipse, rectangle, star, etc. shapes, text, & so on.

[Butler To Cats]

(1) v_kyr posted an image with an arrow indicating the Layer panel (click on the thumbnail to see it in full size) in Affinity Designer - if you haven't changed the layout of your software, look in Affinity Photo in the same location - as you imply, it is one of the sub-panels in the Studio area on the right of your image, with the tab above it labelled "Layers". Sounds like we might all be talking about the same thing but using different words, which is always frustrating.

 

(2) If you right-click on the circle (in either the Layers panel or on the canvas) and choose Rasterise, it becomes a Pixel layer (it is now static pixel/raster "paint", no longer a vector Ellipse shape/layer with modifier handles) and becomes erasable. In AP, you cannot erase from the circle while it is still a vector shape.

 

I'll agree with everyone else, getting a good understanding of layers is the key to proper use of many modern graphics techniques.