Magic Wand Tool

[bflores]

Version 1.5.3.69 for Windows

 

(QUESTION)

- Is there a Magic Wand Tool, similar to Adobe Fireworks, Photoshop, etc?

[NeilP]

Hi bflores,

 

As far as I know, In Designer the only thing close to the 'Magic Wand' would be the selection brush under the Pixel Persona.  I could be completely wrong though!  I am sure one of the Advanced Members will let us both know if I am.  Affinity Photo does have a 'Magic Wand' though, but it is called the 'Flood Select Tool'.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Kind regards

Neil 

[bflores]

I just downloaded the Affinity Photo trial for Windows.  I see the "Flood Select Tool" in the software, but strangely its called "Magic Wand" on their website at https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/photo/.

 

 

Hopefully they can get Designer tools designed, for us Fireworks users... who can transition easily.. vs learning a whole new method.

 

Fair enough to add new awesome features.  But PLEASE  provide the basic methods, so we don't have to learn all at once.  We can pick the other new tools and methods over time as we go. 

[toltec]

I just downloaded the Affinity Photo trial for Windows.  I see the "Flood Select Tool" in the software, but strangely its called "Magic Wand" on their website at https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/photo/.

 

Capture.jpg

 

Hopefully they can get Designer tools designed, for us Fireworks users... who can transition easily.. vs learning a whole new method.

 

Fair enough to add new awesome features.  But PLEASE  provide the basic methods, so we don't have to learn all at once.  We can pick the other new tools and methods over time as we go. 

 

To be fair to Serif, I don't think a Magic Wand Tool (flood select tool) is a "basic method" in a Vector Illustration program. Which is what Designer basically is. A Magic Wand Tool is for selecting pixels, for which you would surely expect to use a Pixel editing program, like Photo ?

 

I think the Affinity idea is, you use Designer for Illustrations, Photo for Photos and when it comes out, Publisher for Page Layout. There is obviously some crossover, which is great, but there is no substitute for using the right tool (a specialised tool) for the job. When it is done, with Publisher out, you will be able to switch between apps seamlessly (In theory) and use the full arsenal of tools available in each.

 

This is basically the same as Adobe (without the high prices). Illustrator for Illustrations, Photoshop for Photos and InDesign for Page Layout. One of the main reasons for Adobe adding other (crossover) tools to each app is to justify the annual upgrade price. 

[bflores]

To be fair to Serif, I don't think a Magic Wand Tool (flood select tool) is a "basic method" in a Vector Illustration program. Which is what Designer basically is. A Magic Wand Tool is for selecting pixels, for which you would surely expect to use a Pixel editing program, like Photo ?

 

I think the Affinity idea is, you use Designer for Illustrations, Photo for Photos and when it comes out, Publisher for Page Layout. There is obviously some crossover, which is great, but there is no substitute for using the right tool (a specialised tool) for the job. When it is done, with Publisher out, you will be able to switch between apps seamlessly (In theory) and use the full arsenal of tools available in each.

 

This is basically the same as Adobe (without the high prices). Illustrator for Illustrations, Photoshop for Photos and InDesign for Page Layout. One of the main reasons for Adobe adding other (crossover) tools to each app is to justify the annual upgrade price.

 

Adobe Fireworks does both (don't need 2 separate programs for vector / raster (illustrations / photos) . All the support forums and alternative suggestions, all point to Affinity Designer as the holy grail replacement. So I bought AD. Installed it. And appears to way different. I am so lost. Can't find simple tools like magic wand.

 

So like you state..I'm on the Afinity Photo for pixel band wagon. Let's try that. Affinity Photo is my second attempt. Especially since they advertised "Magic Wand" on the website (see previous screen grab). I install Affinty Photo. Same issue. No Magic Wand. No simple way to do mass selections, inverse selections, similar selections. It may be there. It's just not obvious. I spend 5 to 10 minutes on it. Give up in frustration, then go back to Fireworks.

 

I'm willing to give Serif a go. I so badly want it to be my go to solution. I'm so done with Adobe subscriptions. I just don't have time to spend x number of months getting up to speed with a new unfamiliar product. My work load is too high. Slowing down to a crawl would kill me.

 

Autodesk was headed in the right direction with "Pixlr Editor" (pixlr.com). Zero learning curve. Editor tools were exactly like Fireworks or Photoshop. But they ditched the desktop app. Free Online with adds now, and painful to use. So that's out.

 

The cost for Affinity products are so affordable. I'll just hold on to it, in hopes it will add basic universal editing tools, so I can hit the ground running, vs crawling. I just hope the product upgrades are not costly.

[toltec]

The trouble with doing everything in one program is that it will never do everything. Fireworks doesn't do page layout or Web design?

 

The closest is Xara Designer, which I use for most things but it misses some of the basic editing features of Photo. And what a steep learning curve!

 

I must admit I found it difficult to change from Photoshop to Photo. I am retired now so had the spare time to learn, but totally understand where you are coming from. 

 

I had to spend hours and hours trawling through videos, which was a chore and there are several features not covered in videos or the help files (or on occasion, missing!) I would not have spent that time in my former, commercial environment.

 

This forum has been great though.