working with Subtract operation where overlapping fonts cause parts of layer not to subtract

[Will312]

Hi, this is a bit hard to describe. I've attached an example file which may help.

 

I am using text over a shape in order to subtract the text from the shape. This causes the text to essentially cut out the shape.

 

The way I am doing is is

 

1. Creating the shape
2. Typing the text and putting it over the shape
3. Selecting both the text and the shape at the same time
4. On a Mac holding down shift + alt and clicking Affinity Designers "subtract" button that is on the upper right of the screen

 

This works fine except that in the case of some fonts where the letters overlap. For the part(s) of the letters that overlap, it does not subtract. Instead the underlying shape still remains for the overlapping area.

 

For example, I am testing the font Irish Grover from Google Fonts (https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Irish+Grover). If you put a capital N and a capital V next to each other the N and V slightly overlap. The overlapping area is not cut out of the shape below the letters. Situations like this cause the problem I'm talking about.

 

Attached is an example. One is a PNG of the N and V and the other is the actual Affinity Designer file I used to create the example.

 

Does anyone know how to do it so that the overlapping parts of the letters is also cut out of the shape below it?

NV Overlapping Example AD File.afdesign

[Alfred]

Welcome to the Serif Affinity Forums, @Will312.

 

You just need to add the N and V together to create a new shape which will subtract correctly from the underlying shape.

 

BTW, there is no need to hold down the Shift key when Alt-clicking to create a compound shape. Option/Alt on its own will suffice.

 

[gdenby]

To expand on Alfred's solution: Compounding 2 overlapping shapes leaves a portion where they overlap as a new shape. Adding fuses the outlines. If the outlines do not overlap, then adding and compounding work the same way.

[Will312]

@Alfred and @gdenby, thanks for the info.

 

I'm a bit new to Affinity Designer. Can you explain what you mean by "add the N and V together"?

 

I had done it by simply typing the N and V as text in the same text box, then selecting the text box and the shape below and then using the "subtract" function.

 

Is there a different way to add the N and V together? I take it this is the adding vs compounding that gdenby is talking about. I'm just not sure how to add vs how to compound. I did try playing with the Layer -> Geometry -> Add but must be doing something wrong.

 

Also, thanks for letting me know I don't need to hold down "shift". Newbie here.

[MEB]

Hi Will312,

First convert the text to curves. To do this select the text object and press ⌘ (cmd) + ↵(Enter). Then expand the group that's created in the Layers panel and select each letter individually pressing ⌃(ctrl) and clicking on the layers. If you now go to the boolean operations group on the main toolbar and click Add - the shapes will be turned into a single shape destructively - that means you will not be able to recover the original letter shapes (unless you perform an undo operation obviously). But If you perform the same operation (click the Add icon) while pressing ⌥ (option/alt) the result will be a compound shape which is a non-destructive operation (look at the Layers panel): you can expand the compound layer to access the original shapes individually and edit them if needed.

 

Note: if instead of a single text object, the letters you have are two independent text objects you don't need to convert them to curves first. You can select them directly and click the Add button to turn then into a single object (pressing ⌥ (option/alt) or not depending if you want a destructive or a non-destructive boolean operation as explained above).

[Will312]

Thanks @MEB, that worked great!

 

I was hoping there was a way to do it without converting the text to curves so that I could still change font sizes, type in new text, etc. if need be. But no matter, this works for me too. I appreciate the help and description of how to do it.

[MEB]

It is possible. Make sure the letters are separate text objects, then select both letter's layers press and hold ⌥ (option/alt) and click the Add icon in the main toolbar. You now have a compound composed by two text objects you can still edit as text. You can then draw a rectangle and drag it to the bottom of the compound layers then change the letters operations to subtract to achieve the example you posted in the first post. Check the attched file.

sample_compound.afdesign

[Will312]

@MEB, thanks. I'll try that as well then.

 

Last question, hopefully, sounds like there is no way to do it if they are the same text object? By keeping them the same text object then the spacing and placement of each letter is as the font designer intended. Although I think I could do it as one text object and then separately overly a different text object with an extra V on top of the original V to make sure the layout is as the font designer intended? A little complicated but sounds workable.

[MEB]

You can duplicate the text, then delete the extra letters on each text object so only the ones you want remain. Since you only want to move the letters horizontally to overlap them, change to the Move Tool, select the "V" letter from the compound and use the directional keys on your keyboard to position the N over the V. It's as if you were adjusting the kerning between the letters. I've added a sample file to my previous post.

[Will312]

@MEB. Got it, thanks for the help. That makes sense to do. Really appreciate it.

[R C-R]

I am not sure this would work for your purposes, but another way to get the same effect is by using the layer Erase blend mode on the text layer, placed above the shape:

The text remains editable.

NV cutout via erase.afdesign

 

Edited September 21, 2017 by R C-R
fixed wrong attached afdesign file (oops!)

[Will312]

@R C-R, that is awesome! It did exactly what I was looking for. Allowed for the cut out, non-destructive, and lets me still edit the text.

 

Thank you very much!

[R C-R]

I am glad this works for you. You probably should thank @toltec for the idea -- I probably would not have thought of it if not for this recent post of his.

[Will312]

Ahh, bad on me not finding that article but thanks to both @toltec and @R C-R for the simple solution.