"How too" questions with Affinity Designer from an Illustrator user

[buckycore]

Until just last night, I knew nothing about Affinity Designer. But because I was forced to find a substantially cheaper alternative for Illustrator for the time being, I'm glad to have found this app. Even though I can see right off the bat how many features aren't included that I'm used to in Illustrator, I see how the workflow is way more intuitive, and just consolidated in how you perform operations (Layer masks just like Photoshop. But like...with Vectors. WOW. Whoda thunk? Adjustments to the stroke thick/thin with that beautiful pressure tool. SAY WHAT? Where've you been all my life?) 
However, here are the three things I need to know how to do straight in Affinity. I realize I may need to jump back and forth in my clunk older copy of Illustrator to do a few things. But hopefully I'm just over looking things.

1. How do you do offset a path? I know there's a stroke feature. Which is and isn't quite the same, but I can achieve similar things for the basic outside offset. However, I need to know how to do inner path offsets (you know, when you set the offset to a negative number, and it shrinks). I'm assuming it's called something  else if you have this feature. 
2. I keep reading conflicting stuff online (that seems a little out of date as well) Is there a way to do the Envelope warp with objects in Affinity? Basically, I just want to know if I can arch my text like in Illustrator. I don't need the wacky bulges and crap like that. I just need to do arches and flag raises.
3. Is there a shape blend tool or a process to create shape blends?

A bonus one would be if I can create pattern brushes like in Illustrator, but that's a "meh" The fact that you can draw like a real art program means I wouldn't need pattern brushes as much. 

Anyway, I'm still using the trial. Is the paid version different? 

[Dan C]

Hi buckcyore,

Welcome to the forums
I'm glad to hear you're enjoying your trial of Affinity Designer!
1. There isn't a specific tool for this, but it has been requested here: https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/25991-newbie-question-offset-path/
2. Unfortunately Affinity Designer does not support Envelope warp, but it has been feature requested here: https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/6971-envelope-warping-object-distort-perspective-tool-or-fisheye-tool/ and is also on our Affinity Designer 1.x Roadmap here: https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/842-affinity-designer-feature-roadmap/
3. Equally we do not currently have a shape blend tool, but it has been requested here: https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/54075-blending-shapes/ and is on the same Roadmap seen above.

You can create pattern brushes if you wish, please see this video here for a tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mB2ta6zEOo

The paid version is no different, we ensure that all customers have the chance to try our apps features to their fullest extent in the trial version!

[gabriel_komorov]

17 minutes ago, Dan C said:

3. Equally we do not currently have a shape blend tool

 

@buckycore

 

Until tool arrives you can use smart duplicate as workaround. Basically duplicate shape, apply desired transformation to it, and then duplicate again and again...

[buckycore]

Thank you both for your replies (and sorry it took so long to get back to you.) I ended up buying it, even before I read your replies as I figured the more intuitive work for for 90% of everything made up for the cost, and it's not unheard of for me to use two or more apps at once when making an illustration (I go between Sketchbook Pro, Clip Studio Paint and Photoshop when working on illustrations), so I can just easily make those elements that require morphing and what have you in my old Illustrator and insert the object in my design that way. Anyway, the shapes tool is just so cool. I love how they have controls that you can fiddle with until you're ready to commit to paths...

[R C-R]

3 hours ago, buckycore said:

Anyway, the shapes tool is just so cool. I love how they have controls that you can fiddle with until you're ready to commit to paths...

If you have not already watched it, check out the Affinity Designer - Shapes video tutorial to see what these tools can do. The Cog Tool in particular allows the creation of an amazing variety of shapes.

 

As the video shows, if you convert a shape to curves you can then edit individual nodes. In a later version released after the video was made, a new feature was added that allows the rotation of selected nodes around any of the anchors in the Transform panel by changing the R: value. Using the center anchor as the rotation center & (for example) selecting all the outer or inner nodes of a converted cog you can even get things like this:

[firstdefence]

On 22/03/2018 at 1:32 AM, buckycore said:

How do you do offset a path? I know there's a stroke feature. Which is and isn't quite the same, but I can achieve similar things for the basic outside offset. However, I need to know how to do inner path offsets (you know, when you set the offset to a negative number, and it shrinks). I'm assuming it's called something  else if you have this feature. 

For Off-set paths you will need to remove a fill, apply the stroke width you want the off-set to be and then... A video explains it better 

 

Create an off-set.mp4

[buckycore]

Wow, thank you for sharing that tutorial. Once again, I see how Affinity managed to consolidate workflows together rather than having all these separate operations like in the big I. This feels more intuitive like everything else I've been discovering.

Edited April 6, 2018 by buckycore
Tried to get a quote in there. Still learning how your message board works.

[retrograde]

2 hours ago, buckycore said:

Wow, thank you for sharing that tutorial. Once again, I see how Affinity managed to consolidate workflows together rather than having all these separate operations like in the big I. This feels more intuitive like everything else I've been discovering.

 

Hey buckycore, welcome. I too am a hybrid user. As a full time working illustrator I decided to take the leap into Affinity land way back in 2014, I think.... I liked some of the pixel painting features I wished I could have had in illustrator for years... So far the experience has been pretty awesome! I use both apps for work depending on what I need to do and yes you need to adjust your workflow a little when working in Designer, especially when you're flipping between the two. I find I'm flipping into Designer from illustrator more than the other way round these days... overall it's mostly been a positive experience and there are cool features making their way in on a fairly regular basis. I compare it to like learning a second language, it's an investment. You keep the skills in one while learning new skills in the other.

 

You should check out the 1.7 sneak peaks thread for a taste of whats on the horizon. Exciting times! Good luck!