How to convert Image to Pixel Layer

[Saikiran]

I usually download the image and open the downloaded image in affinity photos then copy the pixel layer paste it into my working project as a pixel layer.

Is there any simpler way to just copy an image from webpage paste it into my working project as a pixel layer?

[MEB]

Hi Saikiran,
Welcome to Affinity Forums
To convert an Image layer to a Pixel layer right-click the Image layer in the Layers panel and select Rasterise.

[R C-R]

Since Rasterize appears on the Layer menu, you can assign a custom keyboard shortcut to it if you want. IIRC, there is already a default one set (Return or Enter?) but I use the = key for that because I am less likely to tap it by mistake.

[julia_mysterywhite]

Good Day

 

I was wondering if you could help me

I have tried almost all ways to copy and paste on affinity photo and its copying in a way but when I paste the picture I copied for some reason it zooms in to the photo and I don't get the full photo I want?

and I have also tried changing it to pixels with the advice given but its still not working

im very confused

Edited September 16, 2019 by julia_mysterywhite

[MEB]

Hi julia_mysterywhite,
Welcome to Affinity Forums
The image you are pasting in probably bigger than the canvas size so you are only seeing part of it. Change to the Move Tool, select the image clicking on it on canvas then zoom out as needed until you see the whole bounding box (the blue line with the handles). Click and drag one of the corner handles to scale it down as needed then drag it to the canvas area.

[julia_mysterywhite]

thank you very much!!

 

[MarkPM]

On 6/16/2018 at 5:55 AM, MEB said:

Hi Saikiran,
Welcome to Affinity Forums
To convert an Image layer to a Pixel layer right-click the Image layer in the Layers panel and select Rasterise.

 

On 9/16/2019 at 8:36 PM, MEB said:

Hi julia_mysterywhite,
Welcome to Affinity Forums
The image you are pasting in probably bigger than the canvas size so you are only seeing part of it. Change to the Move Tool, select the image clicking on it on canvas then zoom out as needed until you see the whole bounding box (the blue line with the handles). Click and drag one of the corner handles to scale it down as needed then drag it to the canvas area.

I created a pixel layer the other day and now every time I import an image its a pixel layer. How to go back to importing image layers?

[walt.farrell]

9 minutes ago, MarkPM said:

I created a pixel layer the other day and now every time I import an image its a pixel layer. How to go back to importing image layers?

What do you mean by "import"? That's a rather imprecise term. What are you actually doing?

• File > Open?
• File > Place?
• Drag/Drop from Mac Finder or Windows File Explorer?
• Copy/Paste from a web browser or another application?

Or possibly something else that I haven't listed?

The first of those I listed should get you a (Pixel) layer. The others should get you an (Image) layer.

Also, what OS, and what Affinity application are you using?

[thomaso]

2 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

What do you mean by "import"? That's a rather imprecise term. What are you actually doing?

• File > Open?
• File > Place?
• Drag/Drop from Mac Finder or Windows File Explorer?
• Copy/Paste from a web browser or another application?

Or possibly something else that I haven't listed?

In terms of, eg., InDesign "import" does not mean Open nor Copy/Paste but a way of durable passthrough insert, possibly editable but always linked.

Since Affinity prefers to Open and can't do some Passthrough the term "Import" would be most close to "Place" – whereas one might want to import a text file but can't place that in Affinity.

[walt.farrell]

7 hours ago, thomaso said:

In terms of, eg., InDesign "import" does not mean Open nor Copy/Paste but a way of durable passthrough insert, possibly editable but always linked.

Since Affinity prefers to Open and can't do some Passthrough the term "Import" would be most close to "Place" – whereas one might want to import a text file but can't place that in Affinity.

Yes, but the important thing for this discussion is what does @MarkPM mean by the term, since they're the one having the problem that we need to resolve.

[firstdefence]

This might be helpful:

 

[MEB]

Hi MarkPM,
There's no way to create Image layers directly by the user. Image layers are considered "objects" you place in your document that can be then rasterised (if needed) for further manipulation at a pixel level as pixel layers (after you rasterise them as described above).

Image layers are created for you when you use the command File > Place (to place an image in your document), use the Place Image Tool (available in Affinity Designer and Publisher only,  for the same purpose) or drag an image file from Finder (macOS) or Windows Explorer (Windows) directly to an open document in an Affinity app.

[walt.farrell]

13 minutes ago, MEB said:

Image layers are created for you when you use the command File > Place (to place an image in your document), use the Place Image Tool (available in Affinity Designer and Publisher only,  for the same purpose) or drag an image file from Finder (macOS) or Windows Explorer (Windows) directly to an open document in an Affinity app.

Also (which I only learned of recently), on Windows one can select a pixel layer in the Layers panel, Ctrl+C to copy it, and Edit > Paste Special > PNG will give an (Image) copy of the (Pixel) layer. I've read reports that Affinity on Mac doesn't have Paste Special, so this might be Windows-specific.

[R C-R]

2 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

I've read reports that Affinity on Mac doesn't have Paste Special, so this might be Windows-specific.

Indeed, on Macs there is no "Paste Special" on the Edit menu:

[Jacob Tab]

Hi, I'm new is affinity, that would be great if we can convert the pixel layer into image layer, it's like make smart object in photoshop, thanks

[lepr]

4 hours ago, Jacob Tab said:

Hi, I'm new is affinity, that would be great if we can convert the pixel layer into image layer, it's like make smart object in photoshop, thanks

Hi, what benefit are you hoping to get from converting a Pixel object to an Image object? In what way would the Image object be more useful than the Pixel object?