node base non destructive image editing features like nuke and resolve

[ram]

hi,

i am excited with the affinity photo. its fast and looks real alternative to photoshop. i have been big fan of deviance resolve and nuke. the node base workflow is far advance to layer based work flow.

i think if the code is all new and still developing its the perfect time to integrate node base editing along with layer base workflow. 

 

[nicelife]

Second that. That would be a real improvement how to work with images. As much as I love what affinity serif is pulling of here the UI and basic concept of the "photoshop" workflow didn't change with Affinity Photo. It just looks like a photoshop clone. Which is a good thing to bring over all the old school photoshoppers but lacks improving the user experience. 

[russcript]

I could not agree more strongly - nodes are the future of Image editing, and it would bring a real cutting edge to Affinity if they would include the compositor style workflow as an persona; the traditional layer system won't diseappear anytime soon I'm afraid.

 

perhaps it could be implemented as a "Composite layer"; you could add this placeholder layer into your layer stack, then switch to the Node Compositor Persona and make your nodes edits, which would then be piped back into the layer stack for continued editing if desired.

 

   What make node compositor style editing so powerful is that you can split mulitiple branches off of one image, apply effects separatly and recombine the image later down the line using a multitude mixing/masking methods.

   This kind of edit in a traditional layer system would require many copies of the orginal image to start with and a lot of hacking around with groups and masks, which is much less flexible to work with.

[Jimmini]

This absolutely needs to happen and would take Affinity to the yet undiscovered realms of next generation software, far from the reach of Adobe Stagnation CC. Layers are fine for the most part (and Affinity already offers much more flexibility than Adobe's stuff in this area), but the possibilities of a node based system would be truly endless. I can't even imagine all the amazing stuff some creative heads would build with this. Even more, they could share their setup with the community, allowing everyone to effortlessly apply it to their own project. In Affinity Designer, it could be used to create new types of shapes. All without scripting and installing of plugins. This system is even used in game developement, namely Unreal Engine. But also in Blender and the ones the OP mentioned.

[Pixlers]

Yes, I have this desire for a node based image editing program for 20 or more years. It would be great to see that feature growing up in this young program.

[Jimmini]

I created a small node setup in Blender that generates a rainbow spiral, to give you an idea on how this approximately works, just in case.
 

 
The left most node gives the image coordinates, the right most is the output. Nodes can be grouped and reused for more complex setups. Just download the software from blender.org and open the .blend file within the attached zip file. You can manipulate values in the nodes and the result gets immediately displayed to the right. Of course, Blender really isn't made for image editing, so it lacks some important things to make this more than just a small peek at what could be.
 
Sure, this isn't a small feature request, but I think this could greatly enhance the program's scope and provide a massive selling point that surely would find a lot of fans.

Spiral Node Texture.zip

[anon1]

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/15873-coming-2016-32bit-hdr-editing-sneak-preview/?p=81085

 

After all affinity is node based internally anyway

[ronnyb]

I would love to see the affinity Devs expose the full power but only if they can develop a unique UI for it. Node is very powerful but not as accessible as layer based. I think an approach like Motion's Behaviors is genius. These would be like a set of packaged nodes delivering specific effects whose parameters can be linkable via inputs and outputs....

 

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/15873-coming-2016-32bit-hdr-editing-sneak-preview/?p=81085

 

After all affinity is node based internally anyway

[Alfred]

I created a small node setup in Blender that generates a rainbow spiral, to give you an idea on how this approximately works, just in case.

 

Thanks, but when I open your *.blend file in Blender 2.78a, the preview doesn't look anything like your screenshot. :(

[Jimmini]

Thanks, but when I open your *.blend file in Blender 2.78a, the preview doesn't look anything like your screenshot. :(

 

Sorry, I still used 2.71, it seems they clamp the hue parameter in HSV nodes now. Here's the updated file. I just had to place a modulo node between the add node and the HSV one.

 

Changing the value of the multiply node (which currently is 100), changes the zoom factor. With the power node on the right (currently 0.15), the "acceleration" of the spiral can be adjusted. I really don't know how even such a fairly simple thing can be made using traditional layers + filters with that kind of freedom to precisely adjust every parameter in every way mathematically possible, especially non-destructively. I absolutely love the idea of being able to mathematically/logically generate and manipulate images.

With Affinity being internally node-based and the team being this talented, I have a good feeling about the future of this feature.

Spiral Node Texture.zip

[Alfred]

Many thanks, Jimmini. That works great now. :)

[Jimmini]

Many thanks, Jimmini. That works great now. :)

 

You're welcome, Alfred.

 

The great thing about nodes is that you can easily reconnect them. So if you, for example, reconnect the "wire" that goes into the "hue" parameter to go into the "value" parameter (by dragging the "plug"), you get something like a red rose. Or you can connect them both to get a different result again. Even more, all this could be easily reconnected to get a distortion filter for an actual image. Or to specify this spiral as parameter for any other filter... truly endless this stuff. It would be great if there was an open format for this, to share nodes between applications.

 

I've got some more examples attached. This is all achieved just by changing some values, adding a few nodes or reconnecting them.

[Swampcat]

I couldn't agree more. but id like to see the option to work with either or depending on the project. 

[jarombra]

This would be hot.

[glengine]

I fully support this.  Having a node editor with some of the same hot keys/controls as Maya and Nuke would really set this app apart from CC.

[paolo.limoncelli]

AndyS told us long time ago that Affinity's engine is a node one.

Also added that they could decide to expose it future releases.

[anon1]

AndyS told us long time ago that Affinity's engine is a node one.

Also added that they could decide to expose it future releases.

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/6183-node-base-non-destructive-image-editing-features-like-nuke-and-resolve/?p=144056

I also remembered those good old days  :D  :P

[paolo.limoncelli]

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/6183-node-base-non-destructive-image-editing-features-like-nuke-and-resolve/?p=144056

I also remembered those good old days  :D  :P

 

It is time to share our "macOS wisdom" with young users...  :P

I'm too old... You've been faster! 

[BobFossil]

An old topic, but node based image editing would be a COMPLETE game changer. Until you have used something like Nuke or Fusion for a while, you cannot comprehend how clunky working with layers is compared to nodes. It's a strangely under-represented niche for image editing and I can't figure out why. I assume that people figure that most people can't handle the change, which is ridiculous. The entire film, TV and animation industries use node-based stuff around 80%+ of the time I would say.  More After Effects for low-budget stuff.

[Aftemplate]

[cosmical]

Nodes for generating new brushes (with physics like corel's Particle Brushes, with wetness simulation and viscosity simulation or adding some AI detailing enhance brush etc.)

Nodes for compositing - generating new filter layers - color grading effects - masking.

Nodes for generating visualizations from json data like in Blender

- https://youtu.be/0aRjInmibSw

But mostly i see there future for building new tools - brushes - adding motion blur vectors, particles, physics, combining clone tool with other tools available in AP and creating new ones.
But this would require lots of nodes: motion vectors, blur, math nodes, particles with life and birth rate, clone, inpainting, blending, mirroring (for example creating new inpaint with mirroring/flip options would be nice), stacking node, coloring node, alpha/mask node but i am not coder so i can just wish that Affinity will introduce something innovating in future for photo editing.. ultimate photo editing.