Joel_Cory Posted July 16, 2018 Share Posted July 16, 2018 Hello, Long time Illustrator user, trying to switch over to Affinity Designer... One feature I miss is the ability to draw an vector shape (simple or complex) and use it as a brush. A bicycle chain for example. I know there is a raster version of this. This just doesn't seem as good as vectors... Joel Cory Troglokev, Rudolphus, JET_Affinity and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 16, 2018 Share Posted July 16, 2018 Hello Joel_Cory, It is certainly less good but while waiting for the vector brushes, we can use them as long as the curvature of the lines is not too strong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JET_Affinity Posted July 16, 2018 Share Posted July 16, 2018 Quote Long time Illustrator user...ability to draw an vector shape...and use it as a brush. Agree completely. Despite the incessant referral to Adobe Illustrator as "the industry standard" and "professional quality," it really only has a very few features which set it apart in comparison to competing programs. The two biggest are multiple strokes, fills, effects (collectively called "Appearances" in AI) applied to a single path, and its vector-based Brushes. AI's Pattern Brushes can be used to create libraries of adjustable whole objects, like axonometric fasteners of any diameter and length. That's not to say that they couldn't be improved upon. They most certainly could; and I have specific details in mind, when I say that. But in general terms, their functionality could be tightly and elegantly integrated with Path Ends, Symbols, and with each other (Pattern, Scatter, and Art). So I hope the Affinity team intends to not just "match" but surpass. The opportunity is there. But generally speaking, yes, this is one of the very few "biggies." JET Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel_Cory Posted July 16, 2018 Author Share Posted July 16, 2018 Yes... I absolutely agree. There are specific illustrative techniques that are pinned on this exact type of technology. Anything that is repetitive, and need to be scaled and shaped would be exceedingly difficult to accomplish with the current set of tools. I don't need Illustrator duplicated, but modifying the current raster brush should be augmented with a vector pattern for scaleable malleable art. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff MEB Posted July 16, 2018 Staff Share Posted July 16, 2018 Hi Joel_Cory, Welcome to Affinity Forums This is something we intend to implement at some point in the future. Currently the raster based brush engine used in Pixel Persona (which is also used in Affinity Photo) is way more developed than the vector brush based engine you find in Draw Persona. For now the closest option is using raster based brushes as @reglico showed or a font/custom font/dingbat font (when/if applicable) with the text-on-a-path functionality. Quote A Guide to Learning Affinity Software Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirk23 Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 Would be nice if the current raster version would repeat not only a single part but rather alternate several different ones like it was before in old Serif Draw soft. I am still using what Microsoft did from old Creative House Expression only for that single feature. In all other respects Microsoft just killed that great soft making it totally unusable. Please bring it back in Affinity Draw now . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfloutier Posted October 28, 2019 Share Posted October 28, 2019 Still not this really needed feature in 2019. I love Designer But this is really missing ReinhardK 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfloutier Posted October 28, 2019 Share Posted October 28, 2019 But fortunately It could be managed for choosing color by using the Color Overlay FX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPD Posted December 3, 2019 Share Posted December 3, 2019 On 7/16/2018 at 10:10 PM, MEB said: Hi Joel_Cory, Welcome to Affinity Forums This is something we intend to implement at some point in the future. Currently the raster based brush engine used in Pixel Persona (which is also used in Affinity Photo) is way more developed than the vector brush based engine you find in Draw Persona. For now the closest option is using raster based brushes as @reglico showed or a font/custom font/dingbat font (when/if applicable) with the text-on-a-path functionality. Hi @MEB - is this still the case with 1.7? I've bought some vector brushes on the web and they don't seem to be pixellated. Is there a "back door" to the .afbrushes format that these folks are using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff MEB Posted December 3, 2019 Staff Share Posted December 3, 2019 Hi MPD, Yes, it's still the same in v1.7. If they don't seem to "pixelate" is because they have used higher resolution images/textures or you haven't zoomed in enough. Note that they actually never "pixelate" but become "blurred" because Affinity smoothes them if you zoom in considerably. Currently you can't create "pure" vector brushes based on vector textures/objects. Quote A Guide to Learning Affinity Software Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troglokev Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 Hi MEB, I agree. I create maps, and this capability is essential for scarp lines and similar linear features. The lack of this is a showstopper for me. Issues.afdesign Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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