Distort a group?

[Phil_rose]

Hi all, I have made this set of objects and groupend them. I now want to distort them as a group (spoecificcally make them thinner towards the bottom and a fewe othert things. Most programs have an Envelope tool or something similar. Is there any way I can do something like that in Designer? 

Thanks for any help as usual!

Phil

[firstdefence]

Affinity Designer doesn't have anything like envelopes at the moment, you could pen out a shape and use Mask to Below to create a pseudo perspective.

[gdenby]

What you want is what is maybe not the Holy Grail of Affinity users, but  may be the Holy Salad Dish, an envelope or mesh warp tool for vectors. Supposed to show up before v. 2 is released.

In the mean time, depending on what you want, you might do something like this. Add the group elements, select the nodes, and scale them as you like. Then draw another shape, and subtract that. 

Personally, I'm waiting for the Holy Soup Bowl of blend tool.

[Phil_rose]

1 minute ago, gdenby said:

What you want is what is maybe not the Holy Grail of Affinity users, but  may be the Holy Salad Dish, an envelope or mesh warp tool for vectors. Supposed to show up before v. 2 is released.

In the mean time, depending on what you want, you might do something like this. Add the group elements, select the nodes, and scale them as you like. Then draw another shape, and subtract that. 

Personally, I'm waiting for the Holy Soup Bowl of blend tool.

Yes, the salad bowl is what I'm after! DrawPlus had it! In the mean time can you explain what you mean in words of no more than two syllables? I'm dumb and I think what you're talking ab out is just what I want to do but can seem to make happen. Can you spell it out? Thanks!

[firstdefence]

After you have created the six rectangles, select them all and choose Layer > Geometry > Add this converts them to curves, select the node tool and now you can edit the nodes at the top to simulate perspective, if you want to, you can create another shape for the top and use Layer > Geometry > Subtract to create a fancy shmancy edge.

[Phil_rose]

Getting there! If I group them then I can't use Add (for obvious reasons, I guess). If I don't then I get this. Is there no way to do the perspective other than manually (or exporting to CorelDRAW!)? 

Thanks for sticking with me on this. 

[firstdefence]

I know this is crazy in what is one of the most popular vector apps around but unfortunately not no perspective tool is available unless you also own Affinity Photo then you can tell Affinity Designer to edit in Affinity Photo. I used to love CorelDraw when I used Windows.

If you don't group the rectangles and use Add you will end up with a shape that has spaces between them.

After Adding together

[Phil_rose]

Right. That's what I have but there's no way (that I can see) to make the bottom thinner and the top broader other than doing it manually, one node at a time. Is that right? I do have Photo but I'm hoping not to have to rasterise it. Maybe I WILL have to go into CorelDRAW. Poops! Unless I'm missing something.

[firstdefence]

To be honest It's just too long-winded in Affinity Designer to do this sort of thing, I normally leave Affinity Designer and go to into another vector app to do such work. As much as Affinity Designer is good, the lack of these features can make it very frustrating.

[Phil_rose]

Yeah. It is frustrating. Ah well, hopefully they will be added.

[firstdefence]

Sooner than later eh,  these sort of things are seen as basic processes today and a lot of people are used to a higher level of options and features especially pro's, so I think a lot of people use Affinity Designer in tandem with other software until such a time as they can build up the feature set.

[Phil_rose]

Yeah. I guess so.

[firstdefence]

I could make a quick video to show you how to do it in Affinity Designer using the trapezoid shape which simplifies it a bit. So instead of using rectangles you use trapezoids, so you are kind of half way there.

 

[Phil_rose]

I would love you forever if you did!

[firstdefence]

lol, ok Ill be back in a bit

 

[firstdefence]

Just exporting it now

[JimmyJack]

I want to be loved forever too!! 

Still want to see firstD's trapezoid example!

But, I think you just need to select all on the nodes you want to effect.... and pick an action center. No need to add the objects if udon't want.

[firstdefence]

There you go: Phil https://youtu.be/LkaWnhM7ZuI

[firstdefence]

5 minutes ago, JimmyJack said:

I want to be loved forever too!! 

Still want to see firstD's trapezoid example!

But, I think you just need to select all on the nodes you want to effect.... and pick an action center. No need to add the objects if udon't want.

Nice take Jimmy, we all love you lol! I like your technique that works very well.

[gdenby]

What JimmyJack did is very much like what I did. Mine were added so the gradient would be the same across every element. A bitmap fill could also be used. 

[JimmyJack]

17 minutes ago, gdenby said:

What JimmyJack did is very much like what I did. Mine were added so the gradient would be the same across every element. A bitmap fill could also be used. 

Ah, yes. Very good. Didn't mean to step on toes! 

Adding still isn't required for the gradient or bitmap tho.... both can be applied to a group/layer to cover all included objects. 

[firstdefence]

Its always a learning curve, and learning is good. 

[Phil_rose]

Sorry I've been absent. This looks like just what I need. I will get on it asap. In the meantime here is what I have come up with so far...