Surprisingly steep learning curve for Curves

[thomasbricker]

 I am in the middle of doing a project that involves extensive curve shape creation. This is for the sake of an accurate mask for a pixel layer. I am accustomed to using paths in Photoshop and I am quite good at it. I have been trying to use Affinity Photos  pen tool to create curves for the same purpose, I am finding it incredibly challenging to get it to work correctly. I have gotten the hang of moving node point around and adjusting. What is escaping me is the ability to join the end of one curve with the beginning of another curve. Sometimes simply doesn’t work.

There must be a trick to it, that I am simply unaware of.

 There must be a trick to it, that I am simply unaware of.

Does anyone else have this problem? 

[toltec]

8 hours ago, thomasbricker said:

 I am in the middle of doing a project that involves extensive curve shape creation. This is for the sake of an accurate mask for a pixel layer. I am accustomed to using paths in Photoshop and I am quite good at it. I have been trying to use Affinity Photos  pen tool to create curves for the same purpose, I am finding it incredibly challenging to get it to work correctly. I have gotten the hang of moving node point around and adjusting. What is escaping me is the ability to join the end of one curve with the beginning of another curve. Sometimes simply doesn’t work.

There must be a trick to it, that I am simply unaware of.

 There must be a trick to it, that I am simply unaware of.

Does anyone else have this problem? 

 

If you join up a curve (to make it closed) you have to look out for the tiny black circle that appears at the base of the Pen Tool nib. That indicates closing a curve.

To join with the node tool, drag one end over the other end until it snaps in place.

I normally have snapping on, but if the Pen tool goes yellow, that doesn’t join the curve. You need the little circle. It does join with with the Node tool though.

[gdenby]

Hi, thomasbricker,

Reading your question as "how to join separate curves from the ends of one to the ends of othesr," as opposed to "how to close a single curve from the last node to the 1st."

If you have the two curves selected, activate the node tool, and use the "join curves" widget. The closest points will be connected. Depending on how close they are, you will get a straight line for the join. I suspect you will want to adjust that. The farther remaining nodes will be connected by the "close curve" widget, again w a straight line. 

You can also manipulate the curves so that the nodes go yellow, to indicate they are one on top the other. The join/close sequence still must be used, so its a little of six of one, half dozen of other.

While doing these steps, notice how the layer panel shows the different curves.

[Alfred]

16 minutes ago, gdenby said:

The closest points will be connected. Depending on how close they are, you will get a straight line for the join.

Regardless of how close they are, they will always be joined by a straight line, even if that line is too short to be visible. 

[gdenby]

A late edit. I had re-written the above, but evidently fail to post the edited version.  Any number of curves can be selected. When I mentioned 2, I was offering a basic example