affinity designer Penguin - How to soften edges?

[TychoBrahe]

This is the first thing I've attempted in Designer.   It's bad.  I don't know what I'm doing yet.   I know.   

Okay, baby steps.  So first thing I am wondering how to do is regarding where the body and wing meet on the right.  Right between them is a hard edge.  Both the body and wing are different layers.   What are methods I can use to just soften the edge between the two?    In a non-vector paint program I guess I'd just use a brush and blur that part with a soften tool.   Should I somehow copy just that vertical curve (just that portion) into a different layer (but grab a few pixels on each side), then do a Gaussian blur on that layer?   Or is there some way to copy just that area into a pixel layer, use pixel persona and then use the raster tools (blur) to blur the area?   I'm talking above my knowledge and experience here, but if you point me in the right direction I'll  research how to do it.

 

 

[v_kyr]

You can try the FX effects gaussian blur option, accessable from below the layers panel (fx).

[VectorVonDoom]

Or you can add a shadow on the body where the wing meets (or vice-versa) so it blends in that way, which must be how it looks in real life. You can't just blur the whole thing or the other edges won't look right but you can enclose it and do it that way. See the 2nd to last post https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/77827-botticellis-the-birth-of-venus-ad-progress/&page=2 and blur the container too.

[VectorWhiz]

Here's a trick:

1. Duplicate an object that you want to give some hard edges and some blurred edges
2. Move the underlying object inside the one above it (select in the Layers panel to make certain you have the right one) so that the top object serves as a mask
3. Do not give any blurring to the object on top
4. Blur the underlying object to the amount of choice, using fx - Gaussian blur
5. Move points to outwards of the top image to make an edge blurred
6. Move the nodes of the blurred underlying object outwards where you want a hard edge - the top object masks it

Hope this helps. Take care.