User Guide? Tutorials?

[Sore Throat]

My only experience for this kind of stuff so far has been with MS PowerPoint. I recently decided to setup a website and then realized the need for something more advanced for creating illustrations and animation. I checked out quite a few of the well-known softwares and was disappointed with them. Notwithstanding the evil intentions of Microsoft, its home (single user) products are so designed that the average Joe, with some basic knowledge about the related (applicable) field, can start using their elementary features. If one knows what one needs, figuring out the features in the software is not so tough.  

Affinity Designer too seems to be designed that way. It sort of anticipates the instinctive approach or explorations of a beginner. I am glad I discovered it and will be happy to possess a license. I wish it could be used for creating animation too (its description suggests that it is a graphic design software), but that's fine.

However there is one thing that bothers me. I think I'll need the workbook. It costs as much as the software. Typically that would not bother me much. But the indicated format of the workbook (case studies or projects) does not inspire much enthusiasm in me. That is not the subject-wise/index based format that supports the  easy-going, desultory learning approach that I prefer. The tutorials site doesn't seem to offer anything in an organized manner either. I see that there are videos. Videos are great but I view them only when the reading material seems inadequate. Videos take too long to watch.

Are my concerns imaginary/exaggerated? I am quite perplexed that the makers of a seemingly good software (with a clean, non-exploitative pricing policy) seem to be so disinclined, if not fearful, of making the use of that product easy to learn.

I am eager to be corrected.

 

Edited March 3, 2019 by Sore Throat

[R C-R]

You are correct in assuming that the workbook is not intended to teach you all that a traditional user guide would. It assumes a basic familiarity with the tools & techniques, & says so in one of the opening chapters.

There is no user guide as such provided with the app. However, the built-in help topics cover most things reasonably well, so that is a good place to start if you are new to the app.

If you get stuck on something you can't figure out, posting a question about it in this forum will usually result in a number of replies from users and/or staff that offer as much help as you might need, up to & including short videos, example files you can download, & even letting you know when some other app might be a better choice for whatever you want to do.