Text Boolean operatons?

[Azereen876]

Hello, new Affinity Designer on the iPad Pro user here, so allow me to apologize in advance if this topic has already been covered in a previous post- I would rather ask now than surf.

I am still learning the features and controls of this wonderful and versatile program- but I was wondering if we can Add, Subtract, Divide, and Combine Text fonts with vector shapes/objects?  There are a lot of graphic logo Designs out there that require the actual letters or type of the logo to be 'cut' or broken (as in your text is like shattered glass) One other example is the Logo for Mass Effect 2 or 3 how it has the horizon line of a planet cutting thru it.. But I guess the main point of my question is can Affinity treat Type as a vector object that can be Boolean into pieces?  I tried to select an object and a text and it wouldn't let me select both, so that I could do a Boolean operation. 

So how would you make a logo (text) that has been shattered like glass, as if a rock was thrown through it and the pieces have to be moved to create a sense action?  I would hope that each of the bits will become a new vector object you can move and reposition.

 

 

 

[DM1]

2

10 hours ago, Azereen876 said:

but I was wondering if we can Add, Subtract, Divide, and Combine Text fonts with vector shapes/objects?  

You can certainly do it with artistic text and vector objects, I just tried and it worked for me. As to how you would create your desired effect, I have no idea sorry. Hopefully someone here can give you some pointers.

[MEB]

Hi Azereen876,
Welcome to Affinity Forums
If the text/logo is composed by more than one letter, select the text, go to the More menu (the ellipsis icon) and select Convert to Curves. Expand the group it created in the Layers panel so you can see all the layers it creates for each letter, select them all go to the More menu and select Add to join them all into a single shape. You can move the shape to outside the group and delete the group layer.

To break the letters like shattered glass you can draw several lines (with a thin stroke) placing them carefully/judiciously over the text, go to the More menu and select Expand Stroke to expand them/convert them into shapes. Then select both the shape (the text) and the expanded lines (make sure the line layers are on the top of the text shape layer in the Layers panel) go to menu More and select Subtract. The resulting shape should look text shattered into several pieces. With this resulting shape selected go to menu More and select Divide to separate the shape parts into individual/independent layers/objects. You can then move/adjust their position individually to build the dynamic/movement effect.

[Azereen876]

Ah! I see.  So, you convert the desired selected letters to curves- thereby making it a vector object rather than a type? Then this paves the way to allow the for Boolean operations on the letters!  I had a feeling there was a way- or should I say- I am really glad there is a way!   Thanks for the help @MEB! and I think this answers my other question. 

 

Suppose I want to have fat block letters, where the face of the letters is used to place a photo or graphic image.  Would you convert the letters to curve then group select the inside spaces of the lettering and bring in an image, as was shown on the Tutorial with the blank Bill board? 

[MEB]

If only you want to do is place an image inside text (without manipulating it as vectors objects) you don't need to convert it to curves. Just drag the image layer over the text layer in the Layers  Studio (until a blue line appears in the middle of the text layer) to use the text as a clipping object. This way the text remains editable and you can expand the layer in the Layers studio (click the arrow on the left of the layer's thumbnail) to access the image and manipulate it.