Jump to content
You must now use your email address to sign in [click for more info] ×

Retouching - Healing Brush Painting Modes and Gray Layers


Recommended Posts

I am relatively new to Affinity and, like many of us, am coming from years of Photoshop use.  What I am having trouble with are two aspects of Affinity:

1) The healing brush painting mode.  This was very useful in Photoshop where I was able to only effect the light/dark pixels or replace pixels.  I can't find the equivalent in Affinity.

2) Gray layers -- I can create a new pixel layer, fill it with 50% gray and use it for dodging and burning.  Is this technique better used as a mask for an effect on a duplicate layer in Affinity or do you all use gray layers?

Here's a screenshot of what I had in Photoshop but in Affinity I need help!

Thank you!

Screen Shot 2019-07-15 at 10.17.11 AM.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Staff
21 hours ago, RomanNYC said:

1) The healing brush painting mode.  This was very useful in Photoshop where I was able to only effect the light/dark pixels or replace pixels.  I can't find the equivalent in Affinity.

While our Healing brush tool doesn't have these options, you can add a blank pixel layer, set the blend mode to Lighten.  If you then select the Healing Brush and change the toolbar along top from Current Layer to Current Layer and Beneath, you should get the same effect you are used to :)

21 hours ago, RomanNYC said:

2) Gray layers -- I can create a new pixel layer, fill it with 50% gray and use it for dodging and burning.  Is this technique better used as a mask for an effect on a duplicate layer in Affinity or do you all use gray layers?

We've got a video tutorial here that uses the gray layer for Dodging and Burning :) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, stokerg said:

We've got a video tutorial here that uses the gray layer for Dodging and Burning :) 

FWIW, creating the 50% grey overlay pixel layer looked like a good candidate for a macro so I created one that seems to work fine for that in Affinity Photo 1.7.1.

It makes no attempt to place the pixel layer at any specific position in the layers stack, so that might need to be adjusted after using it, depending on the structure of the layers & the desired effect. To make that a bit easier, the last step in the macro names the layer "Grey overlay."

If you want to use it, note that it is an "afmacro" & not an "afmacros" file, so to add it, it must first be imported into the Macro panel with a document open (not into the Library panel), & from there added to the Library category of your choice.

Add grey overlay.afmacro

All 3 1.10.8, & all 3 V2.4.1 Mac apps; 2020 iMac 27"; 3.8GHz i7, Radeon Pro 5700, 32GB RAM; macOS 10.15.7
Affinity Photo 
1.10.8; Affinity Designer 1.108; & all 3 V2 apps for iPad; 6th Generation iPad 32 GB; Apple Pencil; iPadOS 15.7

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/16/2019 at 7:45 AM, stokerg said:

While our Healing brush tool doesn't have these options, you can add a blank pixel layer, set the blend mode to Lighten.  If you then select the Healing Brush and change the toolbar along top from Current Layer to Current Layer and Beneath, you should get the same effect you are used to :)

We've got a video tutorial here that uses the gray layer for Dodging and Burning :) 

Thank you very much!  I'm watching now and will do that on the healing end.  I have a few more questions regarding layer behavior -- could I message or email you?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, R C-R said:

FWIW, creating the 50% grey overlay pixel layer looked like a good candidate for a macro so I created one that seems to work fine for that in Affinity Photo 1.7.1.

It makes no attempt to place the pixel layer at any specific position in the layers stack, so that might need to be adjusted after using it, depending on the structure of the layers & the desired effect. To make that a bit easier, the last step in the macro names the layer "Grey overlay."

If you want to use it, note that it is an "afmacro" & not an "afmacros" file, so to add it, it must first be imported into the Macro panel with a document open (not into the Library panel), & from there added to the Library category of your choice.

Add grey overlay.afmacro

thank you -- i'll give it a try.  Do you run or have you found ways to create check layers -- ie. checking saturation change, color reveal, blemish reveal, etc -- through combinations of curve, b/w, etc?  (In Photoshop i had a lot of those that were helpful).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Guidelines | We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.