Color is an important aspect of anyone’s designs and images. When your image is a regular file, it can look less vibrant and, in turn, changes how your image or design grabs someone’s attention. But you can fix this by converting the file to CMYK in Affinity Photo.

Converting your file is easy and isn’t a complicated process that could confuse you. Here is that process and what you need to do to get the best out of your image. You want your prints to be vibrant and beautiful.

How to Convert a File to CMYK in Affinity Photo

Converting your file is simple. You can do this with any of your designs or images as long as they aren’t a JPG or PNG (you will have to find a different way to convert these files). Just follow these simple steps, and you will be good to go:

1. Open the document you want to convert.
2. Go to “Document Setup” and open up that menu.
3. Find the tab labeled “Color.”
4. Go to “Color Format.”
5. A drop-down menu will pop up. Change the default setting to “CMYK.”
6. Confirm by pressing “Ok.”
7. Adjust the color by pressing the “Color” menu at the top right-hand corner.
8. Export the design or image.

When you’re changing the format of the color, sometimes this can affect the color within the image. You should always adjust the color after you have converted the file. The color will change and sometimes still have a muddy tone to it.

Understand that sometimes shades of color may look almost identical but may not stay the same. This happens when you convert a file, so you may not have the exact same color from the original image before it was in CMYK format.

Don’t just convert your file and think it will give you the best results. You will need to adjust the colors accordingly for the desired results when printing it out. Play with different settings to see which one is a perfect fit.

If you don’t want to do this every time, you can set your preferences to CMYK format in your document settings. Go to edit and then preferences, and you will be good to go to create your image or design.

Check The Printer Settings Too

You also want to check if your printer can support this type of formatting and what recommendations you should make for the best results. Each printer is different, so one setting may be good for one printer but not for another.

If you print with the wrong settings, you can get different colors than you wanted for your image. Some people mistake this for conversion, but it is the printer settings. Check the printer’s manual or settings for the correct CMYK settings.

Short Cuts To Each Menu

There are many shortcuts you can use instead of searching for the drop-down menu. Here are a few short cuts to help you when converting your file:

Command	Short Cut
Open Document	Control + O
Document Setup	Control + Shift + P
Save As	Control + Shift + S
Export	Control + Alt + Shift + S

These short cuts can help you get through the conversion process, and you can use them for later use as well! No need to search anymore.

The Benefits Of Converting Your Image

To the naked eye, converting your image may not look too different. But you will see these results when you print out your image. Here are some reasons why converting to CMYK formatting is beneficial:

• Provides clearer pictures.
• Adds color and vibrancy.
• Great for posters.
• Best used when making mass productions or something.
• Provides an accurate depiction of what will be printed.

You want to ensure that you accurately print the picture on the screen. When you convert your file, you can now see what it will look like. You won’t be surprised by the color of your image when it prints out differently.

You can leave the format in the default settings, but you may have an unclear and muddy picture than you intended. Converting to a CMYK will give you the accurate representation you need.

Outro

Converting any image or design to a CMYK format is easy and can be done quickly. It will show you what will be printed and how your image will look. It can also help you clear up any color dullness you may not realize would have been a part of your print if you hadn’t completed the conversion!

One of the most frustrating parts of working with any software is when it doesn’t work the way it is supposed to. Affinity Photo is one of the best software for editing graphics and images. Still, it has its hiccups. So, if a layer mask isn’t working what can you do to fix it?

To get a layer mask to work in Affinity Photo there are several things that must be done:

1. Select the correct layer
2. Create a mask and make sure to work in the masking layer
3. Choose the correct brush tool
4. ‘Paint’ or ‘erase’ the areas of the image in the mask layer you wish to see removed or kept

Using a mask is a great way to make non-destructive edits to an image. Below you’ll find out exactly how to use a clipping mask in Affinity Photo, and why it may not be working.

Using A Mask in Affinity Photo

Layer masking It is a tool that allows a specific portion of the layer to be viewed while hiding th rest of the layer. This essentially allows you to ‘delete’ sections fot eh layer in a nondestructive way.

Creating a layers mask in Affinity Photo is a fairly simple task. This can be done in one of three ways:

1. Select your chosen layer. Then click ‘New Empty Mask Layer’ from the Layers menu at the top of the screen to create a mask that hides the entire layer.
2. Make a selection within your chosen layer. Then click ‘Mask Layer’ from the Layers menu to hide all areas outside of the selection.
3. Right click your selected layer and click ‘Mask to Below’ to turn the selected layer into a mask for the layer below it.

It’s important to make sure you click onto the layer you plan to work in before creating a mask. Once the mask is created it is clipped to the selected layer.

Types of Masks

One of the exciting things about working with masks in Affinity Photo is that there are several types of masks that can be created.

• Pixel mask: this is a rasterized mask that acts somewhat like an erase tool. These can be modified, created, and discarded at any time without create destructive edits to the design.
• Vector mask: this is mask created from vector graphics. It creates a mask over another layer that crops to the outline of the vector graphic.
• Luminosity mask: this is a tone-based mask used for selecting bright, mid-tones, and darks while leaving the other parts of the image untouched.

Each one of these masks are incredibly powerful tools that can take your graphic design to the next level. However, if you happen to use the wrong one, you’re not going to see the results you were looking for. 

Why Is My Mask Not Working?

Using the wrong type of layer mask is one of the most popular reasons for a mask not to work. However, that’s not the only case in which a clipped mask may not be working. Here are several other reasons your mask could be giving you issues:

• The image needs to be rasterized
• Another layer is selected
• The mask layer isn’t selected
• Your brush is set to the wrong color
• You are using the wrong tool to paint with

Even though layer masking is generally easy to apply, there are various elements that must work together to make sure that it is functioning properly.

Troubleshooting Clipping Mask in Affinity Photo

If your laying mask isn’t working, following these troubleshooting steps should help fix the problem and get you back on track.

• Make sure you’ve selected the correct layer. This is the most common mistake when it comes to workings with masks in Affinity Photo.
• Double check that you are working in the mask. The mask should be the only layer selected. If the photo is selected as well, the mask won’t work. You can do this by clicking on the mask thumbnail in the Layers panel.
• Set your brush to black, white, or gray. Using any other colors won’t have an effect of the mask. Keep in mind that using gray will only partially hide/show the layer.

If these troubleshooting steps don’t help, the next solutions is to contact Affinity’s customer support.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, this article helped you with using layer masks in Affinity Photo. Masking is a great tool for making non-destructive edits to specified areas of an image. If you’re still not sure on what to do, Affinity has a great support team that can surely answer your questions. 

SVG, short for scalable vector graphics, is a file format traditionally used for two-dimensional images. These files are easily adaptable and optimized to use on the web or with cutting machines. Affinity Designer is an editor for vector graphics, but can you open an SVG file in this application?

Affinity Designer can open SVG files. This application works differently from its competitors, like Inkscape or Illustrator, in that it imports these files as embedded documents. Therefore, additional steps will be taken to edit the file.

In order for you to edit an SVG file that is imported as an embedded document in Affinity Designer, you will need to release the vector properties into individual layers first. This process can be a bit tedious and frustrating, so keep reading for step-by-step instructions on importing and editing SVG files in Affinity Designer.

How to Import SVG Files into Affinity Designer

When an image is embedded, all the contents of the file or document have been locked into a single layer. Releasing them from the embedded layer allows you to edit the image elements; otherwise, you could only rotate or scale the file once it’s been imported.

Whenever you open a vector file into Affinity Designer, the application imports it as an embedded document. Here are a few simple steps to import your SVG file into Affinity Designer and make it editable:

1. Open Affinity Designer and navigate to File > Place.
2. Select the file you want to import and click Open.
3. Select the image on the canvas, and click on Edit Document in the toolbar at the top of the canvas. The application will open the image in a new tab.
4. In the panel to the right of the canvas, you’ll see the layer; click on the arrow to the left of the Layer 1 icon.
5. Now you should see the series of individual layers; select them all by pressing CTRL + A.
6. Right-click the layers to open up a menu and select Release. Each element of the image should be on an individual layer.
7. With the layers still highlighted, right-click on the layers and Select Copy.
8. Go onto your canvas, right-click and select Paste.

Now you should have an editable image on your canvas with each object in its own layer. Other file formats that will require these steps to import and edit are PDF, EPS, and AI.

How to Create An SVG in Affinity Designer

Now that you know you can open an SVG file in Affinity Design and the steps to make it editable, you might be wondering if it’s possible to make a two-dimensional SVG in Affinity Designer.

You can make an SVG as basic or complex as your understanding of the application will allow. It primarily depends on how well you know some of the functions. Let’s cover a few in this simple SVG design to help you become acquainted.

Create Your Shape

This series of instructions will focus on starting your new design and creating your first basic function. It will help you become acquainted with the Shape Tool and get to know the functions in the Layer Panel.

1. Open Affinity Designer and select New Document on the Welcome Page
2. Select the size of the document, then click Create.
3. In the lower right-hand corner of the Layers Panel, select Add Pixel Layer
4. From the Shapes menu, select a Shape Tool to use
5. Draw out the shape; shift + click will keep it uniform

Duplicate Your Shape

This series of instructions will teach you how to duplicate and position shapes to create a slightly more complex and elevated design.

1. If you want to duplicate the shape, click on the shape and select Duplicate (CTRL + J).
2. Select the copy and click Transform and one of the following options
   • Rotate Left
   • Rotate Right
   • Flip Horizontally
   • Flip Vertically
3. Repeat the Duplicate step as many times as needed.

Combine Your Shapes

Now that you’ve created various shapes, you must combine them to create one compound shape. Affinity Designer has a few basic shapes to choose from in the Shape Tools, so learning to duplicate and combine allows you to create more unique shapes for your design.

1. If you want to combine your shapes, select all the shapes and navigate to the menus at the top left-hand corner of the screen, select Layer > Create Compound. Your shapes will now be grouped together
2. Resize, reposition and change the color as desired.

Set Your Background

You can choose to leave your compound shape as a solid color and move on to exporting your SVG, but if you would like a more dynamic design, set a background. Once you’ve done that, bring your design to placeit.net and mock it up on some merchandise.

1. If you want to set a background, open a design of your choice, select File > Open
2. If your background has multiple elements, select Layer > Ungroup
3. Right-click the layer in the Layer Panel and select Copy
4. Return to your original shape design and right-click anywhere on the canvas to Paste
5. You can duplicate, resize, reposition or change the color of any of the elements.
6. Once the background image is positioned, select the top and bottom layer in the Layer Panel while holding the Shift key.
7. At the top right-hand corner of the screen, select the Intersect Icon.
8. Repeat the previous step for any other layers in the design

Export Your SVG Design

All that is left to do is to export your new SVG design. You can do so by following these quick and easy steps:

1. Navigate to File > Export
2. Select the SVG File Format
3. Choose the SVG preset
4. Click Export
5. Choose a folder to save your design and select Save

Conclusion

Opening an SVG is the tip of the iceberg of what you can do in Affinity Designer. Now you have the tools to create an SVG in the application. Play around with the functions you learned in this article and see where you can take your design.

If you’re looking to switch from Adobe Photoshop to Affinity Photo, one of the things that might be holding you back is the possibility of losing Adobe Bridge. As an asset manager, nothing beats Adobe Bridge. But what if you could use the two programs together?

One of the benefits of using Adobe Bridge is how compatible it is with other programs. Not only can it be used with all of the Adobe Suite, but it is useful in managing files from other software such as Affinity Photo as well.

When working with design programs, choosing between two brands is hard, especially if they aren’t compatible. Luckily, this isn’t always the case. Below you’ll find out exactly how to use Adobe Bridge and Affinity Photo together, as well as what alternative asset managers are available.

Can Adobe Bridge Be Used with Affinity Photo?

Though Adobe Bridge is part of the Adobe Suite, that doesn’t mean its usage is confined to only Adobe products. In fact, Adobe Bridge is known for its ability to work with a variety of programs and file types.

Those who use Affinity Photo can easily manage their files within Adobe Bridge. Some of the other non-Adobe programs that can be used with Adobe Bridge include:

• Affinity Designer
• Affinity Publisher
• DxO Photolab
• Luminar
• Topaz Labs

Keep in mind that not all file types will have the same functionality. However, the ability to save, export, and organize Affinity Photo files is capable with Adobe Bridge.

How To Access Affinity Photo from Adobe Bridge

Being able to jump into the editing program straight from Adobe Bridge speeds up productivity and workflow, and is one of the most appealing aspects of the program. While this is a feature designed to move in an out of the different Adobe applications quickly, this can be applied to Affinity Photo as well.

First, you will need to make sure to change the default file associates in the preferences. Then, once you are in Adobe Bridge, simply right-click on the image you would like to edit. Under the “Open With” tab, you should see Affinity Photo listed. Clicking on this will open the photo up in the selected program.

Import Photos in Adobe Bridge

To open files in Affinity Photo from Adobe Bridge, you first need to import the photos into the program. To do this, click “Download Images” in the File menu at the top of the screen.

Once the Photo Download window opens, select the name of the device where the photos will come from. Here is where you will also choose the location where the photo will be saved and the name of the file.

When all of the selections have been made, click “Get Media” and the photos will be imported into Adobe Bridge. 

Organizing Affinity Photos As Groups

Organizing photos in Adobe Bridge allows for easy access when searching for files. When an Affinity Photo file is saved in Adobe Bridge, there often isn’t a thumbnail attached to the file. This can make it tricky to figure out which files you’re trying to access.

A quick fix for this is to save a copy of the photo you are working on as a small-sized JPG. Then, in Adobe Bridge, group the JPG and Affinity Photo file together, with the JPG as the cover photo. This will allow you to visually see the file instead of only reading the file name.

Here is an easy-to-follow video on how to get this accomplished.

What Is Adobe Bridge?

Adobe Bridge is a free creative asset manager included with all Creative Cloud memberships. However, you aren’t required to pay for the Adobe subscription to gain access to the program. In fact, Adobe Bridge is free for everyone to use!

As an asset manager, Adobe Bridge helps users to effectively manage, preview, bulk edit, and publish files. Furthermore, the application does more than just organize photographs. It supports a variety of file types and is intended to be used in conjunction with all of Adobe’s applications.

The major goal of the program is to help with file organization by locating assets in multiple storage locations. It also allows file attribute searches, which enables objects to be discovered based on attributes such as rating, file type, or camera settings. There are other elements that assist creative teams and individuals in expediting workflow and streamlining procedures.

While many of the features are designed for use with Adobe products, Bridge is an ideal asset manager for users who work outside of the Adobe suite as well.

Is Adobe Bridge Worth Using?

If you haven’t used an asset manager before, you may be wondering if the software is actually necessary.

Adobe Bridge is a helpful software for anyone who works with a variety of files. The option to display your photos as thumbnails and search for files might help you get back to planning and editing faster as you switch between photographs.

You may also work with other file combinations in different software such as Lightroom, Affinity Photo, Photolab, and others.

Plus, if you’re the type to use various software, Adobe Bridge may be used to browse the information without having to launch the apps.

Is There An Alternative to Adobe Bridge?

If you still aren’t sold on using Adobe Bridge and Affinity Photo together, no sweat! There are plenty of asset manager alternatives to choose from that aren’t involved with Adobe.

Here are some of the most popular creative asset managers:

• IrfanView
• Google Drive
• XnView XP
• FastStone
• ACDSee
• Magix Photo Manager
• ShootProof
• digiKam

Each one of these programs offers a variety of features from sorting and organizing to sharing.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re an avid user of Adobe Bridge or are simply looking for a way to organize your files, it’s important to make sure that the asset manager and your preferred editing program are compatible. Hopefully, you now have a clear understanding of how to make the best of Adobe Bridge and Affinity Photo together.

While you may not have access to all of the features that other Adobe software can use, pairing these two programs is a great way to get the best of both worlds in terms of organizing and editing.

If you are new to digital designs or you’ve just never bothered with using text before, trying to find the settings for drop shadows can seem confusing. Affinity designer has a lot of menus and features so it can be a bit of a pain.

This is a step-by-step guide on how to properly add the drop shadow. Not only though, but we’ll be covering how different settings can change and enhance the shadow!

1. Type Your Text Out

Type out your text in Affinity Designer. You can change the font as well until you find exactly what you are looking for. Drop shadows can be added to any font. It will look better with some over others.

2. Select Font Color

Drop shadows are normally darker than the font chosen. The colors need to be contrasting. So, if the main text is lighter then the drop shadow should be dark. If the colors are too similar it may appear unappealing.

The contrast will really help make it pop. Feel free to play around with the colors though.

3. Select Outer Shadows

On the right side of the screen, you will see a menu that says layers, effects, styles, text styles, and stock. Select effects and from there you will see some options, but you are looking for something called “outer shadows”, this is how you create the drop shadow.

4. Set the Options for the Effect You Like

So, this part is where you get into the creative side of the drop show. You can do some absolutely awesome things by changing some of these settings. Other than the offset tool, you can use the sliders on all of these options to see the changes as they are happening.

Opacity

Now, you can play around with the opacity of the shadow. If you want it darker, turn the opacity up. The more you lower opacity, the more transparent the shadow will become. This is something you can play with to get the desired effect.

Shadow Size

This is referred to as the radius. If you turn the radius up, you’ll see the shadow get bigger. It also creates a sort of blurry effect the more you increase it. If you want to keep the lines clean, turn the radius down.

The increased radius can sometimes look a little funny if you move the shadow a little bit, which we’ll cover shortly.

Moving Shadows

This is called the offset. When you turn the offset all the way up, you’ll see that the shadow makes the text appear to have more depth. If you turn it all the way down, the shadow is no longer visible.

You can also use the offset tool. If you select it, you’ll be able to move it around the page and put it anywhere you want. This is effective if you’d like to move it around to get more of an effect that doesn’t happen by default.

Play with this tool a little bit and have fun seeing some of the cool ways the drop shadow can enhance the text you have.

Lighting

This will be the option called angle. With the angle, you can change where the light would appear to come from so it changes the direction of the shadow. It is the circle underneath “offset” that has a degree number inside of it.

You can manually type in a specific angle if you know how you want it to look. You can also move the line inside the circle in order to test how the different angles appear to be.

Fill Opacity

If you look right above where the opacity slider is, you’ll see something called “fill-opacity” with a percentage in it. This affects the actual text itself. So, you could turn down that opacity as much as you’d like, but the shadow will remain the same.

This is another option that is really fun to experiment with and see some of the awesome effects you can make by simply changing a small option.

Conclusion

There you have it! You have gone through the entire process of how to create drop shadows and what each effect does. Combine all this together and you will definitely find a way to make your text project look incredible.

Remember, if this is your first time using drop shadows, sometimes things may appear to be a little unattractive. It may take some time, along with trial and error to get the desired appearance that you really want.

Affinity designer may not be the first application you think of when needing to edit your PDF. Many applications on the market are specifically for editing PDFs, but many are subscription based. If you already have Affinity Designer, you don’t need to spend extra money to edit your PDF.

Affinity Designer allows you to import, edit and export your PDF. Since the application is primarily used for creating and editing vector graphics, you may not know where to begin in editing your PDF. Keep reading for easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions on how to edit your PDF using Affinity Designer.

How to Edit Your PDF in Affinity Designer

Affinity Designer works similarly to any other editing application, and the software is designed to take on a variety of projects with a user-friendly interface. To execute your edit, you may need to familiarize yourself with a few of Affinity Designer’s functions.

1. First, open your PDF in Affinity Designer by navigating to File > Open.
2. From the PDF dialog box, choose the number of pages to import, set resolution, and color space.
3. In the same dialog box, set text settings
4. Determine if single text lines should be treated as single lines or as a whole text chunk
5. Select font substitution

Now you can begin editing your PDF. Let’s look at the different elements of a PDF document and how to edit them in Affinity Designer.

If you’re looking for elements to add to your PDF, head over to placeit.net for ready-to-use templates for logos and other print or digital elements.

Adding or Removing Artboards

Affinity Designer uses Artboards instead of Pages. If you want to add an additional page or remove an entire page from your PDF document, you can do so using the Artboard tool.

1. In the tools panel, select Artboard Tool
2. Select the size within the context toolbar: Document, Selection, or Preset.
3. In the same toolbar, select Insert Artboard

If you would like to remove a page from your existing PDF document, use the following steps:

1. In the Layers panel, select the artboard or multiple Artboards
2. Select Remove Layer

If you want to duplicate a page in your PDF, you can do so from the Edit menu and select Duplicate.

Using Design Aids

PDFs are typically text-heavy, but they combine text with images, whether photos, icons, or graphics. To keep track of the design layout of your PDF as your editing, potentially adding or removing elements, you can use design aids to keep your artboard cohesive.

Design aids allow you to set up guides and grid outlines to position objects. You can also activate snapping so any objects or elements added or rearranged can be dynamically aligned to the guides or grids. To add a grid to your PDF, use the following steps:

1. Navigate to View > Grid and Axis Manager
2. Select Basic mode
3. Select your Divisions and Spacing values
4. Click Close

If you would like to add a column guide to your PDF document, use the following steps:

1. Navigate to View > Show Column Guides > Guides Manager
2. Within the Guides Manager set: columns, rows, gutter, style, and color.

To make an artboard snapping candidate, select the artboard and hover over it until the artboard flashes purple.

Artboard External Content

There are various changes you could make to the elements of an artboard. Some changes may be complex, while others are just a few simple steps. Let’s look at the basics of what you can adjust within your PDF document on Affinity Designer.

Rearranging content within an artboard or from one artboard to another is an essential tool in editing your PDF. With Edit All Layers enabled, you can easily move objects between artboards and use your grids and guides to position them.

Since PDF documents are primarily text with a few images, let’s tackle placing image content and adding text to your artboard. To place content, use the following steps:

1. Navigate to File > Place
2. Select the image you want and click Open
3. You can either click to place the image at its default size or drag the image onto the page to set the size and position.
4. To replace an image, select the placed content and navigate to the context toolbar.
5. Select Replace Document or Replace Image
6. Select the replacement file from the list

With text, the basics are formatting, moving, and editing. You can add a text box via the Frame Text Tool in the toolbar and select your font, size, and formatting. Affinity Designer has a typography library within the Artistic Text Tool if you want to add a heading or a more graphic element.

To format, move or edit text, use the following steps:

1. Select the Move Tool from the toolbar
2. Click a text object to make formatting changes to ALL text or double-click to make formatting changes to portions of the text within the text object.
3. To move text, select the word, phrase, or paragraph, drag and drop where you like it.
4. To edit text, double-click into the text object and begin typing or deleting the text you desire.

You can add your own content created within Affinity Designer using the library of tools to create graphics or illustrations, including the Shape Tools, Design Tools, Selection Tools, and Retouch Tools.

Exporting Your PDF

Once you’ve completed editing your PDF, all that is left is to export the document. Before you begin this process, give your PDF a once-over to ensure all the edits needed were made and locked. When you’re ready to save your PDF, use the following steps:

1. Navigate to File > Export
2. Adjust settings in the dialog box: format, preset, area, and resample.
3. If you want to Preview your PDF before exporting, select Preview in the Export dialog box.
4. Click Export

Conclusion

Now you have the basics for editing an existing PDF in Affinity Designer, whether adding, removing, formatting, or moving an element like images and text. You can arrange the elements within your pages or artboards exactly as you’d like and export your updated PDF to your hard drive.

An open-source vector-based application like Inkscape can be exciting when creating your illustrations and graphics, especially when the learning curve for acquainting yourself with certain functions isn’t steep. Inkscape extensions require some intimacy with programming languages and reading code, but basic functions are as easy as a few simple steps.

The great thing about applications like Inkscape is that there are typically multiple ways to execute a single function. Having options allows you to choose what’s easiest to remember and perform. A good example of this is filling a shape with an image. Keep reading to find out how you can accomplish this in Inkscape.

2 Ways to Fill a Shape With an Image in Inkscape

If you have a letter or shape and would like to fill it with an image, there are multiple ways you can accomplish this. You can convert the bitmap image into a pattern and fill your shape with this pattern, or you can crop the image to the shape. Both avenues will provide the same results; it’s just a matter of preference.

1. Turn Your Image Into a Pattern

If you would like to go the route of turning your bitmap image into a pattern that will appear on the pattern list for you to use to fill a shape, then there are just a few simple steps to execute. This method is especially helpful if you need to fill multiple shapes for a single design.

1. Open your bitmap image in Inkscape
2. Select the image and navigate to Objects > Pattern > Object to Pattern
3. If you look at the Fill and stroke panel to the right of your canvas, you will see under Fill the pattern with a new name, i.e., ‘Pattern2379.’
4. Now select a shape from the left-hand panel or use the text tool if the shape you desire is a letter.

You can change the font (if it’s a letter) and expand your shape to the desired size and modify the stroke and outline color of the shape to your desire. To continue:

1. With the shape selected, go to Path > Object to Path
2. Now in the Fill tab, select the pattern you previously created of your image.
3. The Fill Pattern dialog box will inform you to use the Node tool to adjust position, scale, and rotation.
4. Select the Node tool in the left-hand panel. You’ll see a circle, square, and X appear
5. Use the square to move the points of the tool in toward the shape. You should see your pattern get smaller and smaller within the shape.
6. The ‘X’ changes the position of the pattern within the shape.
7. The circle rotates the pattern within the shape.

Now your image is ready to export, or you can continue to use this pattern with other letters and shapes within the same canvas.

2. Crop Your Image to the Shape

This method of filling a shape with your image has fewer steps but does require precision to get the image exactly how you want it within the shape before cropping it. It may be a trial and error test, but once you get the hang of cropping images to fill shapes, the process will go a lot faster.

1. Open a blank canvas in Inkscape
2. Navigate to Fill > Import to get your image onto the canvas
3. You can get your shape from the left-hand panel or use the text tool if the shape you desire is a letter.

Now you can change the font (if it’s a letter) and expand the shape to the desired size or modify the stroke and outline color of your shape to your desire. To continue:

1. Select the shape and move it over the image
2. Make the shape transparent to adjust.
3. Position the shape to the correct placement over the image
4. Once you have it placed, select to fill the shape with color again
5. Drag the cursor to select both the image and the shape
6. Navigate to Object > Clip > Set
7. You can also right-click the selection to set the clip

Your image is ready to export, or you can repeat this process for a different letter or shape within the same canvas.

How to Overlay Images to Fill Shapes in Inkscape

Getting the image you will be using to fill your shape may not be as simple as importing a ready image. Sometimes you have to make or manipulate the image you’re going to use before adding the shape you will fill. Creating your image could involve different elements. One thing you might want to do is overlay one or more images. Here are a few easy steps to overlay images in Inkscape:

1. Open a blank canvas in Inkscape
2. Navigate to Fill > Import to get your base image onto the canvas
3. Once your image is on the canvas and expanded and set up the way you want, go back to Fill > Import to get your secondary image onto the canvas.
4. Make sure your secondary image has a transparent background if you want them to overlay seamlessly.
5. Position the secondary image on the base image in the placement you desire.
6. You can use the fill bounded areas to change the color of the secondary image if needed.

Now that your two images overlap one another seamlessly, you can continue adding additional images until you’re satisfied and then move toward cutting your image into a shape or turning the images into a pattern to fill the shape.

Combine or Merge for Unique Shapes to Fill in Inkscape

A set of helpful tools to merge two or more objects in Inkscape are the Union or Combine commands, which come in handy if you want to create a unique shape before you fill it with your image.

Let’s say you have two overlapping circles and would like to make them into one solid shape with no intersection lines. All you have to do is select the overlapping circles and navigate to Path > Union or Path > Combine. Both commands will merge the two intersecting shapes and leave you with one solid shape.

Conclusion

Now that you know how to fill a shape with an image or cut out an image with a shape and how to create more unique shapes for this task, you can play around with your design in Inkscape.

Affinity Designer offers so many spectacular image editing tools that sometimes even the simplest processes can be tricky to figure out. One of those basic functions is the ability to punch out or cut holes in Affinity Designer shapes.

To punch out holes in Affinity Designer shapes you simply need to add another shape in whatever form you want the hole to be in, select the whole shape with the move tool then finally tap the subtract icon. This will turn the new shape you added over the old into a hole.   

If you’re having trouble cutting holes in shapes while using Affinity Designer, you’ve come to the right place. In our guide below we will break down both how to punch out holes in Affinity Designer shapes on a PC and on an iPad. That way whatever medium you’re using, you’ll have the full scoop on what you can do. So with that, let’s dive right into it!

How Do You Cut a Hole in an Object in Affinity Designer?

We’ve given you an overview of how you can punch holes in Affinity Designer shapes. Now let’s take a look in greater detail. 

The following steps will guide you to cut or punch out holes in Affinity Designer shapes:

1. Open the program and create your object or shape: First things first, you want to either open the file that already has the shape you want in it or boot up the program and create a shape you can punch a hole in. 
2. Make the background transparent or add a background layer: You don’t actually have to do this but it will make it easier to confirm that you have actually succeeded in the end. If all works out right you should be able to see the background through the hole in the shape when you’re done. 
3. Make another shape over your original one where the hole should go: Now you need to make a shape over your original one. This shape will ultimately become the hole in your object so make it whatever shape you want that hole to be. This will work regardless of whether it is a square, eclipse, circle or anything else. 
4. Use the move tool to select the entire shape and the “hole”: The move tool is just the little cursor icon found on the left side of the screen. Select the entire shape including the shape that is supposed to be the hole. 
5. Click the subtract icon at the top of the screen: Now you just need to click the subtract icon at the top of the screen. When you do this the shape you put over your object should disappear and become a hole.   

And there you have it. That’s how you punch holes into shapes in Affinity Designer. If you feel like you may need this tutorial in the future feel free to bookmark this page and return to it any time. Next we’ll talk about how you do the same thing, only on the tablet version of Affinity Designer.

How Do You Punch Holes in Affinity Designer for iPad

If you’re using Affinity designer on an iPad the process is similar though the user interface is different. Therefore it would be worthwhile to go over how to punch holes in Affinity Designer if you’re using an iPad. 

Follow the steps below to punch holes in Affinity Designer shapes when using an iPad: 

1. Open the document with the object you want to punch a hole through: Again you need to either first create the shape you want to punch a hole in or open the document that already contains it. 
2. Create the shape of your hole: Next you just want to use one of the shape tools to place the shape of the hole over your object. This is usually done with a circle or an ellipse but it can be done with any shape. 
3. Go into the layer options for your hole and change the mode to erase: In the layer options you should see erase mode. This will turn your shape into a hole. 

While this is the most commonly recommended way for iPad users to punch holes in their shapes it can also be used on the desktop version as well. 

So Really, How Do You Punch Holes in Affinity Designer Shapes?

Punching holes in your shapes in Affinity Designer doesn’t have to be complicated. You simply need to create the shape of the hole, then either use the subtract tool or just set the shape to erase mode in layer options. 

Just remember it will be easiest to tell if your holes worked out right if you either have a transparent background or a normal background layer. That way you can see through them and ensure they really are holes and not white circles. Best of luck. If you think you may need this guide in the future feel free to bookmark this page and return any time.

JPEG is one of the most popular file types across the internet today. It is the preferred one for images of all shapes and sizes. Every photo editing app allows you to convert photos and other files to JPEG format, but how is it done in Affinity Photo?

To convert files to JPEG in Affinity Photo, go to the File menu, choose Export, select JPEG from the options, and choose where you want to save the JPEG file.

JPEGs have been a part of digital photo editing and sharing for years. So, read on to learn more about how they are represented in Affinity Photo and why JPEG Format was created.

What is the JPEG Conversion Process in Affinity Photo?

Converting your Affinity Photo files to JPEG from within the app is straightforward. All you have to do is navigate to the File menu, click Export, then choose JPEG as the file type you want to export, and choose where you want to save your JPEG file.

Just like that, your Affinity Photo file is now saved as a JPEG and is ready to use whenever and wherever you like.

What is a JPEG and Where Did They Come From?

JPEG stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group, the organization that invented and set the file format as the standard in the late 80s and the beginning of the 90s. Because it is standardized, it is the preferred file format for any digital image. JPG is the old Windows file name for JPEG.

The JPEG was invented because monitors in the late 80s could not make or display on-screen graphics, so the Joint Photographic Experts Group came up with their standard so that graphics could be compressed enough to show in full color on a PC. The file format became a universal success with the introduction of digital cameras and the internet.

How Does JPEG Compression Work?

JPEG compression is completed by a process called discrete cosine transform. It is also used in audio and video. JPEG compression chooses the light frequencies that are most important and most visible to the human eye. Since eyes are less sensitive to high-frequency light vibrations, the areas of the picture with high-frequency colors keep less detail.

This is because the way we perceive the image in reality will not be affected if these parts have less detail. An 8 by 8 pixel block then divides the image into areas with similar colors and brightness. The online images we see in full color are all available to us because of this process

What Are JPEGs Used For and Why Are They Important?

JPEGs are used for two primary purposes, photography display, and web publishing. JPEG allows photographers to make their images good file size to be shared online without changing the quality drastically. Using JPEGs on websites helps web pages load faster due to smaller page sizes and allows users to spend more time browsing than waiting.

Without JPEG files, websites would take hours to load and web designers would not have a way to place images and other graphics onto pages. This means that every page you visit on the web would just be walls of text, and that is not engaging or interesting.

Advantages and Disadvantages of JPEG

JPEGs are the most universal file format that works on almost every, if not all internet browsers, software, and apps recognize it. The fact that JPEGs files are small makes them easy to transfer and view online, and they stay small by getting rid of all the colors in images that the human eye cannot see. Processing JPEGs is easier because the saturation and white balance are already set.

The downsides of JPEGs are that they lower image quality, and the more you edit and resave the image as a JPEG after editing, the lower the quality will go. JPEGs cannot be transparent, so you have to choose another file type if you need transparency.

However, the pros of JPEGs outweigh the cons. It is easy to see why it is the most used online photo format. JPEGs are a key component of the online space that makes it what it is.

Conclusion

To convert files to JPEG in Affinity Photo, go to the File Menu, navigate to export, and select JPEG as the file type you want to export as. You can then save the image anywhere in JPEG format. JPEGs make graphics on the internet possible and they are the most popular digital image format.

Serif’s Affinity Photo has quickly become a popular platform for editing visual content of all types, including photos, videos, and illustrations. Beyond its impressive, user-friendly features, there is another reason why so many designers are turning to Affinity Photo – it is also one of the most affordable options out there. But what is its cost in terms of the computer resources that are required?

In terms of hard drive space, the amount needed to use Affinity Photo depends on the type of computer. For Mac users, the minimum space required is 2.8 GB and for PC users this program will take up 953 MB of hard drive space. In either case, however, more space will be needed during installation.

One of the most popular features of this program is not what it can do but how much it affects the pocketbooks of its users. With a one-time purchase model (as opposed to a recurring subscription), Affinity Photo is garnering legions of loyal fans. As it turns out, the minimum system requirements for Affinity Photo are far less than competing programs as well. Read on to learn more.

How Much Space Does Affinity Photo Take Up

When purchasing computer software these days it is not just the cost to purchase the program that needs to be considered. There is also a considerable price to pay in terms of the computer resources that it will consume just to work properly. For instance, image editing platforms are known for taking up a lot of real estate in a computer’s hard drive, often to the detriment of other applications.

But such is not necessarily the case with Affinity Photo. According to Serif, the developer of Affinity Photo, these are the figures for how much space this program will take up on a Mac or PC:

• For PC users, Affinity Photo requires at least 953 MB of available hard drive space on a PC, and more will be needed during the installation of the software
• For Mac users, a minimum of 2.8 GB of free hard drive space is needed on a Mac, and even more space is required for the software to be installed properly

While these figures may seem large at first glance (particularly for Macs), they pale in comparison to the minimum space requirements for competing programs.

For instance, Adobe Photoshop, the undisputed top dog in the image editing arena, requires a minimum of 4 GB of available hard drive space (and even more during the installation process) to run on either a Mac or a PC. But according to Adobe, the recommended hard drive space is a whopping 16 GB to ensure that the software’s features and tools run smoothly without any sluggishness or glitchiness.

Affinity Photo is not only economical to use from the standpoint of its one-time purchase price, but it is also a bargain when it comes to the amount of hard drive space that it requires.

Why Does Affinity Photo Take Up This Much Space?

Although Affinity Photo takes up far less space on a hard drive than its competitors, namely Adobe Photoshop, it still occupies a significant chunk of resources to the tune of nearly a gigabyte on a PC and close to 3 GB on a Mac.

Why does Affinity Photo take up this much space? Because it is jam-packed with powerful editing tools and dynamic features. Here is a sampling of this platform’s capabilities:

• A broad range of retouching tools, including skin and blemish editing, sculpting implements, and a full array of blending functions
• Dynamic layers that are easy to manipulate in a number of different ways
• RAW editing to bring out the finest details in digital imagery
• A huge collection of brushes that can be used individually or combined together to create truly unique artistic effects
• True 32-bit HDR rendering and editing
• 100% compatibility across PC, Mac, and iPad, allowing seamless editing no matter the platform
• 8,000-step history allowing virtually limitless redo and undo capabilities

Considering the number of editing tools and thoughtfully designed features that are built into Affinity Photo, the amount of space that it takes up on a PC or a Mac seems like a reasonable price to pay for the incredible functionality that awaits.

What Are the Other System Requirements for Affinity Photo?

Aside from minimum hard drive space, media editing platforms like Affinity Photo also have other system requirements that must be met in order for the programs and their vast arrays of features and tools to function properly. Here are some key system requirements for Affinity Photo:

Specification Type	PC	Mac
RAM	2 GB minimum (4 GB recommended)	2 GB minimum
Processor	64-bit; DirectX 10 graphics card or better	M1, M1 Pro, or M1 Max chip or comparable Intel processor
Operating System	Windows 7, 8.1, 10, 11	iOS version 10.9 (Mavericks) to 12 (Monterey)
Display	1280 x 768 or larger	1280 x 768 or larger
Other	Microsoft Store version works with Windows 10 and 11 only	Compatible with Mac Pro, iMac, MacBook, and Mac Mini

Whether PC or Mac is your preferred computing platform, Affinity Photo will work equally well on either. In fact, there is even a toned-down version of this image editing program that is available for iPad Pro, Air, and even Mini (iOS 12 or later is required).

How Do You Purchase and Install Affinity Photo?

Purchasing Affinity Photo online can be done through a variety of easily accessible ways and the most popular of these are:

• Serif’s website
• Microsoft Store
• Mac App Store

One of the major selling points of Affinity Photo is that it is a one-time purchase instead of a subscription model (i.e., paying a monthly or annual fee to continue using a program).

When it comes to software upgrades, however, it is important to remember that they are free for as long as Affinity Photo is offered in the current version (e.g., Version 1.XX.XXX). If and when Version 2.XX.XXX is released, indications are that there will be an upgrade fee assessed to current users.

Conclusion

When it comes to image editing software, the king of the hill is Adobe Photoshop. While this grizzled graphics industry veteran continues to set the standard, there are newcomers to the scene that have made a name for themselves and Serif’s Affinity Photo is definitely one of them.

For a price that simply cannot be beaten, Affinity Photo puts powerful features and tools into the hands (and imaginations) of the masses.