Has anyone tried the new Affinity Designer software. It's only available for the Mac. I have been playing around with it for about a week and it seems like it's missing a few key elements like wrapping text on a line and it doesn't have registration mark printing yet. Also missing are any plug-ins for cutting software but exporting to EPS or SVG seems to work. The software itself seems great and I'd love to hear some feedback from someone else. I'm trying to get away from Adobe Illustrator and I don't want to use Windows anymore either.
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Affinity Designer for Mac
- Thread starter sign_noob
- Start date
Rick
Certified Enneadecagon Designer
I can't see how this could replace Illustrator for me, the layers are not up to Illustrators.
I also need to design in scale, the CadTools plug in don't work for Affinity. But for 50 bucks,
it has some very cool shape tools... worth having... though I so rarely use it because I'm
always in Illustrator CC. I wish it would drag and drop into Illy.
I also need to design in scale, the CadTools plug in don't work for Affinity. But for 50 bucks,
it has some very cool shape tools... worth having... though I so rarely use it because I'm
always in Illustrator CC. I wish it would drag and drop into Illy.
It's worth a try but...
Well, after fighting with Affinity Designer and trying to export a document as EPS and then importing that file into my cutting software for my vinyl cutter(Lack of plug-ins), it is pretty clear that there are some MAJOR incompatibility issues. It is missing Text to curve, printing registration marks, converting raster to vector and expanding embedded objects (svg and eps). These are all very basic features that a program needs in order to be used for any type of serious work.
Unfortunately, until Serif can design their software to have better industry standard exporting capabilities and the inclusion of the items I listed above, I am forced to go back to Adobe Illustrator. Affinity Designer will become a novelty program on my computer and is not ready to replace Ai anytime soon. I'm still happy that I bought their program and I hope that they can keep up the good work.
Well, after fighting with Affinity Designer and trying to export a document as EPS and then importing that file into my cutting software for my vinyl cutter(Lack of plug-ins), it is pretty clear that there are some MAJOR incompatibility issues. It is missing Text to curve, printing registration marks, converting raster to vector and expanding embedded objects (svg and eps). These are all very basic features that a program needs in order to be used for any type of serious work.
Unfortunately, until Serif can design their software to have better industry standard exporting capabilities and the inclusion of the items I listed above, I am forced to go back to Adobe Illustrator. Affinity Designer will become a novelty program on my computer and is not ready to replace Ai anytime soon. I'm still happy that I bought their program and I hope that they can keep up the good work.
WildWestDesigns
Active Member
Try to see if iDraw is something that might work with you.
I only have experience with their iPad version, I don't run Macs anymore as main stations, so I don't know about their OSX version. I really do like the app on the iPad though and I'll same times do basic work and export it out and use with Ai. I haven't had any issues with it, but my workflow may not be like yours.
I only have experience with their iPad version, I don't run Macs anymore as main stations, so I don't know about their OSX version. I really do like the app on the iPad though and I'll same times do basic work and export it out and use with Ai. I haven't had any issues with it, but my workflow may not be like yours.
brycesteiner
New Member
I'm cool with it.
I was amazed using Affinity. I'm not a fan of Illustrator and never was. I use it to get me out of jams with certain EPS's. What I love about Affinity is how much faster it is than ANYTHING else. It is so smooth. Redraw on complex files with lots of points and curves might cause Illustrator a second or two to redraw on scroll. This is instantaneous.
It really doesn't have problem expanding EPS or PDF's of embedded files. It's just different. I had problems and after experimenting quite a few times and asking on the forums, I found out I was just doing it wrong. I have used it now to fix things that I couldn't get Illustrator to do.
I don't care for how the color swatches work but the only I do like is Indesign and that's only when I make the files. Oh well, you can't have everything.
I find Affinity to be another tool in the toolbox. You can't really do everything with a hammer.
I was amazed using Affinity. I'm not a fan of Illustrator and never was. I use it to get me out of jams with certain EPS's. What I love about Affinity is how much faster it is than ANYTHING else. It is so smooth. Redraw on complex files with lots of points and curves might cause Illustrator a second or two to redraw on scroll. This is instantaneous.
It really doesn't have problem expanding EPS or PDF's of embedded files. It's just different. I had problems and after experimenting quite a few times and asking on the forums, I found out I was just doing it wrong. I have used it now to fix things that I couldn't get Illustrator to do.
I don't care for how the color swatches work but the only I do like is Indesign and that's only when I make the files. Oh well, you can't have everything.
I find Affinity to be another tool in the toolbox. You can't really do everything with a hammer.
It is amazing
I agree with everything that you said brycesteiner. When you read the forums, you can clearly see how people on Windows want it ported over. This tells me that even the Windows users see its potential(Don't get me wrong, I've been in the IT business for 30 years). Serif has no plans on doing it at this time and frankly, if they did, I don't think it would work as well do to the nature of the operating system.
I absolutely love the program and it is so much easier to use then Ai. It is the best vector program on the Mac in terms of its speed and ease of use. As a matter of fact, it's ALL that I would need for my signs. It's just missing those key components.
With that being said, I have no problem exporting but I use SignCut and Graphtec Studio(Cutting Master 3) for cutting. If anyone has either of those programs and tries to import an EPS file from Affinity, you will see that object colors do not import correctly and they also do not import layers. This makes it impossible to print by color or layer. I have zero issues when I use the plug-ins when using Ai. Clearly, Affinity is not using a standard that those cutting programs use.
Once they add those features and capabilities that I posted previously, I will gladly delete my Adobe folder for good.
If anyone has a Mac, I highly recommend you download the demo of this program. You will see how a well developed program should work! Just don't try to use it for cutting anything at this time.
I agree with everything that you said brycesteiner. When you read the forums, you can clearly see how people on Windows want it ported over. This tells me that even the Windows users see its potential(Don't get me wrong, I've been in the IT business for 30 years). Serif has no plans on doing it at this time and frankly, if they did, I don't think it would work as well do to the nature of the operating system.
I absolutely love the program and it is so much easier to use then Ai. It is the best vector program on the Mac in terms of its speed and ease of use. As a matter of fact, it's ALL that I would need for my signs. It's just missing those key components.
With that being said, I have no problem exporting but I use SignCut and Graphtec Studio(Cutting Master 3) for cutting. If anyone has either of those programs and tries to import an EPS file from Affinity, you will see that object colors do not import correctly and they also do not import layers. This makes it impossible to print by color or layer. I have zero issues when I use the plug-ins when using Ai. Clearly, Affinity is not using a standard that those cutting programs use.
Once they add those features and capabilities that I posted previously, I will gladly delete my Adobe folder for good.
If anyone has a Mac, I highly recommend you download the demo of this program. You will see how a well developed program should work! Just don't try to use it for cutting anything at this time.
Expanding EPS files
I'll have to go back and read the forums on this one because I have not found an easy way of doing it other then doing the following. Double click on the embedded file to edit it, select all curves (CMD-A), copy (CMD-C) then and go back to my main document to past(CMD-V) the curves. Then I have to delete the original embedded file from my document and close the embedded file edit that got open. This is not as efficient as clicking on an expand button. If you don't do that, your document will only print a square where the image was Placed.
I'll have to go back and read the forums on this one because I have not found an easy way of doing it other then doing the following. Double click on the embedded file to edit it, select all curves (CMD-A), copy (CMD-C) then and go back to my main document to past(CMD-V) the curves. Then I have to delete the original embedded file from my document and close the embedded file edit that got open. This is not as efficient as clicking on an expand button. If you don't do that, your document will only print a square where the image was Placed.
Affinity Designer
Has anyone tried this Vector Design software with their cutter yet?
Affinity Designer
Please let me know if you have any luck importing your designs into your cutter software.
Has anyone tried this Vector Design software with their cutter yet?
Affinity Designer
Please let me know if you have any luck importing your designs into your cutter software.