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Hey. This can be tough and I'm not sure I have the answer, but here is my experience and what I know so far. When I do export logos with those FX, I have to rasterize the FX or the layer, by right clicking and then selecting rasterize. It will no longer be a vector element so you have to export at size. As far as the blurry PNGs and JPGs, if the actual size of the file is small, say 64x64 pixels, or 100x100 px, it will be blurry even if exported at a higher DPI. It is frustrating and I have not been able to find out exactly why. But when exporting, you have to uncheck Allow JPEG compression and under the Rasterize pull down menu, select Nothing. If the size is small, you can try doubling the pixel by pixel size and see if you can get it to export without blur. Here is a link to the Affinity forum where they talk more about this issue: forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/35497-exported-png-jpg-are-blurry/ I hope this helps, I know how frustrating this can be, I have to tell new clients I only export certain types of files, because a lot of the FX and layer options don't translate to Adobe Illustrator which all print companies use. Let me know how it goes, good luck!

@@njvalenteart thank you so much for replying. You have helped me to confirm for certain that it is my fx in affinity designer - specifically, shadows, embossing to look like a button, outlines and anything basically applied to a layer from the fx menu! Export as you said remove jpg compression and rasterise nothing and hey presto sharp and perfect….well minus the tab shadows, the text shadows, the page shadows, the button embossing and 2 buttons, the fx on a element where the fill of the text is re,over leaving just the embossing - all that is totally gone. Add in rasterise unsupported and hello fuzzz! So now I know it’s not me it’s the program, imaging having elements you can’t export but show fine on the screen! Not amused, so affinity designer is no good for creating the image files for the master slides where I want to use shadows etc for tabs the others I’m sure I can work around. So can I ask, where do you design the images to use as master slides in whatever it is you use to assemble your planner? I was going to try doing them in keynote or affinity designer, but the same issue in affinity publisher and keynote pallete are nasty! I appreciate the advice I now know why but not where to go from here!

@@PhoenixCreationsKaTyJs You're welcome, sorry its not a full proof answer. I'm glad it fixed the blurry image issue though. It is very frustrating, and wish it could be resolved. To be honest I don't make master slides so I'm not totally sure. I typically export as PNG with transparent background to keep shadows. Not sure if that is an option for you. Best of luck, I would be interested to know what you come up with.

@@njvalenteart thank you - I did try that too but each time the result was blurry - no clue but - that is worth a try if “compress jpg” is a option on the export. Even if I didn’t do master slides I can’t see how it would work as when exporting as pdf for the end result it wouldn’t keep any fx as pdf is apparently a vector and vectors don’t do shadows etc - which I didn’t know - I always thought things woudlnt be there to use if you can’t export them to use - it’s rather odd!! I need to figure out how to export to retain quality and things like shadows! It shouldn’t be that hard to do! If you can design it on screen with an app then surely you can export it to use! I saw a utube video of a user creating a planner in affinity publisher and exporting with shadows etc but they were using an Apple mac not a iPad - so the question still is how! I must be missing something simple! Thank you for your help it’s really appreciated. 👍🏻😄

@@PhoenixCreationsKaTyJs I certainly know how frustrating it can be. Like I said I limit what I can do for clients because of the export functionality. I need to do a deep dive into the Export feature to see if there isn't a work around for some of this. To your point, if you see it on the screen, why does it not export that way? You might be able to see what they checked or unchecked to export and see if you can replicate it on iPad. Sorry again I don't have a solid answer for you. All the best moving forward. If you ever have any other questions I'll try my best to help.

You're welcome! For the first method using the pixel eraser, you can select the mask in the layers and simply delete. You can also right click, release, and then delete that layer. Hope that helps, and thanks for watching!

@@njvalenteart thank you for your reply, but I am wondering how to go back later to the mask and bring back only a little bit of something that was "erased" sort of like when you paint back to erase on a regular mask and white to bring back. thanks

@@rosebeane708 You can manipulate the mask by selecting the mask layer itself, switch to the paint brush tool and select white in the right menu, and draw over what you want to bring back. The brush you select for the paint brush tool will determine the effect you get, blended, vs. sharp edges. Hope that helps!

@@njvalenteart hi there, and thank you for your reply. I did try that and it did not work. I am not sure what I am doing wrong. This is with vector lines.

@@rosebeane708 Hmmm, interesting. Are you in the Pixel Persona? You can only edit the mask layer in Pixel Persona.

You bet!

You bet! Thanks for watching!

Thanks for watching and thanks for your very thoughtful comment! This is one of my first videos, since I do use more narration for the keystrokes and zoom ins for important features. I am always trying to add more and find the right balance, so people can get the most out of the tutorials. I'll keep that in mind as far as light mode, for creating videos. I simply prefer the dark mode, it tends to be easier on my eyes for the hours I stare at the screen. Thank you very much again for your support, all the best!

Thanks so much, I'm glad you enjoyed it! And thank you for watching and commenting! All the best my friend!

Yep you bet! And thanks!

For one of the methods I show in the video, you have to be in the Pixel Persona, to be able to use the eraser tool. It is located on the top menu bar under File. It ends up creating a mask over the vector lines. The second method I share is how to cut the vector shape out permanently. I hope that helps, thanks for watching!

You're welcome and thanks for watching! I have more like this planned, all the best!

Hey Russ, I'm doing well, and hope you are too! No worries, this was from a couple of months ago, I just uploaded it here. I like to do that so no one has to worry about missing a livestream. I appreciate that, its always fun seeing how I can push the various aspects. Thanks so much for watching and for all of your support!

Thank you so much!

They come with Affinity Designer and Photo if you register the software with Serif. You can go to Help, My Account and you should see them there. I use a tablet for the actual drawing but I use a mouse for the rest of the vector process. And thanks! You certainly can be, its just takes time and a lot of practice, but more so than that the passion to keep at it. Thanks for watching and commenting, you got this! All the best!

Will do, glad you liked it, and thanks for watching!

That's so great to hear, I'm glad you're enjoying them and thank you so much for your support, it means a lot!

Thanks so much! I'm glad you liked it and found it helpful! Thanks for the support I really appreciate it!

I think it is specific to Affinity Designer version 2, so it doesn't work with version 1, I don't believe. If you do have version 2 and the function is not available, you can reach out to Affinity directly. I hope you get it fixed, all the best!

Youre welcome! Thanks for watching!

I'll have to look into that! Thanks for watching and commenting!

Thanks

You're welcome, and thanks for watching!

You're very welcome! Glad it was helpful, and thanks for commenting!

Hey. I use a stylus and tablet to do any actual sketching or drawing. Other than that I use a mouse for the entire vector portion of the illustration. I don't use the iPad version, so I don't have any real experience with it. It can take sometime getting a setup and into a rhythm that works best for you. If I am using my stylus I'll use it as a mouse for certain panel operations. Thanks for the comment, all the best!

You're welcome, I'm glad it was helpful, and thank you so much for watching!

Hey Russ! Thanks I have an appointment soon at the very least. No worries I hope the meeting went well. I certainly appreciate that, I'm glad you enjoyed the video! I have more video topic ideas now, that I will be making videos for. Thanks for your support and taking the time to watch and comment, I really appreciate you, all the best my friend!

Very cool! The algo at work 😎

I appreciate that, and thanks for watching!

Thanks for watching, and for the kind words!

I'm doing well, I hope you are too! Cool, thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it! Yeah I am currently streaming when I can, but I'm working on a schedule so hopefully that will help. And thank you for the feedback, I have gotten some interest in the new videos ideas I mentioned, so now its time to get to work and make them happen. I appreciate your support throughout the process, it definitely helps a ton. Perfect, maybe its an issue with my Twitch setup, but at least that narrows is down, thank you! All the best and talk soon!

Thanks! And I'm really glad you enjoyed the stream. I certainly agree, and will definitely be sharing more of my process. Thank you for commenting!

I use the Natural Pencil 4B found in the Pencils category under the Brushes tab. I have the size set to 32 px right now, with Opacity 100, Flow 40, and Hardness 100 as well. But you can adjust that to get the feel you like. Hope that helps, and thanks so much for watching!

@@njvalenteart Thanks!

You're welcome, and thank you for your support!

Hey Russ! Thank you so much, I really appreciate your support! The shadows really help it stand out. All the best my friend!

Thank you so much! I'm glad you found it helpful. I will certainly be doing more of these. Thanks for watching and commenting, all the best!

Hey Russ, I'm doing well, I hope you are too! Thank you so much I really appreciate that! I liked the zebra quite a bit myself and always enjoy doing this type of work. What a cool story and neat background! Id love to visit Tonopah someday. And I may just have to do that for a video/stream. Thanks for the comment and history fact!

Thanks a lot Russ, I hope youre doing well too! I appreciate your comment, its the little things like that I enjoy doing to give the image a little extra something.

Thats great, glad you got to do a bit of your own thing. And thanks for your support!

Spidey is the best!

@@njvalenteart yes!

Thanks!

Under Pencils, I use the Natural 4B. Thats the one that works best for me. Let me know if you find a different one you like.

Cool, I hope its helpful!

Thanks! They are two of my favorites. Definitely going to focus on the mood of the landscapes for future tutorials.