@Bazza720 you can use perspective tools in Affinity Photo. It can be transferred to Affinity Designer.
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Thanks, I’ve used that option, but it’s not anywhere near as flexible as the perspective tools in illustrator (that stay vector). It’s my only real niggle.
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I’m a long time Serif software user and totally loved using the software, I still use Draw plus on the pc because of the measurement tools I find them to be even better than Visio still to this day. I made big paper catalogs in PagePlus and now Affinity Publisher has data import for merging data into catalogs. I bought the Affinity software line up almost as soon as it came out and will always use it, there is just no reason to use anything else, I say this after becoming familiar with how it works, the three software packages do everything I need, I was going to switch up to Corel last year but Affinity is where I will stay. Slicing up images and exporting in Affinity is very powerful, you can name the layers and the exported slices will have the layer name in the file name, this is so tidy and fast for a high production graphics shop. I will always buy upgrades from Serif software the makes the Affinity graphics design suite for the ease of use, listening to their customers and not holding me hostage with yearly subscriptions, same goes for blocs. “Norm” you can always count on that this Blocs user will always upgrade when you come out with a new version of Blocs, unless for some unseen reason I can’t but that will be an extreme rarity.
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Thanks again everyone, really pleased I asked the question. I already own the Affinity Suite, but really only dabbled with them while I was using Adobe.
Yesterday I managed to do a simple bit of finished artwork in Publisher. My reckoning is that it took me double the amount of time it would have done in InDesign - but that was me not knowing where things were. However, it did everything I wanted so I’m a convert.
I’m now within 2 months of my Adobe subscription renewing, so I can cancel free of charge, which I shall be doing this week.
Wotta lot of helpful people you are! Thanks again.
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I bought Affinity Photo & Designer when they first came out and I bought the paper books too. I later gave the software and books to my daughter, because she is now a graphics design major at a university in California; however, they require her to use Adobe apps!
I provided feedback in the Affinity forum throughout the years, but Serif almost never replies and the power users tend to chime in an preach the status quo of why the Affinity way is right, and making it more like Adobe products is wrong. I disagree with that mindset profoundly. When something can be done better – for goodness sake, be open minded enough to listen to input and consider a fix or feature improvement.
Basically, it’s like others have said. If you don’t mind the Affinity way, then you will probably do okay. But if you have Adobe app muscle memory like I do, as you work in the Affinity suite, rather than learning the Affinity way, you will feel the app differences to be somewhat of a thorn in the flesh.
I know a lot of people who still use Adobe apps even though they’ve purchased the Affinity suite because they had hoped their purchase would keep Serif alive and kicking long enough to make the app a bit more like Adobe apps so they could abandon Adobe forever! Well, Serif is still alive (outside their forum anyway), and they are adding features – just not the ones requested all the time in the forums.
I’m big on wanting developer participation in forums. We have that here on Blocs. Norm is great. I had it when I used Softpress Freeway too. And I receive it in forums under most software. Serif is different for some reason. It comes off like they don’t care too much about user input. They just forge ahead and do it their own way.
So again, if you like the Affinity way (and boy do the Affinity forum gurus like it that way!), then you will be A-OK. But if you venture onto their forums in hopes of mentioning something and getting an improvement in the future (even 5 years later), well… Don’t hold your breath.
Best,
James
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Ditto - You hit the nail on the head!
For that reason I still use the CS6 suite. I too bought the Affinity suite, hoping for a Ps replacement, but in the number of years I’ve been using it I’ve been feeling somewhat disappointed with their lack of responsiveness to user needs and requests.
A couple of features I and other users have requested several times over the years was to incorporate image tracing, and the placement of objects along a curve (in Designer), which have been available in many apps including CorelDraw for years. But they never replied and it has yet to be added.
I still think Affinity is in a unique position to win over many Adobe users (mostly because of the high cost of using their products) but they’re not very responsive. None the less, the Affinity suite is a good product in their own right - specially for what it can do for the price. That said, I’m still hopeful they’ll turnaround and actually introduce features in their eventual v2.0 release that users actually want and need, but I’m not holding my breath.
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I do believe they listen to the requests and they are taking time to make things right. Lets think about it Adobe products have been in the market for 30years. Serif team have a long way to go and they are taking their time and from what I have experienced and a lot will agree with me, there are major additions that can be added. I will prefer an organic growth and well thought of systems than a quick, hasty, faulty systems that people will end up complaining. Same way with Blocs, it is an organic growth and yes blocs community and NORM is very responsive and engagement brings briliant ideas together to make it work.
Serif communication and community engagement can be better, Yes.
With their 1.10 update the focus was seeding the systems to be capable of handling heavy work and making this faster, smoother and easier paving the way for 2.0. I am very much curious to see what they have in store for 2.0. I do believe indie apps like Affinity Serif and Blocs are the future.
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I’m not sure if I’m reading you correctly but if you think I’m bashing Serif, then I think you read me wrong, because I’m not. I like their products, otherwise I wouldn’t use them. I certainly don’t want them (or any other well intending company) to fail. Part of the process of helping software companies grow is to objectively critique their product. Remember - they’re supposed to be in business to solve problems for their customers, and in doing so reap the rewards of it, not the other way around.
As a service provider, my clients don’t give a hoot about how or what tools I use. All they care about is that I deliver exactly what they need when they need it. That’s what they’re paying for. And so I’m forced (whether I like it or not) to expect the same of the tools that serve my needs. If anything, being objectively critical can be a good thing. Otherwise companies might not be able to grow their user base outside their small circle of dedicated users that will always say how great the product is, when clearly there is room to grow. Just read through this or any other forum.
Regardless, I’m hopeful Serif succeeds in their quest to be the Adobe alternative to go to, which it’s why I bought their product suite in the first place. But if their tools aren’t growing at the pace of user needs (and I’m not talking about tools that serve only my specific needs, but tools that are common in the industry), even after several years of asking along with other users, then you have to come to some sort of conclusion. And if a collective voice doesn’t seem to be heard, then you have to assume they’re not responsive to others as well.
If I did that to my clients I would be out of work.
-M
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I get that kind of “I do believe they are listening” and “Adobe apps have been updated for 30 years” kind of responses in the Serif forums. Of course, we who do not share that sentiment are not in any way whatsoever bashing Serif. It’s actually obvious we do care about Serif, as evidenced by the facts that (1) we bought the product suite, and (2) we do use it somewhat, and (3) by making feature requests we are contributing in a potentially positive way toward making the product better.
Voicing your opinion sometimes makes you a target, but oh well.
For example, I get bashed in the AppleInsider forums by the Cupertino Worshippers. That’s my terms for them. They are the folks who say everything that comes out from Apple is perpetually great, and anyone who feels otherwise is in the wrong. I disliked the butterfly keyboard tremendously and vented my frustrations about that, only to take multiple beatings by the Cupertino worshippers in that forum, who ended up being wrong in the end as per the fact Apple killed off that keyboard because it was indeed very bad.
So you will always have folks in any forum who try to maintain the status quo of things and who dislike disruptions to that. They view any negativity in a negative light, rather than view it the way it ought to be viewed – as constructive criticism that’s a tad different from the norm. Think Different!
Let’s face it, whether it be Blocs or the Affinity suite or any other app, the way the apps get better is when people give opinions AND then the developer listens and acts. Sometimes people give heated opinions, and it’s not because they dislike the app they are chastising either. In my eyes, heated criticism is A-OK because when you limit what you say too much, you potentially limit the positive power of your words. I don’t make everyone happy when I speak the honest truth from my heart, but that’s okay when the end result is an enhancement to the product in the end. When need to try to be tactful and kind to others, but saying only what others want you to say to keep them happy isn’t a conversation that has meaning.
So whether you like or dislike the Affinity Suite, let your voice be heard, especially in the Serif forums. Maybe one day they will listen and then act quickly on what they heard. Right now, they are not. I say that because when you make a feature request repeatedly over a 5 year time span and it continues to be ignored, yet is a feature that would thrill the hearts of Adobe app using potential switchers, there’s a problem with that. But again, this isn’t me bashing Serif or their otherwise nifty apps. It’s simply a statement of fact. And I state that fact in the hopes that Serif will get on the ball and do the right thing.
I like LOVE how Norm handles things here. If he was in control of the Affinity Suite, I have no doubt they would be even more amazing apps than they are today. Again, that’s not bashing Serif, it’s me prodding Serif toward a better direction.
It’s all a matter of will. Where there’s a will, there’s always a way.
I do agree with all the points and I did state Serif’s communication and engagement with the community should be better. At the end of the day as you all mentioned, we all want a great product. It takes a community for great ideas to come to life hence my appreciation for Norm and blocs community. Its always great to share such insightful ideas and thoughts.
Well, they have made a suite of Applications, and they do what I want, and they are a good price.
So I am happy. They do what I bought them for. Some additional features would be nice. However I didn’t buy the software for additional features - if they were essential, I wouldn’t have bought.
A 50% sale just launched on Affinity apps.
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I was just about to post that!!!
This is a real deal!!!
Rich the Weather Guy
That’s all three apps for about the same price as half a tank of fuel in my car. Good value for the apps, not so much for the fuel costs.
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…and you won’t use them up in a couple of days. 
I’ve been a graphic designer for 15 years, I have my adobe habits and it’s very difficult to get away from that, which I completely understand. But Affinity as said above are complementary. They are better designed in the workflow, no need to open 3 softwares at the same time like adobe, with affinity everything is accessible on the interface to switch between each software for a specific need. I have to admit that I am still in transition for several years and I am forcing myself to work with affinity because subscriptions don’t really work, they are expensive in the end. Blocs would have been a subscription, I would never have embarked on the adventure. And contributing and helping Blocs users and giving our visions to evolve it I find it very cool. And we are in a benevolent mood here and that’s really cool.
There’s nothing to say except one detail that still hasn’t been solved since I sent my comment to the after-sales service, as on the web, if you work with image banks, anything that is vector-based, there’s an interpretation problem when you open it with affinity designer, in the case where you want to modify the curves etc. … It’s a monumental disaster. It’s unusable, that’s why I keep an adobe under my elbow when I encounter this kind of problem. Apart from that everything is well thought out in terms of ergonomics, you just have to jump in to start 
The best investment. After Lightroom alternative, I’m more on Captureone that I find much better.
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I’m very much along the same lines as you @Alpha. I am (was) a 30 odd year user of Adobe and those keyboard commands, menu items etc. are just ingrained!
I’m getting along ok with both Publisher and Photo, but Designer I’m finding a bit hard work.
However, quite enjoying the new journey, and it’s saving my money each month, so all good.
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Just switched. I was still using the original version of CS. One thing is for sure. It is a lot faster! The install happened without a hitch. Plus I ungraded the OS at the same time.
Affinity products are half price at the moment
especially as it is much quicker to set up than adobe…