Posts by smadell

  • The Affinity Help Center

    From what I know, each of the Affinity version 2 apps had the same “core” code that covered the functions of all three. In other words, Affinity Photo v2 had all the code that allowed it to open, display, and process Affinity Designer and Affinity Publisher v2 files. What made the apps different was the user interface code, which made certain functions accessible in the appropriate apps but not in the others.

    So, assuming that all the code for each of the three apps was already there in the background anyway, the new Affinity app (I will still refer to it as version 3) simply has a new user interface which allows us to access all of the functions of all three apps in one application.

    And, assuming that is true, it doesn’t seem unreasonable at all to call this version 3.

  • Affinity shows only raw icon in "Recent" screen / Windows shows only Affinity icon in Explorer

    Good morning Yapping. Here’s a thought. You might want to check whether you raw files actually do contain a useable preview. Try downloading a small utility called RawPreviewExtractor (it’s written by the libraw folks, who also wrote FastRawViewer - a great culling tool). Find it here: https://www.fastrawviewer.com/RawPreviewExtractor

    If Affinity Photo and Windows are both having trouble displaying the embedded jpg, the problem might be the files themselves or something in Windows that’s making the previews inaccessable.

  • The Orton Effect - a new method

    jmwellborn - Thanks, Jennifer. I like the Orton Effect a lot, and was happy but not completely satisfied with the implementation I had posted in my "Specialized Looks" collection. I watched a ton of YouTube videos (most of which were Photoshop-centric, but easily replicated) and I went to Michael Orton's website and looked at the samples that he posted. (After all, if I can reproduce what the OG came up with, I know I'm onto something.)

    Anyway, I came up with this alternate method to allow the photos to end up being brighter, have the glow largely restricted to the highlights, and to add warmth to the glow itself. I'm actually a lot happier with this version than the original.

    And, yes, there are a ton of images that just won't look better with the Orton Effect. But the ones that do really take on a bit of magic. I'm glad you're enjoying it all!

  • The Orton Effect - a new method

    HIK, ldina. I'm glad you found this and downloaded it. It should run pretty well out of the box. To be honest, most of the tweak-able settings are "nuance" rather than major impact changes. It's only if you go into the Luminosity Range Masks and change things in there that things have the potential to change dramatically. Let me know how you get along with it (and how it might compare with the old version that I posted in the "Specialized Looks" macros from last autumn)!

  • The Orton Effect - a new method

    In October of 2025, I posted a "master list" of my macro categories. There were 6 downloads listed, most of which contained more than one category of macros helping users do things such as add specific types of masks, create customizable vignettes, color grade, and add a large number of "specialized looks". You can find that Master List by clicking the link below.

    Click Here for Seth's Resources Master List

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    With this post, I am adding one additional macro, called "Orton Effect v2." It is an alternative method of creating the Orton Effect which adds blur and glow to your image, largely favoring the highlights. (This seems to be more in keeping with the original intention of Michael Orton, the creator of the original effect.)

    The macro, which is attached as a Zip file below, can be downloaded and imported into the Macro panel (NOT directly into the Library panel). It must be un-zipped first, and then you can use the "Import" button on the top, left of the Macro panel to bring the macro into Affinity. You can "Play" it from there and, if you like it, use the "Add to Library" button to save it into the category of your choice in the Library panel.

    Please note that I created this macro using version 3 of Affinity. As such, it will probably be incompatible with earlier versions (Affinity Photo 2 on the desktop and iPad, specifically).

    Once an image is open, click on the Orton Effect v2 macro to run it. You will be presented with a dialog box asking you for 2 settings. First, set the amount of blur. (A good starting point is to enter the number of megapixels on your camera sensor. You can change this setting at any point.) Second, choose the overall strength of the effect. The macro should default to 75%, but you can override this at any point also.

    Once you click Apply, the macro creates a Group layer called Orton Effect (v2) at the top of your layers stack. Inside it, there is another group called Highlights Glow, which adds a warm glowing light to the highlights. There is also a Curves layer named "Shadows Contrast" which restores some darkness and contrast to the shadows. The entire effect can be turned on and off by clicking the "visible" icon on the main group - Orton Effect (v2). And, obviously, you can tweak any of the layers inside of the effect to your liking.

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    As with all of the macros I have submitted over the years, please remember that I am one person with one computer. This allows me to test on a limited number of images. There is no way to have foreseen all possible scenarios. I believe (but obviously cannot guarantee) that you will be happy with the results.

    If you like the macro, please keep it and enjoy it. It is yours to use freely, both for personal and commercial purposes. What I ask in return is simply this: leave a comment below, letting me know if you’re using the macro and (hopefully) that you’re enjoying it. Remember that we users benefit from each other’s knowledge. Never forget to “pay it forward” and contribute to the forum in whatever ways you can.

    Here is the macro for you: The content cannot be displayed because you do not have authorisation to view this content.

  • Gradient mask in Photo

    Good morning, DD-Crash. There's another way to do what you want which will preserve the ability to modify the gradient. Here are the steps:

    1. Create whatever layer you want (including an adjustment or live filter layer).
    2. Directly above that layer, place a FILL layer. [ Pixel menu > New Fill Layer ]
    3. Choose the "Fill" tool and specify in the Context Toolbar that you want to draw a gradient.
    4. Mouse down and drag to place the gradient onto the Fill Layer.
    5. Here's the important part. The colors at either end of the gradient don't matter. But make one of them 100% Opaque, and make the other one 0% opaque. A Fill layer is a vector layer rather than a pixel layer. You can use vector layers (including shapes, etc.) as masks, but the mask is defined based on the opacity of the pixels of the layer; you can't use the typical "black conceals, white reveals" rule.
    6. Drag the Fill Layer onto the thumbnail of the layer you want to mask. Do not drag the Fill Layer onto the Name of the layer, since that will simply "clip" the Fill Layer to the recipient layer. You must drag directly onto the thumbnail. Alternatively, you can select the Fill Layer and choose [ Layer menu > Create Clipping Mask ] to place the Fill Layer as a mask to the layer immediately below.
    7. You now have a gradient as a non-destructive mask. You can edit the gradient at any time, even changing the position of the stops (and midpoints), changing a Linear gradient to a Radial or other type, and so forth. The key is to use a vector layer and to use a mask based on pixel opacity rather than luminosity.

    Here's another option. I am attaching a macro that automates this process. Create your adjustment/live filter layer (or any layer, really) and click the macro. This will do all of the steps I noted above. However, please note that (a) the macro may place the gradient stops outside the bounds of the canvas, especially if your canvas is on the small side. Just drag the stops where you want them; (b) you can import the macro into the MACRO panel of the app, but not into the LIBRARY panel. If you want to keep the macro, you should do so by using the "Add to Library" button in the Macro panel; and (c) the .afmacro file is "zipped" and you'll have to un-zip it before you import it.

    The content cannot be displayed because you do not have authorisation to view this content.

  • vignette vertical

    You might want to try out this set of macros. It allows for vignettes of custom shapes and sizes which can be rotated, resized, and edited non-destructively. Find them here…

    Thread

    Seth's Resources - Custom Vignettes

    This resource file contains a single Macro category called Seth’s Custom Vignettes. There are a number of macros within the category, most of which work in the same manner. They create vignettes of various shapes, initially centered within the image. However, the vignette can be moved (so that it is centered somewhere other than the middle of the image), rotated (e.g., an ellipse does not have to be horizontal; it can be tilted to correspond with the subject of your image), and its feathering…
    Resources macros
    smadell
    October 8, 2025 at 7:07 PM

  • Persistent and Annoying Dialog Box

    Quote from Old Bruce

    I apologise for being that guy

    Oh, you are definitely "that guy" - but you're right.

    So, I took the comments from Old Bruce and CobaltDragon, mish-mashed them together and came up with this. Since my customized Pixel studio is still named "Pixel" I duplicated it and named the duplicate "Pixels"(with an "s"). I left them both visible. (Note - at this point, they both still represent my customized studio.) I quit Affinity and re-started. Naturally, I got the offending dialog box again. This time, I clicked "Overwrite." When Affinity opened, the Pixel studio had been overwritten with the newer version (I think that it has the new "Tone Brush" tool added.) My old, customized studio is now named "Pixels" and has not been touched. I left the new "Pixel" studio alone, but turned off its visibility. Now, quitting and re-opening no longer results in the dialog (for now…).

    I'll report back later if the dialog re-emerges for some reason. But, so far so good. Thanks again, guys!

  • Persistent and Annoying Dialog Box

    One of the first things I did in version 3.0 was to customize my Pixel studio. I added the tools and panels I wanted, and removed the ones I didn't. It has worked well for me. Since the release of version 3.1, I am greeted by this annoying dialog at least once every day when I start up Affinity. Clicking "Overwrite" is not an acceptable answer, and clicking "Make Copy" doesn't stop the dialog from re-appearing the next day. I can click "Cancel" to get past it, but it keeps coming back. Can anyone suggest a way around this?

  • Macro question

    Good morning, JimCricket. I made a macro for you, and I think it's what you're after. Please note - the macro is named "Layers and Colors.afmacro". This is an individual macro, NOT a macro category.

    The file is attached, but I had to make it into a ZIP file because of CreoFora limitations. You need to Un-Zip it first. Then, to get it into Affinity, do the following:

    (1) Make sure the "Macro" panel is open. This macro will not get loaded if you try to get it into the Library panel. (2) At the very top of the Macro panel, there are a bunch of icons. Hover over them one by one, and find the one that will "Import" the macro. Click on that icon, and navigate your way to the "Layers and Colors.afmacro" file. Import this. (3) The macro will get loaded into the Macro panel. (4) You can run the macro from there by clicking the "Run" icon. However, if you want to keep it you should click on the icon labelled "Add to Library". This will let you save the macro to a category in the Library panel. (5) Once you've saved the macro into the Library, you can click it to run on any additional images you like.

    Note: I think I covered all the things you were looking for. Please be aware that instead of just creating 2 more layers, each called "Background", I created a layer called "Background (Hue)" and another called "Background (Color Burn)". Hope you don't mind! Also, I added the Color Balance adjustment layers, but did not change any of the settings. I assumed that you would set those colors on a one-by-one basis.

    Also note: in the file you supplied (thank you for that!) the HSL Adjustment layer has a very small area near the top left that was masked. I assumed that was an error, and omitted it.

  • Seth's Resources - Specialized Looks

    Hi, Daveyjones. I'm glad you got this sorted out. I was just sitting down to my desktop computer to try to duplicate what you'd done, and I opened the forum to grab your image. I see that disabling hardware acceleration was the answer. For some folks, Affinity Photo 2 still had significant issues with screen drawing with hardware acceleration turned on (though I'm not sure just why) and that was always the de facto question to ask when folks asked questions that resulted from extremely funky results, especially with weird colors and segmented screen draws (such as you experienced).

    Anyway, good that you found the problem. Shame that the answer will slow down your results (although faster but crappy results are never a good thing)!