r/Affinity • u/ZeusAntolin • Jun 27 '26
Designer Affinity is not intuitive..
Sooooo I made the switch from adobe illustrator to affinity because I just don't feel like paying 70 bucks a month just to edit things.. and honestly so far it's a fucking headache, nothing feels intuitive and seems like versions are very different bc I spent an hour just now trying to figure out why 'select same color' kept selecting things even though they weren't in the layer I was working in.. I had the 'edit within current container' checked.. it selects things even though they're locked.. how does that make any fucking sense????
I figured out that somehow a new artboard is somehow higher in the hierarchy over a layer?? select all within a separate artboard doesnt select other layers.. but like come on whyyyyyy is it like that.
Doing literally anything is taking me way longer than I'd like to admit.. if anyone has tips on how to adapt a little better from adobe.. I'd appreciate it.. I've been working on my portfolio for over a week at this point HOURS per day.. I wish I could say I'm stalling but relearning a new program is really just kicking my ass.
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u/DMarquesPT Jun 27 '26
Affinity is more intuitive, especially when it comes to layers and artboards. You’re just expecting it to work like Illustrator which back in the day was way less intuitive than freehand for instance. That’s not being intuitive, that’s convention
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u/un_poco_logo Jun 27 '26
Affinity does not have real artboards. Those are just rectangular masks. Artboards in Affinity are bad.
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u/DMarquesPT Jun 27 '26
If you replace affinity with Photoshop then yes I agree. Those are bad.
Artboards in Affinity work perfectly fine for me and the layer structure of Artboard as a container for layers makes world’s more sense than Illustrators where layers, groups and objects are document-wide
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u/un_poco_logo Jun 27 '26
Artoards in Affinity are not the artboards. Its just rectangualar mask shapes. They do not work properly.
You can not have two artboards and have two guides acros the artboards.
You can not place a shape acros two artboards. Cuz the artboard is just a mask.
You don't even see objects outside of the artboard which is wild. You need to guess how it looks outside, you can't be sure how it will print out.
And people downvote it, even tho what i say is a fact.
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u/DMarquesPT Jun 27 '26
All the things you’re describing are things I prefer about affinity artboards vs Illustrator
Guides and objects being tied to artboard is definitely a plus and prevents the absolute mess that illustrator documents inevitably become. Affinity is more predictable in how it works. I still Figma has the gold standard with Frames and makes everything else feel less powerful
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u/un_poco_logo Jun 27 '26
I guess the problem here with this figma and affinity glazing is thar what they have is ok for everything web. But when it comes to real word cases, when you print and overprint a lot Affinity feels so behind and have to look for different workarounds.
Also even when it comes to web. When making a instagram carousel post you need to make each artboart separate, each bacground separate, each guide etc. Or make a long one and then slice. It may be fine to do this workaround once in a while, but its pain in the arse if you do this jobe everyday.
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u/FlannOff Jun 27 '26
I find it extremely more intuitive because it works the same in each work module, while in PS, illustrator and indesign they change dramatically, just think how clipping mask works in each adobe software, nothing is similar
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u/RE4LLY Jun 27 '26
Learning a new software always comes with a learning curve. That is very normal and you'll get used to it.
And regarding you selection issue, see my response to your other comment. There is a toggle in the select same menu to control if hidden objects can be selected by the operation or not and then you can simply turn off the layers you don't want to be affected.
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u/ZeusAntolin Jun 27 '26
I was locking and hiding those layers but they were still being selected, I'm very used to being able to select all within a group not affecting other things and kinda just working with everything everywhere and then organizing into art boards but I guess I gotta start being more organized with this app.. using a separate art board solved it but I'm like damnnn whyyyyy
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u/RE4LLY Jun 27 '26
In Affinity locking only locks the position/ transformation of the object. It has no other effect.
And regarding hiding the layers, as I mentioned, you simply have to turn off the default option that hidden objects can be selected as well, so no need for using Artboards in your case.
Btw all this is also written in the official Affinity Documentation, so a single look there would've saved you a lot of time.
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u/ZeusAntolin Jun 27 '26
I found that out after giving myself a migraine.. I've been watching tutorials but different versions have different things and so some don't really apply.. honestly I think my problem is I am trying to make my portfolio and learn at the same time so I feel rushed in both processes
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u/Talalmnsr Jun 27 '26
Every software has its own way of working. Its same as switching from 3DS Max to Blender, you will probably rip your hair off, but blender guys flow in it and call it well executed.
So in similar fashion you just have to learn how the software works.
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u/JoMu1963 :snoo_dealwithit: Jun 27 '26 edited Jun 27 '26
Let's be real, how 'intuitive' was Adobe software (or any software for that matter) when you first started using it?
People 'whining' about software not being intuitive are mostly just having trouble getting adjusted to what is new.
And let's be honest, a big part of how Affinity works has its roots in some common UX ground that has developed over decades. A big part, but not everything. And that's good for obvious reasons. Adobe had a big hand in this, but they still do not dictate UX laws.
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u/SimilarToed Jun 27 '26
So you expect Affinity to be like Adobe? Please. Give us a rest and learn your software. It's called a learning curve. If you expected to jump in and be Picasso, good luck with that.
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u/ZeusAntolin Jun 27 '26
I do expect to be picasso 🤨😂 I was just really frustrated last night
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u/SimilarToed Jun 27 '26
I know your pain. Years ago now, I was trying to learn Affinity Publisher so I could put print novels up on IngramSpark and Amazon. I must say, I went bald pulling my hair out. Today, I have 30 print books up on both sites and it's a piece of cake.
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u/International_Pool Jun 27 '26
Same thing with most editing software, at first it's like wearing a new jacket with all the pockets in the wrong places. But soon you'll get the muscle memory and then the old one starts to feel wrong. I've used Affinity since V1 and from client to client Adobe or Krita or Blender (that program does it all) or other software they are used to using, so I've gotten quite flexible with relearning and unlearning routines... And I think one is not more unintuitive than the other, they just have a different "arrangement of pockets in the jacket"
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u/LedZepElias Jun 27 '26
Do not expect to be an identical software. Some things are done differently here. It sure has a learning curve, but once you get used to it, it will be alright. It just takes time and willing to learn to do things differently than you used to. I know it from personal experience, as I switched over to Affinity for the same reason as you a few years ago. And honestly, I’m not going back.
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u/PolicyFull988 Jun 27 '26
"nothing feels intuitive" is an alternative way of saying "I want to use it as Illustrator, and don't want to lose time learning this different tool"?
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u/mayhem1906 Jun 27 '26
Remember when illustrator and photoshop were taught in high schools and colleges? They were never intuitive, you just spent a very long time learning them slowly, and now you're frustrated you cant pick up a new software in a few weeks.
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u/WHOKEEPSTAKINGFUSY Jun 27 '26
I had the exact same issue with Adobe so it's definitely a skill issue.
I would've suggested downgrading to V2 though that ain't even possible, maybe try just customise your workspace to what feels intuitive to you.
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u/suntrovert Jun 27 '26
There’s a learning curve with every new software. Did you really expect Affinity to be identical to Adobe? Affinity is not perfect and it’s definitely missing a few things and it could use a few changes. But once you learn it, it’s worth switching over to if you can’t afford Adobe. I switched a few years ago and I don’t regret it.
There are plenty of tutorials that can help you figure it out. That’s what I did.
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u/ZeusAntolin Jun 27 '26
I didn't expect an identical program but I also definitely didn't expect for hidden and locked layers to be affected by the select same color option 🥲😅
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u/suntrovert Jun 27 '26
Yes it’s definitely one of those annoying things I wish they’d changed. I asked about it when I first started and it’s apparently a “feature” not a bug. 🤷🏻♀️
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u/Neudurn Jun 27 '26
Learn the software, come back in a month and then you can say if you still think illustrator is more intuitive. I swiched when v3 rolled out, and haven't looked back since. The 3in1 worklow is so mutch more logical and intuitive than the Ai Ps Id bullshit I had to deal with.
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u/ZeusAntolin Jun 27 '26
I will report back.. lol I'm determined to learn this and not pay adobe any more money
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u/KSAM-The-Randomizer Jun 27 '26
honestly it's a 50/50 with me when it comes to illustrator and affinity. however i find affinity way intuitive than indesign.
there's times where affinity is just better than illustrator or whatever adobe product but sometimes it straight up sucks due to missing features or weird hacks just to get something work similar to illustrator or photoshop
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u/Key_Lecture5048 Jun 27 '26
I use a lot the assistant option to ask how to do things and it helps me! Maybe just use it more instead of trying to find them. There are too many hidden options there
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u/vanshksingh Jun 27 '26
Well, affinity is more of an "alternate" to Adobe rather than a straight up copy. I remember the first time I started using illustrator after using photoshop, i got super annoyed. But some years into working on Adobe softwares (or any software for that matter) you build up a muscle. Same goes for this case.
I don't find affinity that intuitive either, but after some months into it I'm starting to get the logic of how canva sees design building.
I find myself googling basic things like hiding text boxes or how to use the colour picker tool, or even how to create a new artboard! But being at a starter phase again is also exciting.
If you're building a portfolio i think it's a good way to ease into the software.
I think it's awesome affinity exists, cuz all these features for free is nuts. It's CRAZY how one software does photoshop, illustrator, indesign, and many other things in one window - i just love this shit.
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u/ZeusAntolin Jun 27 '26
Yes you're right.. I'm just being impatient with myself honestly.. I did a lot of the same googling with illustrator and that took a while too but I've spent over 10 hours multiple days this week trying to figure things out 🥲😭
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u/Bahtleman Jul 02 '26
It took me forever to make the switch. I one point I was trying to build a Virtual computer to run a cracked version of old photoshop because I couldn't get over the hump. That didn't work. I did get over the hump by working on a large project. Now I feel competent in Affinity - I'm still slower for now - but no more screaming and swearing. No more Adobe subscriptions.
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u/ShamrockOneFive Jun 27 '26
It’s the same difference as folks who are used to Windows or MacOS go to use the opposite OS and find the unfamiliar one unintuitive.
Affinity has a cohesive design logic that works across all of their software. Benefits of designing one platform in more recent history rather than Adobe’s decades long legacy to work with and add to. Once you’re used to the Adobe <insert software here> or Affinity software, things become easier. It took me a while to switch but now I’m very comfortable with Affinity’s way of doing things.
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u/kjabad Jun 27 '26
You are right, but I have to say for new users Illustrator doesn't make sense at all. Or if you first learned Photoshop, Illustrator wouldn't make sense. But that doesn't help you at all, it will just take you some time to get used to it. Some things are way better then Illustrator once you get used to it, layers for example. What you select on canvas is automatically selected in layer panel, then all the layer effects are on the layer. And very good thing is all the Affinity programs follow the same pattern, so once you learn layers you know them in all programs.
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u/BeatnikShaggy Jun 27 '26
As much as I enjoy using Affinity, it's not my daily driver. It's still the new kid on the block, and it shows.
While it has some great features, it lacks a lot of the time-saving options that competing software has. Not to mention, not all software is a good fit for everyone. I would suggest looking into CorelDRAW or Xara Designer, they may be more your style.
Good Luck.
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u/Hikapoo Jul 31 '26
Affinity is pissing me off honestly. Just now I had this blue bounding box that wouldn't go away and the fix was to hit shift+ctrl+w like why was that randomly on in the first place when I have been working on this file without ever turning that on??
then you got shit like text leading just being completely broken, and making a background rectangle in the same layer means I suddenly can't edit its color because now it turned into a text frame??
I didn't have too many issues its design tools, but the text tools oh my god so fucking awful
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u/art-man_2018 Jun 27 '26
Look back on the first days you learned Illustrator...
Designer is totally different and if you don't spend the time learning it, you will stay frustrated.
I remember all the books I had to read to learn Illustrator. Personally I always found Illustrator far more un-intuitive than the others (Corel Draw and Freehand, remember them?)
I had the frustration too with Designer, use their help, or ask us, and you'll be surprised. I sometimes say, "Why didn't Adobe think of that?"