@Vivi_Ram Welcome to PhotoLine! You'll find it a quite capable app. My tool set includes Adobe (for work), Affinity and Xara, so I can compare and work with all of them. But my favourite core app is PhotoLine.
I agree that Affinity has too many paper cuts. I dislike working in it, because limitations tend to appear when I least expect or want it. And I doubt Canva acquiring Affinity is going to do it any good in the future. But we will see.
A couple of things to add to the previous answers:
[1] Vector layers can be parented to a content layer or group as a vector mask, or be layered on top of other layers in the layer stack. As @shijan explained, merely switching the vector layer to "Clip" will mask the other layer(s).
Don't forget to check the layer properties for quality-of-life vector mask options: under CLIPPING you'll find an option to blur the mask, and an option to invert the vector mask.
Also: multiple vector layers can be grouped, and then the group itself set to CLIP to create a layered clipping mask. Masks can also be cloned (virtual copy) and re-used throughout the layer stack. If you edit the source, those changes cascade in real-time in the clones.
I find that this clipping mask setup is quite flexible and allows quick and easy transformation of both the content and the mask:
2024-09-29 23_40_58-#1.png
[2] Many ways to achieve this. Look for the layer panel's LAYER MASK menu at the bottom of that panel for options. If you have an existing selection (lasso) then choose the "layer mask from mask" option. Then invert the mask ALT-i
In PhotoLine vector mask and bitmap masks can be combined freely in groups and sub-groups. There is no limit to layer stack depth for masking groups, unlike Affinity Photo. And any adjustment layer (where it makes sense) can be applied to masks (both vector and bitmap) as well. Experiment.
PS Gradient masks --even bitmap based ones-- are non-destructive and can be adjusted at any time with the gradient tool. This is quite unique to PhotoLine.
[3] Placeholders in PhotoLine behave exactly like Smart Objects in Photoshop.
Converting layer types is ridiculously obvious in PhotoLine once you learn how it works, but coming from other design apps it may be obscure at first. Basically just switch layer type in the Layer properties:
2024-09-29 23_50_31-#1.png
Selecting one or more layers or group(s) of layers and then changing that to a Placeholder embeds all those layers in a placeholder layer. That's it! (There is also a menu option: Layer-->Placeholder)
Right-mouse click to edit the contents.
PS to convert an image to vector: follow the same steps. Select an image layer, then switch to vector. PhotoLine will convert the image to vectors. It's so hidden, but it's a quite workable vector conversion.
Same with converting text to vectors: select the text layer, then change it to vectors. It will open a dialog with options.
PS2 Unlike other apps, it is also possible to add empty placeholder layers that can be used in a template to place content in. More or less frames as in InDesign (sort-of).
PS3 In PhotoLine all image bitmap layers that are imported or placed retain their original resolution, image mode, bit depth, and colour profile. No need for Smart Objects like in Photoshop. And editing the bitmap layers is supported directly in PhotoLine: just start painting or making destructive changes in these bitmap layers, and the original intent is maintained. This is not possible in Affinity, where the image layer must be converted to a raster layer. Again: quite unique to PhotoLine.
[4] Possible to an extent with the Effects-->3Dbody tool. Don't expect too much, though: Xara's 3D tool is far FAR more advanced. It's one of the reasons why I keep Xara around.
Although nowadays I do most of my 3d work in Blender. Import the vectors as SVG, extrude, bevel, and add materials and lighting. All in real-time with Eeevee, and it looks beautiful. Xara's 3d tools can't compare, of course. Just another level of quality and control, with the caveat of a more complex app!
[5] Yes, links between PhotoLine and other design apps will work wonderfully well IF and WHEN the receiving app support saving the intermediate temp file in the same original location in the same file format.
Apps like Krita and Inkscape work very well. Obviously native functionality needs to be taken into account, but overall it is super duper.
The thing with Xara is that it does receive the PDF or SVG of the layer that is sent to it from PhotoLine. But when I save the file after making some edits PhotoLine will not pick up on the changes.
As far as I can tell the original SVG or PDF temp file is overwritten by Xara, but PhotoLine doesn't update the layer content. I did some testing, and Xara saves a Xara native file with the SVG or PDF extension, but doesn't actually export/save as SVG/PDF format.
So obviously PhotoLine can't read native XARA files. Saving a XARA file with a SVG or PDF extension isn't helpful either. This is not PhotoLine's fault, but a limitation in Xara. A workaround is to export the file from Xara as SVG or PDF and overwrite the original temporary file that PhotoLine sent to Xara, but unfortunately Xara's export doesn't maintain either the file name, nor the original file's location.
So not very workable, unfortunately. This can only be solved by Xara's developers. It is something I have run into with VectorStyler too. As long as the design app saves over the original temp file in the correct file format, PhotoLine's external app link will work like a charm.
[6] Up to a point, and it depends on the context. PhotoLine doesn't do AI background removal. The masking tools are quite good, but aren't exactly automatic and require manual intervention.
It does depend on the background and context, however. For example, a very useful color to transparency non-destructive filter adjustment layer is available in PhotoLine that removes solid colours quite effectively from images (like a keying filter in After Effects or Davinci Resolve). But do not expect an option to magically extract foreground objects from a landscape photo, for example.
Nowadays AI-driven solutions exist. Krita has a free plugin that will remove backgrounds using AI:
https://github.com/agoulddesign/krita-bg-remove-bria
Other solutions abound on the web.
Hope this helps a bit!
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