Many people have become disillusioned with Adobe and their subscription model for the Creative Suite. Personally I also disliked how bloated and old the software had become running on all that legacy code. I wanted a fast, modern set of graphics applications that didn't cost the earth but that were powerful and flexible to use.
Airiam Recommends: The Affinity Suite
Step in Serif, a British Company, based in Nottingham that have been in the graphics software business since 1987 - they know their stuff. They have developed a set of three apps that focus on the vector, photo and desktop publishing sectors. The apps have been written from the ground up to take advantage of modern hardware, with a focus on real time usability. They've won multiple awards for the software and maintain a good inspiration/tutorial website called Affinity Spotlight. Each app is available from the Mac App store for a one off low payment.
Integrartion in the Affinity Suite
All three of the Affinity apps share a common file format, which means that you can open a file created in one app in any of the others and continue to make edits. With the release of Publisher they have taken it a step further with StudioLink which allows you to seamlessly switch to the Designer or Photo toolset directly from within Publisher itself. The apps also give you the ability to save the entire history of the document so that you still have undo right to the genesis of the document even after closing it.
Affinity Designer
Affinity Designer is the vector graphics app, and amongst it's very capable features are:
- Live gradients, effects and adjustments
- Real time blend mode previews
- Unlimited artboards
- CMYK, 16 & 32bit, Pantone, ICC profiles
- Linked symbols and constraints
- The best pen & node tool available
- Pencil and brush stabilisation
- Non-destructive boolean operations
It outputs to industry standard document types, is instantly familiar in layout if you have used any professional graphics application and is swift and easy to use. click here to find out more
Affinity Photo
Affinity Photo is the raster graphics app, and amongst it's very capable features are:
- Full Raw Development
- HDR Merge
- Panorama Stitching
- Focus Stacking
- Batch Processing
- Smooth and retouch skin with frequency separation
- Remove unwanted objects with the magical inpainting brush
- Add filter effects non-destructively
- Live full resolution preview at all times
It too outputs to industry standard document types like .PSD, is instantly familiar in layout if you have used any professional graphics application and is very flexible with all the standard tools you would expect from a photo editing app. click here to find out more
Affinity Publisher
Affinity Publisher is the desktop publishing app, and amongst it's very capable features are:
- Live master pages, including nested master pages
- Text wrapping with fine padding control
- Advanced guides, grids and snapping
- Link or embed images with full resource manager
- Add layer effects including shadows, glows and bevels
- End-to-end CMYK support
- Utilisation of all stylistic features of the latest OpenType fonts
- Text and paragraph styles
- Add drop capitals to any paragraph
With the other two apps installed Publisher acts as a hub with StudioLink allowing you to seamlessly switch between toolsets. It also allows you to export in industry standard formats ensuring that you artwork makes it to press as intended. Click here to find out more
Affinity Suite on the iPad
Both Photo and Designer have a fully featured iPadOS app. They are extremely easy to use and gives you the full power of the desktop app in a very mobile format. They have full support for Apple Pencil which makes drawing and retouching a breeze.