Affinity Designer

Affinity Designer serves as a successor to Serif's own DrawPlus software, which the company discontinued in August 2017 in order to focus on the Affinity product range.{{Cite web|url=https://aninoogunjobi.com/2017/08/digital-craft-serif-discontinues-pageplus-drawplus-photoplus-designing-software-focus-itsserif-new-affinity-range-professional-graphic-design-software/|title=Digital Craft: Serif discontinues its Pageplus, Drawplus and Photoplus designing software to focus on its(Serif) new Affinity range of Professional graphic design software|last=Ogunjobi|first=Anino|date=2017-08-10|website=ANINO|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-08-17}} It has been described as an Adobe Illustrator alternative,{{Cite news|url=https://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/illustrator-vs-affinity|title=Why I Use Affinity Designer Instead of Illustrator for Motion Design|work=School of Motion|access-date=2018-08-06}}{{Cite web|url=https://comparisons.financesonline.com/affinity-designer-vs-adobe-illustrator-cc|title=Affinity Designer vs Adobe Illustrator CC 2018 Comparison {{!}} FinancesOnline|website=Financesonline.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-08-06}}{{Cite news|url=https://99designs.com/blog/design-resources/affinity-designer-vs-adobe-illustrator-review/|title=Affinity Designer vs. Adobe Illustrator: can Designer replace Illustrator? - 99designs|date=2016-08-17|work=99designs|access-date=2018-08-06|language=en-US}} and is compatible with common graphics file formats, including Adobe Illustrator (AI), Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), Adobe Photoshop (PSD), Portable Document Format (PDF), and Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) formats.{{cite news|url=http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/software/photo-editing/1402120/serif-affinity-designer|title=Serif Affinity Designer|last=Martin|first=Keith|date=November 27, 2014|work=Expert Reviews|access-date=December 25, 2015}} The application can also import data from some Adobe FreeHand files (specifically versions 10 and MX).{{Cite web|url=https://affinity.help/designer/en-US.lproj/index.html?page=/Appendix/fileformat.html?title=Import%20and%20export%20file%20formats|title=Import and export file formats - Affinity Designer Help|website=affinity.help|language=en|access-date=2018-08-06}}

Affinity Designer's core functions include vector pen and shape-drawing tools, support for custom vector and raster brushes (including the ability to import Adobe Photoshop (ABR) brushes), dynamic symbols, stroke stabilization, text style management, and vector/pixel export options.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cargocreative.co.uk/blog/affinity-one-year-review|title=Affinity - One Year Review|website=Cargo Creative|date=29 March 2017 |access-date=2018-09-05}}{{Cite web|url=https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/designer/desktop/full-feature-list/|title=Affinity Designer - Complete Feature List|website=affinity.serif.com|language=en|access-date=2018-09-05}}

Affinity Designer provides non-destructive editing features across unlimited layers, with pan and zoom at 60fps, and real-time views for effects and transformations.{{Cite news|url=https://www.creativebloq.com/showcase/affinity-designer-windows-coming-61621004|title=Illustrator rival launches on Windows|work=Creative Bloq|access-date=2018-09-05|language=EN-GB}} It supports the RGB, RGB Hex, LAB, CMYK and Grayscale color models, along with PANTONE color swatches and an end-to-end CMYK workflow with ICC color management, and 16-bit per channel editing.{{Cite news|url=https://www.macrumors.com/2018/07/11/affinity-designer-launches/|title=Graphic Design App 'Affinity Designer' Launches for iPad With Apple Pencil Support|access-date=2018-09-05|language=en}}

Affinity Designer began as a vector graphics editor solely for macOS. It was developed entirely from scratch for this operating system, allowing it to leverage core native technologies such as OpenGL, Grand Central Dispatch, and Core Graphics.{{Cite news|url=https://www.creativebloq.com/illustration/serif-free-alternative-71412389|title=Serif releases free alternative to Adobe Illustrator|work=Creative Bloq|access-date=2018-08-06|language=EN-GB}}

The first version was released in October 2014, making it the first of the Affinity apps to be released by Serif (and their first macOS release).{{Cite news|url=https://www.imore.com/affinity-designer-now-finally-available-mac-app-store|title=Affinity Designer is a new graphics design suite available for Mac|date=2014-10-02|work=iMore|access-date=2018-08-06|language=en}} At that time, Serif's vector graphics application for Windows was DrawPlus; however, following the release of Affinity Designer for Windows, this product has now been discontinued.{{Cite news|url=https://aninoogunjobi.com/2017/08/digital-craft-serif-discontinues-pageplus-drawplus-photoplus-designing-software-focus-itsserif-new-affinity-range-professional-graphic-design-software/|title=Digital Craft: Serif discontinues its Pageplus, Drawplus and Photoplus designing software to focus on its(Serif) new Affinity range of Professional graphic design software - ANINO|date=2017-08-10|work=ANINO|access-date=2018-09-04|language=en-GB}}

Version 1.2, released in April 2015, introduced new tools and features, such as a corner tool and a pixel-alignment mode for GUI design tasks.{{Cite news|url=https://www.creativebloq.com/computer-arts/affinity-designer-gets-first-big-update-41514598|title=Affinity Designer gets first big update|work=Creative Bloq|access-date=2018-08-06|language=EN-GB}} In December 2015, version 1.4 then introduced new features for managing artboards and printing.{{Cite news|url=https://www.creativebloq.com/software/top-new-features-affinity-designer-14-121518272|title=Top new features in Affinity Designer 1.4|work=Creative Bloq|access-date=2018-08-06|language=EN-GB}} With version 1.5 in October 2016, the application received multiple new features, including symbols, constraints, asset management and text styles.{{Cite news|url=https://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2016/10/affinity-designer-1-5-released/|title=Affinity Designer 1.5 released {{!}} Webdesigner Depot|date=2016-10-12|work=Webdesigner Depot|access-date=2018-08-06|language=en}}

The application began branching out to other platforms in November 2016, when it first launched for Microsoft Windows.{{cite web|url=https://affinity.serif.com/blog/affinity-designer-for-windows-has-launched/|title=Affinity Spotlight - Photography, Design & Illustration|website=Affinity Spotlight}}

Version 1.6 was released in November 2017, introducing performance improvements and alternative GUI display mode.{{Cite news|url=https://www.dpreview.com/news/4454827395/affinity-photo-1-6-released-faster-processing-new-features-and-free-stuff|title=Affinity Photo 1.6 released: faster processing, new features, and free stuff|work=DPReview|access-date=2018-08-06}}

The first release of a separate iPad version of Affinity Designer took place in July 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/9to5mac/status/1017028633523834880|title=9to5|website=Twitter|language=en|access-date=2018-07-11}}

Version 1.7 was released in June 2019 adding some key features such as HDR support, unlimited strokes and fills to a single shape, new point transform tool, new transform mode in Node tool, Lasso selection of nodes, new sculpt mode added to pencil, and also some big performance improvements.{{cite web|url=https://9to5mac.com/2019/06/05/affinity-designer-photo-mac-version-1-7-multi-gpu/|title=Affinity Designer and Photo for Mac updated to version 1.7 with multi-GPU and HDR display support|website=9 to 5 Mac}} Version 1.8, released in February 2020, added the ability for users to define their own document templates and keyboard shortcuts, and a built-in panel for adding stock images.{{Cite web|url=https://9to5mac.com/2020/02/26/affinity-photo-designer-and-publisher-updated-to-version-1-8-custom-keyboard-shortcuts-come-to-ipad/|title=Affinity Photo, Publisher, and Designer updated to version 1.8|last=Benjamin|first=Jeff|date=2020-02-26|website=9to5Mac|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-07}} Version 1.9 was released in February 2021, containing "substantial performance gains when working with complex vector documents" and hardware accelerration for Windows.{{cite web |last1=Khareghat |first1=Melanie |title=Affinity 1.9 updates available now |url=https://affinityspotlight.com/article/affinity-19-updates-available-now/ |website=Affinity Spotlight |access-date=1 October 2023 |language=en |date=4 February 2021}}

In November 2022, Serif launched the second major version of Affinity Designer, incorporating shape builder and knife tools, vector warping, and an x-ray view. However, it received criticism online as some users felt the new feature set was not substantial enough to justify a new purchase.{{cite web |last1=Endicott |first1=Sean |title=Affinity 2 launch causes controversy among content creators |url=https://www.windowscentral.com/software-apps/affinity-20-launch-causes-controversy-among-content-creators |website=Windows Central |access-date=1 October 2023 |language=en |date=9 November 2022}} This was followed by version 2.1 in May 2023 and version 2.2 in September 2023, adding various UI improvements and support for macOS Sonoma.{{cite web |last1=Dean |first1=Ian |title=Serif's Affinity suite gets a surprise free update |url=https://www.creativebloq.com/news/affinity-2-1-update |website=Creative Bloq |access-date=1 October 2023 |language=en |date=18 May 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Schmitz |first1=Agen |title=Affinity Designer, Photo, and Publisher 2.2 |url=https://tidbits.com/watchlist/affinity-designer-photo-and-publisher-2-2/ |website=TidBITS |access-date=1 October 2023 |language=en |date=25 September 2023}}

Affinity Designer was selected as a runner-up in Apple's "Best of 2014" list of Mac App Store and iTunes Store content in the macOS app category.{{cite news|url=http://www.macstories.net/news/apple-posts-best-of-2014-app-store-and-itunes-store-lists/|title=Apple Posts "Best of 2014" App Store and iTunes Store Lists|last=Spencer|first=Graham|date=December 8, 2014|work=MacStories|access-date=December 25, 2015}}{{cite news|url=http://www.creativebloq.com/app-design/affinity-designer-number-2-mac-app-2014-121413664|title=Affinity Designer is number 2 Mac app of 2014|last=May|first=Tom|date=December 10, 2014|work=Creative Bloq|access-date=December 25, 2015}}{{cite news|url=http://appadvice.com/appnn/2014/12/apple-announces-the-app-stores-best-of-2014-for-iphone-ipad-and-mac|title=Apple announces the App Store's Best of 2014 for iPhone, iPad and Mac|last=Calimlim|first=Aldrin|date=December 8, 2014|work=AppAdvice|access-date=December 25, 2015}} It also was one of the winners of the 2015 Apple Design Award.{{cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2015/06/08/fantastical-2-workflow-robinhood-among-winners-at-apple-design-awards/|title=Fantastical 2, Workflow, Robinhood Among Winners At Apple Design Awards|last=Panzarino|first=Matthew|date=June 8, 2015|work=TechCrunch|access-date=March 23, 2016}}

In 2018, the Windows version of Affinity Designer won 'Application Creator of the Year' at the Windows Developer Awards (part of Microsoft Build 2018).{{Cite web|url=https://developer.microsoft.com/es-es/windows/projects/events/build/2018/awards|title=Windows Developer Awards - Build 2018 - Windows app development|website=developer.microsoft.com|language=es-es|access-date=2018-08-14}}

Affinity Designer was selected as the winner of the "Best Software For Designers" Award in the 2022 Creative Bloq Awards.{{Cite web |author1=Daniel John |date=2022-09-29 |title=Adobe Photoshop 2022 wins software of the year in the Creative Bloq Awards 2022 |url=https://www.creativebloq.com/cb-awards-winners-software |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=Creative Bloq |language=en}}

• Comparison of vector graphics editors

{{reflist}}

Affinity Designer Workbook. Nottingham: Serif Europe Ltd. 2016. {{ISBN|9781909581036}}.

• {{Official website|https://affinity.serif.com/designer}}

{{Vector graphics editors}}

Category:Vector graphics editors

Category:MacOS graphics software

Category:Macintosh graphics software

Category:Windows graphics-related software

Category:2014 software