Affinity Designer 101

Tools, Settings, and Myths

Understand the most powerful app for creating vector

based artwork, patterns, and layouts.

by Liz Kohler Brown

 Another app?
Why would anyone want to learn a new app when there
are already so many great drawing apps out there? This
is the question I asked myself before I fully understood
what Affinity Designer is and why it is a game-changer
when it comes to making art on the iPad. Come see all
you can do with this app and decide for yourself if it’s
right for your art making process!

~Liz Kohler Brown

 what can you make in

Affinity Designer?

professional
patterns
Use Affinity’s powerful tools
to create more professional
patterns and work faster.

live pattern
preview

fast color
versions

infinitely
scalable

easily
converted to
.ai file type

LizKohlerBrown.com
 what can you make in

Affinity Designer?

professional
layouts
Layout and plan
professional projects like
calendars, planners,
invitations, and books.

precise pixel
movements

guides and
rulers

advanced
text tools

industry
standard file
types

LizKohlerBrown.com
 what can you make in

Affinity Designer?

unlimited
sizes
Affinity has no layer limits or
size limits, so you can work
at larger sizes for things like
wallpaper, wall stickers,
banners, and posters

resize for big

projects

work with
manufacturers

accept
larger
licensing
deals

see your work

on walls and
signs

LizKohlerBrown.com
 what can you make in

Affinity Designer?
watercolor

traditional
materials
Manipulate and edit
scanned, raster-based
elements made with paints,
pens, and other materials.

background
removal

recolor select
areas

clean up
stray marks

brighten
scans or
gouache photographs

LizKohlerBrown.com
 what can you make in

Affinity Designer?

multi-app
designs
Work between your
favorite painting and
drawing app with Affinity
to combine the benefits of
both apps!

use texture
brushes

raster or
vector

repurpose
old designs

recolor layer
by layer

LizKohlerBrown.com
 what can you make in

Affinity Designer?

sellable
assets
Create sellable patterns,
spot graphics, and assets
for businesses, crafters,
hobbyists, and artists.

vector based
assets

logos and
patterns

lettering and
illustrations

sell to
graphic
designers

LizKohlerBrown.com
 The Video Lessons
on affinity designer

Remember that we cover all of the information in this guide in video form.
So if you are more of a “watch and learn” person, check out the videos:

Lesson 1: Introduction to Lesson 2: Gallery and

Affinity Designer 101 Interface

Lesson 3: Build a Motif Lesson 4: Vectorizing Your

Sketch

WATCH THE
LESSONS

Lesson 5: Repeats & Color

Versions

LizKohlerBrown.com
 Vector Basics
Are you scared of working with vectors or aren’t sure if it’s right for you?
Here are a few things to know about vectors:

1. Vectors are shapes made of points (the little blue spots below on the
flower). In contrast, raster images are made of pixels (little squares).
When you upsize a raster image, the squares are “stretched” making the
image blurry. When you upsize a vector, the mathematical points
adjust. So once you design a vector-based pattern, you can literally
print it at any size and use it for traditional printing methods that larger
companies use.

2. Vectors are not as

difficult as they may
seem at first! Once you
learn the basics, you can
make complex vectors
in a matter of minutes.
So a few minutes to
learn something that
unlocks opportunities
and more professional
work...good trade no?

3. You can build vectors by drawing them in the Affinity app or drawing in
another app and converting the file to vectors. Both are simple once you
learn the process!

LizKohlerBrown.com
Affinity Designer 101
interface & tools

Find out what tools are most important for artists and
designers to know, and what gestures can help you save
time when you work in Affinity
 File Types
You can export files from Affinity in all of the standard file types including:

PNG PSD
JPEG PDF vector based
GIF SVG file types
TIFF

MYTH #1:

You have to have an Adobe subscription to

make professional art and work with big
companies.

Some of you will be thinking, “what about .ai files”?

.ai is a proprietary file type, so Affinity cannot use it BUT you can easily
convert files from SVG to an .ai file using a free resource like Convertio if a
company requests it.

Just export the file as a SVG (this is a vector file) from Affinity, upload to
Cloud Convert, and convert it to .ai. Easy, done.

LizKohlerBrown.com
 File Types
When working with companies who use offset printing or manufacturing,
you may occasionally be sent an .ai file as a template so that you can input
your work into their template.

MYTH #2:

You can’t open Adobe files in Affinity (like

when you win a Minted contest and they send
you an .ai template!)

In these cases, you can open the .ai file in Affinity and it will be converted
to a PDF. Then when you are finished working with it and inputting your art,
save it as an SVG, convert to .ai using Convertio or another converter, and
send it off!

LizKohlerBrown.com
 Affinity Designer
terms glossory

These are some words we use in Affinity that will help you understand what
tools and actions to use:

Document: this refers to each individual artwork in your gallery.

Project: this is like a folder where your documents are held inside your
gallery.
Artboard: this is a workspace that you create inside a document where
you might have your colors, sketches, and finished patterns. (In Affinity,
you can have multiple artboards which you could think of as multiple
desks.)
Vector: this is a file type that uses points instead of pixels to draw.
Note that you can draw in vector or pixels in Affinity, so make sure you
know which one you are using!
Personas: Affinity Designer has separate interfaces that allow you to
work in vector or raster format, and they call those two interfaces
“personas”. So make sure you are in:
Vector Persona (the blue square on the top left of the screen)
when you want to work with vectors, and
Pixel Persona (colorful squares on the top right of the screen)
when you want to work with raster brushes and layers.
Assets: Affinity Designer allows you to save vector files inside a menu
called Assets. So if you wanted to save your logo, clipart elements or
pattern elements for use in other documents, you can save them in the
Assets section.
Swatches: Color palettes saved in Affinity Designer are saved in the
Swatches section of the Color tool. You can save document palettes
(only accessible via the open document) or application palettes
(accessible in all documents past and future).

LizKohlerBrown.com
 Affinity Tools
for artists & designers

Here are some essential tools that Affinity users must understand to start
working in Affinity Designer. On the following pages we’ll cover the top,
left, and right toolbars so you know where to find things!

LizKohlerBrown.com
 Affinity Tools
for artists & designers

Here are some essentials you’ll need on the Left Toolbar:

The Move Tool (move stuff around!)

The Node Tool (edit vector points)

The Pen Tool (draw sleek shapes)

The Pencil Tool (draw loose shapes)

The Rectangle Tool (draw geometric shapes)

The Deselect Tool (“unselect” something)

LizKohlerBrown.com
 Affinity Tools
for artists & designers

Here are some essentials you’ll need on the Right Toolbar:

The Color Tool (choose colors)

The Layers Tool (edit layers)

Whoa! What about all these tools?

You can use them if you want, but
they aren’t essential for pattern
design in Affinity, so feel free to
save these for later. The less you
have to learn now, the faster you
can start making patterns!

The Transform Tool (change position and sizing)

The Tool Finder (reveal the names of all tools)

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 Here are some essentials you’ll need on the Top Toolbar. Note that this bar
changes depending on what tool is selected, so we’ll be looking at what is

The Selection Tool (Select all shapes with same color)

for artists & designers

The Geometry Tool (Add and edit vector shapes)

Affinity Tools

LizKohlerBrown.com
selected when you tap the Move Tool:
The Operations Menu (Cut, Paste, Duplicate)
The Documents Menu (Resize, Export, and artboards)
The Persona Menu (work in vector or pixel persona)
The Back Tool (go back to the gallery)
 Affinity Tools
for artists & designers

The Quick Menu (invoked by dragging three fingers down the screen) allows
you to quickly cut, paste, copy, group, or select elements.

LizKohlerBrown.com
 Affinity Tools
for artists & designers

The Command Controller circle allows you to use some standard keyboard
features like Shift (to lock proportions when you resize and rotate objects).
This can be helpful to use when you are resizing a large number of objects
at once!

To use it, tap on the circle one time, tap on the shift symbol (the top
button), then resize objects using the Move Tool. You’ll find that
proportions are locked automatically when the Shift button is on.

command
controller

LizKohlerBrown.com
 Affinity Tools
for artists & designers

Quickly step back or forward using these finger gestures:

undo redo

Tap two fingers on the Tap three fingers on the

canvas to undo your canvas to redo your last
last action. action.

saved history:
Affinity Designer saves file history
even after you close the doc, so
you can open a doc you worked on
in the past and start two finger
tapping to step back!

LizKohlerBrown.com
Affinity Designer 101
gallery & interface

Understand the interface and main gallery page that you’ll

use to store and find documents.
 Tutorial Steps
in writing - Lesson 2
Gallery and Interface

If you’re a “see it in writing” person, this is for you! Here are all the steps
we cover in the video tutorial:

SEE THE VIDEOS

Step 1: Opening the App

When you launch Affinity Designer, you'll see a gallery screen with
test documents.
You can create individual documents or organize them into Projects
(folders) for better organization.

LizKohlerBrown.com
Step 2: Creating a New Project
Tap New Project.
Enter a name and press OK.
Drag and drop any document into this folder to keep things
organized.
Any new document created within the project will automatically be
stored inside it.

Step 3: Creating a New Document to follow along with me:

Tap New Document and adjust settings:
Canvas Size: 3000 x 3000 pixels (for this tutorial)
Units: Pixels (you can switch to inches, cm, etc.)
Press OK to create your blank document.

LizKohlerBrown.com
Affinity Designer 101
build a motif

Follow along with the video lessons using the written steps for
building a motif on the following pages.
 Tutorial Steps
in writing - Lesson 3
build a motif
If you’re a “see it in writing” person, this is for you! Here are all the steps
we cover in the video tutorial:

Step 1: Setting Up Your Motif Layout

Tap the Rectangle Tool, then tap

again to open the shape menu.
Select the Diamond Tool, then
drag your stylus to create a shape.

Hold one finger down to constrain

proportions or turn on Shift for
auto-constrained shapes.

Press the Move Tool, enable the

Magnetics Tool, and snap the
shape to the top.

Open the Color Studio and set

your fill color (turn off the stroke if
needed).

LizKohlerBrown.com
Step 2: Switching to Sketch Mode (Pixel Persona)

Tap Pixel Persona to switch from

vector to pixel-based sketching.

Press Plus (+) > Pixel Layer to

create a new drawing layer.

Select the Brush Tool, open the

Brush Studio, and choose Natural
4B Pencil.

Set the color to black for

sketching.
Pro Tip: Use two fingers to undo,
just like in Procreate!

LizKohlerBrown.com
Step 3: Using Symmetry for Sketching

Tap the Symmetry Eyeball to

enable symmetry.

Set symmetry to Vertical Mode

(use Shift to snap the bar straight).

Enable Mirror Mode if you need

perfect left/right mirroring.

Lock the symmetry bar to prevent

accidental movement.

Now, start sketching!

Map out the main motif layout (flowers,
leaves, or abstract shapes).
Use the Eraser Tool if needed (adjust
brush type in the Brush Studio).
Keep it loose and fluid—this is just the
rough shape!

LizKohlerBrown.com
Step 4: Refining the Sketch

Lower the opacity of the rough

sketch (Three-Dot Menu >
Opacity).

Add a new pixel layer and refine

your sketch with more precise
lines.

Focus on organic, fluid shapes to

keep the vector stage from feeling
too rigid.

Adjust details until you’re happy

with the final sketch.

Pro Tip: Why refine the sketch first?

This makes the vector-building stage
smoother and ensures a handmade, natural
feel instead of stiff vector lines.

LizKohlerBrown.com
Affinity Designer 101
vectorizing your sketch

Follow along as we turn your sketch into a vectorized motif

that you can use for art prints, patterns, or sellable assets.
 Tutorial Steps
in writing - Lesson 4
Vectorizing Your Sketch

If you’re a “see it in writing” person, this is for you! Here are all the steps
we cover in the video tutorial:

Step 1: Preparing for Vectorization

Hide the rough sketch layer (tap

the circle next to it).

Reduce opacity on the refined

sketch layer (Three-Dot Menu >
Opacity).

Create a New Vector Layer and

switch to Vector Persona.

LizKohlerBrown.com
Step 2: Choosing Your Vector Tool

Option 1: Pen Tool

(Best for precise curves)
Tap to place a point, drag to adjust
curves.
Use directional handles to shape
smooth curves.
Turn on Fill and remove Stroke for
clean shapes.

Option 2: Pencil Tool

(Best for hand-drawn feel)
Draw freehand for a more fluid,
organic look.
Enable Rope Stabilizer for
smoother lines.

Step 3: Drawing Half the Motif (Using Symmetry)

Sketch only one side of

symmetrical elements (like flowers
or leaves).

Select Node Tool (Double-tap a

shape to edit points).

LizKohlerBrown.com
 Adjust curves and close any open
vectors (Look for red warning
nodes and delete the ones that are
not necessary).

Merge leaves and petals into

single shapes (Tap the first one,
two-finger tap on the last one)
Move Tool > Geometry > Add.

Step 4: Duplicating & Flipping for Symmetry

Select the leaves and petals layers

Tap Three-Dot Menu > Duplicate.

Select the duplicates + diamond

shape.

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 Use Transform Menu > Flip to
mirror the design.

Step 5: Cleaning Up & Refining Shapes

Select stems, petals, and leaves.

Use Geometry Menu > Add to

merge elements.

Delete any unnecessary groups or

unused layers.

Adjust nodes to refine curves and

remove sharp edges.
Final Touch: Hide the sketch layer
and review your clean vector
design—you now have a scalable,
professional motif!

LizKohlerBrown.com
Affinity Designer 101
repeat & color variation

Turn your motif into a repeating pattern and create a variety

of color versions of your pattern.
 Tutorial Steps
in writing - Lesson 5
RepeatS & Color Variations
If you’re a “see it in writing” person, this is for you! Here are all the steps
we cover in the video tutorial:

Step 1: Group & Duplicate Your Motif for a Repeat Pattern

Select all motif elements

(Diamond, Flowers, Leaves).
Group to keep everything
together.

Duplicate the group (Three-Dot

Menu > Duplicate).
Move it to the top-left corner
(snapping should show red/green
lines).

Open Transform Menu and set the

coordinates for precise placement
to (1500, -1500)

Duplication & positioning of the

next one: set the coordinates to
(-1500, -1500)

LizKohlerBrown.com
Step 3: Exporting Your Pattern

Tap Hamburger Menu > Export >

Share > Save Image.

To export for social media:

Press new: 1080 x 1920

Press the Three Dot Menu > Place

Choose the image that we just
saved.
Tap one time to get it down to the
canvas and reposition it.

Export, Save and Share your Piece

on Social Media!

LizKohlerBrown.com
Affinity Designer 101
keep learning

Find out how to go deeper into your surface design journey

through making professional artwork in Affinity.
 Keep
In my membership, The Studio, you’ll find

Learning
classes on designing professional artwork in
Affinity Designer in a variety of trending styles
and processes!

GET THE TRIAL

pattern layouts
Learn how to make better patterns
and work faster using pattern
layouts. See the Trailer

historical patterns
Learn how to get inspired by historical
patterns using timeless styles that
licensors love. See the Trailer

sellable collections
Learn how to design collections that
are searchable and sellable without
all the guesswork. See the Trailer

LizKohlerBrown.com
 Questions?
As you sift through the ideas in this guide you may be left
with some questions about the processes for getting
started. Feel free to contact us to get help along the way!

[email protected]

LizKohlerBrown.com

@LizKohlerBrown
 The Studio
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“Inside The Studio,

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take their art and
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~Liz Kohler Brown