


Affinity Publisher review: should I buy it?Įasy-to-use master pages allow you to edit layouts over large documents simultaneously (Image credit: Ben Brady)Īt $54.99 / £47.99, the price of Affinity Publisher is very tempting indeed. Publisher works in layers much like other design programs, and with a simple click of 'show text wrap settings' you can edit and adjust the text anyway you like to fit it around the image. Linking text is also very easy, so text follows on from frame to frame.

Master pages are easily “cleared” on each individual page, to add variance in layout.Īffinity Publisher also makes it incredibly easy to place text and format to your liking. Master pages are used to edit a large number of pages simultaneously, and are very easy to use to add things such as page numbers, or guides and columns for text and image placing. Instead of just grabbing a corner or side of the image and stretching or squashing it, so to speak, the vector crop tool allows you to neatly trim images that are already in the right place, that just need a snip.Ī number of other features should also be mentioned to placate those who are unsure about investing in Affinity. Vector Crop Tool - Not confined to vector images, this can be used to crop and tidy up any image placed in your document. You’ll be creating eye-catching titles and headings in a flash. decorate, position, and transform is really simple to do. The ability to fine tune different typefaces i.e. Its purpose seems to be for titles and smaller bits of text that'll stand out more on the page. If you decide you want to add some texture or noise to a shape just click the Designer persona button and your tools suddenly change to design mode – very smart.Īrtistic Text - Living just below the Frame text tool ( what you’d use to place the bulk of your text with) is the Artistic text tool. The different coloured lines for snapping and placing work really well and it feels very intuitive to lay things out, and arrange. After watching a short video I’m drawing, snapping, colouring and designing smart looking layouts. The Shape drawing tool - There are quite a few shapes to choose from. Vector cropping and wrapping text is fluid and simple to achieve (Image credit: Ben Brady)Īfter setting up your doc initially the document/spread set-up, and general preferences, are all accessible in the context toolbar, when the move tool is selected, making it super easy to reach for, living just under the 'personas' buttons.Ī few highlights of the tools section, which has just about everything you’d need or want for work of this kind, include: It certainly reduces the time in having to open up other separate apps to make adjustments or edits, and needless to say is great for workflow. You can be working on an image in either Photo or Designer, then switch back to Publisher, all within the same interface. This ‘Studio Link’ means you can switch what in Affinity are known as ‘personas.’ It basically means you can change apps with the click of a button. This only applies if you have all three Affinity apps, however. The most interesting element and inclusion here is the top left hand corner where there are three Affinity app icons.
#Affinity designer vs publisher plus
You have your usual suspects to the left in terms of tools a context toolbar above that (changing in context to whatever tool you’ve selected) your main adjustments to the right of the page plus the ability to add, hide, move and place a host of other adjustment panels via the studio menu right at the top.
#Affinity designer vs publisher software
Software for designers, made by designers, makes you feel you’re in good hands. The videos, as a side note, are mostly made by the Serif team themselves, who it should be said are nearly all designers themselves. The sheer number of Affinity video tutorials will promptly guide you. A clean and very navigable UI means that even if you are new to tools like this you’ll get to grips with Publisher in no time. Everything should look familiar here, and is easy to learn if you're a new-comer (Image credit: Ben Brady)Īnyone familiar with desktop publishing should feel right at home here.
