Georg Walter is a freelance graphic designer and book author with over two decades of experience in the digital marketing and print industry. He is also an early adopter of Affinity.
“I have been using the Affinity programs from the start. I am also familiar with the previous Serif products and Adobe programs, so it was easy for me to get along with Designer and Publisher.” Georg explains.
“I like the powerful vector tools in Designer and also the way I can work with Symbols. I think the options for formatting text in Publisher are great and I enjoy the speed that I can work in both programs.”
In April, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Georg decided to set up a Facebook group where he could share his knowledge to help newcomers to the Affinity suite—and from there the idea for a digital magazine was born.
“I have my own group on Facebook where I offer newcomers my help in dealing with the Affinity programs. Following the release of Affinity Publisher, I looked for a suitable project to work more intensively with the app. That’s when I remembered my Facebook group and I thought why not create a digital magazine for the group.
“In Publisher I created a magazine in which the functions of Designer and Publisher are explained in detail for German users. I also write about the basics of design and typography rules, so there is something for everyone.”
Each issue contains 24 pages of tips and tricks for creating fantastic work in Affinity and Issue 2 even includes a behind the scenes look at the making of the magazine in Affinity Publisher.
“I choose the topics for the magazine based on the questions from the Facebook group. In addition, there is information in every issue about interesting websites where you can download photos, fonts, assets and styles for your designs.”
Georg also shares a range of resources that he recommends including styles, textures and colour palettes and books related to typography and design on his magazine website magazin62.de.
“The question of whether to replace Adobe programs and the associated license model with Affinity programs is increasingly being discussed on Facebook. I am sure that we will hear more and more about Affinity in Germany in the next few years but it needs to be reported more in the German media. I would like to do my part so alongside developing my magazine M62 I have been working on an Affinity Publisher beginners’ book that I am very happy to announce has just been published by a well-known German IT publisher.
“A printed version of M62 is not currently planned. As a niche product, it will probably remain digital but I hope to professionalise it and increase the number of pages in future issues.”
If you would like to find out more about M62 visit magazin62.de.
To learn more about Georg’s Affinity Publisher beginner’s book visit the publisher’s website.