Charlotte Thomson-Morley

Inspiration

Illustrator M Wildan Cahya Syarief: ‘I love to do a hybrid between vector and raster’

Affinity user M Wildan Cahya Syarief talks to us about his life as a freelance illustrator, juggling client time zones and how his creative style and process has developed over the years.

Behind the Scenes

10 creative ways to market your work on social media

We explore some fresh ideas—and a few timeless techniques—to try as you grow your social media network.

Inspiration

Illustrator Yo Az: ‘always try to create something unseen’

Illustrator Yo Az talks about his unique geometric illustrations created in Affinity Designer.

Inspiration

Illustrator Justina Leisyte: ‘the message is just as important as style’

We spoke to vector illustrator Justina Leisyte about her bold style of illustration.

Learning

Learn realistic watercolour painting techniques in Affinity

We explore some basic and more advanced digital watercolour painting techniques in Affinity Photo.

Inspiration

Art director Ellsphee: ‘we’re constantly suspended in a state of self-discovery’

We interview Sphelele Gumede aka Ellsphee a multidisciplinary Art Director from South Africa. His work encompasses a range of disciplines including motion graphics, animation, design and illustration.

Inspiration

Jezahna Jones: ‘My imagination sometimes feels clearer than memories’

Digital artist Jezahna Jones talks to us about her concept art, her techniques and how she developed her style.

Inspiration

Artist Paul Wembabazi: ‘I imagine the scene is a movie set and I have to place lights strategically to guide the story’

Digital concept artist Paul Wembabazi talks about working on 100 Days. 100 Commissions and how he develops the beautiful lighting in his illustrations.

Inspiration

Artist Sonia Hensler: ‘I tend to be surrounded by a halo of artistic detritus’

Expressive artist and illustrator Sonia Hensler talks about her creative techniques and experiences as an illustrator.

Inspiration

How to maximise your designs for making merch

Making your designs into printed merchandise can be daunting, so we're here to demystify the process and give you some tips on prepping your designs for a variety of products.

Inspiration

The Shizzle by Bob Byrne: instant textures for Affinity Designer

Apply textures and tones to your design and illustration projects with one click with The Shizzle Style and Brush Pack from the studio of Bob Byrne, a.k.a Clamnuts.

Inspiration

Twisted Brushes: the new Affinity brush collection by Neil Ladkin

Mind-bending Twisted Brushes by Affinity creative director Neil Ladkin, a collection to add a unique look to your graphic design and art projects.

Inspiration

Tips and tricks for using the Eleni Debo Illustration Brush Pack

Eleni Debo's professional illustration brushes are perfect for a myriad of different projects. She talks us through how to get the best from her brush pack that is now available on the Affinity Store.

Inspiration

Illustrator Peter Greenwood: ‘I always start with a 2H pencil’

Illustrator Peter Greenwood talks to us about the process behind his sleek vector artworks and how he got on trying out the Isometric Studio in Affinity Designer.

Learning

Create black and white ‘colour pop’ photos using masking

Learn how to use Black & White Adjustment layers and masking techniques to create different 'colour-pop' effects in your photographs.

Behind the Scenes

Creating a macro Focus Merge feather with Paul Hollingworth

A behind the scenes look at how Paul Hollingworth captured and edited this stunning macro feather photograph.

Learning

Release the Kraken: how to make a silhouette still life with Dina Belenko

Photographer Dina Belenko talks us through the process of creating a magical silhouette still life photograph using paper cut monsters and objects from around her home.

Inspiration

Anna Dittmann: ‘creating art became a focused, peaceful oasis’

We spoke to digital painter Anna Dittmann after our recent commission with her to understand the sheer artistry behind her creative process.

Behind the Scenes

Showcase: the artists behind Affinity Designer 1.8

Our Artist Relations team is always working with great designers and illustrators---in this article we take a look at the talent they worked with to show off Affinity Designer 1.8.

Learning

Designing a travel icon set with Isabel Sousa

Designing icon sets can be a tricky business, but we knew that we would be in safe hands when commissioning a set themed around Travel from freelance art director Isabel Sousa.

Behind the Scenes

Rise from the ashes and create flaming creatures with Dina Belenko

Magical photographer Dina Belenko teaches us how to create fantastic beasts from fire and flame using photo composition.

Learning

How to remove haze from your photos in Affinity Photo for iPad

Have you ever taken a photo only to be disappointed by haze dampening your scene? The Haze Removal filter in Affinity Photo is here to rescue your image!

Inspiration

Imma Barrera: combining science, curiosity and photography to capture the beauty of the night sky

Talented photographer Imma Barrera talks us through her work in night photography linking her lifelong passion for science, discovery and photography to help to raise awareness of light pollution.

Learning

Create a fiery photo composition with digital artist Chris Patterson

Photographer and workshop leader Chris Patterson has been waxing lyrical about Affinity Photo for iPad, so we asked her to share her process for bringing fire and haunting beauty to your images.

Behind the Scenes

How to make a festive food photo composition with photographer Dina Belenko

Photographer Dina Belenko takes us behind the scenes on a festive photoshoot with levitating letters.

Behind the Scenes

Bob Byrne: ‘Always finish what you start but know when to walk away from something’

Bob Byrne is an Irish freelance illustrator and product designer who uses Affinity Designer and Publisher as part of his wildly varied and imaginative workflow.

Inspiration

New York photographer Sami Hobbs: ‘creating beautiful things is the oxygen I need to breathe’

Sami Hobbs took a leap of faith and moved to NYC to pursue her passion for celebratory and body-positive fashion photography. Here she talks to us about her life as a freelance photographer.

Learning

‘Save the plants’ with vector artist Tribhuvan Suthar in Affinity Designer

Tribhuvan's slick vector illustrations and icons first came to our attention on Instagram; deceptively simple in appearance he uses a range of subtle techniques to create his art in Affinity Designer.

Behind the Scenes

Image composition with photographer Paul Hollingworth

We commissioned photographer Paul Hollingworth to create a photographic composition using paint, a skull and paint dripped in a tank of oil. Check out how it was done...

Inspiration

NucleAnts tabletop game: ‘an imaginary future where giant mutated ants fight for atomic waste’

NucleAnts is the brainchild of German board game enthusiasts 'Wendelhaus'. Using the Affinity suite and plenty of blood, sweat and tears, this is the first game they've built from the ground up.

Inspiration

Which online portfolio is right for you?

So you want to show off your work but don't know where to begin? Here's our pick of online portfolio services for designers and photographers...

Learning

Create enchanting character art in Affinity Photo with Moon Lotus Dreams

Roberta Burattini aka Moon Lotus Dreams walks us through her digital painting process in Affinity Photo.

Learning

Learn how to make a dreamcatcher using Symmetry

Make a dreamcatcher in Affinity Designer using Symmetry.

Inspiration

Tapocketa: the ‘enchanting, often intricate’ animation studio

UK animation studio Tapocketa uses Affinity Photo and Designer as integral parts of their quirky workflow. We chatted to them about their project Galdo's Gift.

Behind the Scenes

Beneath the waves with Photographer Beth Mitchell

Underwater Photographer Beth Mitchell takes us behind the scenes on an underwater model shoot and tries Affinity Photo for editing for the first time.

Learning

Behind the scenes with Matt Griffin

Matt Griffin shows us the process behind creating his latest artwork for the 1.7 Affinity Designer launch, created on iPad.

Inspiration

Ian Barnard: ‘making something beautiful by hand is an awesome feeling’

Ian Barnard is a hand-lettering artist, calligrapher and type designer based in the UK, in this interview he tells us how he got started and a little about his techniques.

Inspiration

Learn how to use the Tattoo Art Brushes by The Artifex Forge

Inspiration and how to use the new Tattoo Art Brushes by The Artifex Forge.

Inspiration

Blast Powder brushes by Ian Barnard

One of our design heroes, Ian Barnard, has created his epic ‘Blast’ set to use in Affinity Designer and Affinity Photo!

Inspiration

Making murals with artist Joseph Brooks

US artist Joseph Brooks recently adopted Affinity Designer for iPad and took up the challenge of designing a huge vector mural. We caught up with him to chat about graffiti and tips for mural making.

Inspiration

Making your work into merch: print on demand services

Our overview of ethical 'print on demand' merchandise websites for illustrators, photographers and designers.

Behind the Scenes

From Blender to Affinity with Dimitrios Sakkas

Dimitrios always wows us with his atmospheric scenes. In this article we explore his recent series of cinematic forest landscapes and understand how he adds Affinity magic to his 3D renders…

Learning

Top tips for photography collaborations from Girl who shoots

London fashion photographer Girl who shoots—aka—Alina Budina, tells us her top advice for collaborating on photo shoots​ with other creative professionals and what you should expect...

Learning

Blast off! Creating a vector rocket

Let's fly into making a rocket using vectors in Affinity Designer! Using techniques that are easy to learn, games designer Jhonatan S. Silva will show​ you how...

Learning

Escapism in vector—creating a serene landscape with Hannah Sharp

Illustrator Hannah shares her expertise on how to use Affinity Designer’s amazing range of tools to create a beautiful sunset landscape in vector...

Learning

Trick of the eye: how to draw better letters using optical corrections

When it comes to lettering our eyes often deceive us—Ivana Marić of Le Punkt Noir Lettering Studio shows us few simple rules to follow to better please the eye.

Behind the Scenes

Behind the lens of headshot photographer Ivan Weiss

A look behind the lens of London headshot photographer Ivan Weiss and how he uses Affinity Photo in his workflow.

Learning

It’s Penguin-ing to look a lot like Christmas! Vector illustration with Gal Shir

Gal Shir is an awesome art director, designer, artist and Instagram star based in Tel Aviv. This Christmas, he has given Affinity Designer for iPad a try...

Behind the Scenes

Tricks of the trade: how Jean-Charles Debroize makes the magic happen

Photo-composition, photo-montage, photo-manipulation... Jean-Charles Debroize is the master of creating stunning photographic art that is far greater than the sum of its parts.

Inspiration

Photographer Elena Paraskeva: ‘total madness or calm waters’

Photographer Elena Paraskeva loves to create surrealistic conceptual photography, bathed in colour. We spoke to her about her recent work with Affinity Photo and how she creates her stunning images...

Behind the Scenes

Pop with colour: portrait editing with Elena Paraskeva

Elena Paraskeva shows us the subtleties of editing a photoshoot created with eye-popping coloured gels.

Inspiration

Chunky Marker vector brushes by The Artifex Forge

Getting the most from the new The Artifex Forge Chunky Marker vector brush set.

Inspiration

Painting with light: Xenon brushes

Illuminate your photos with the Xenon brushes created by our very own Neil Ladkin. This interstellar set of brushes are now available to purchase on the Affinity Store.

Behind the Scenes

Vector illustrator Robert Nazeby Herzig : ‘storytelling is the thing I really love’

Robert Nazeby Herzig is an Italian illustrator living in London who creates narrative vector illustrations inspired by a love of comics.

Inspiration

Inktober roundup 2018

With many artists embracing technology to create digital ink drawings for Inktober 2018, we picked our favourite creations made in Affinity Designer and Photo.

Behind the Scenes

A designer on a mission: Isabel Aracama’s quest to teach the world about Affinity Designer

An interview with design maverick Isabel Aracama where she talks about her tutorials and time-lapse​ films to help people learn to get the most out of Affinity Designer.

Inspiration

Illustrator Terry Edward Elkins: ‘Be curious. Be storytellers’

Canadian illustrator Terry Edward Elkins talks to us about creating his retro-inspired vector landscapes in Affinity Designer

Learning

Frankentoon: Mixing vector and raster graphics

Frankentoon combines the Vector and Pixel Persona in Affinity Designer for iPad for perfect graphic harmony in this techniques-based tutorial.

Behind the Scenes

No strings attached: the secrets of a product shoot and retouch

A behind the scenes timelapse video showing the set up of a product photo shoot and retouching by Fernando Martins Ribeiro.

Inspiration

Emi Haze: An ethereal world

Italian artist Emi Haze guides us through his creative and imaginative world, explaining his inspiration and influences that have come to define his art today.

Learning

Stay curious: Ian Barnard shares his tips for learning lettering

You're never too old to learn the art of hand-lettering. Picking up his first calligraphy pen at the age of 34 to learn an entirely new art-form, Ian Barnard is a ​testament​ to this...

Inspiration

Headshot photographer Ivan Weiss: ‘The human face is endlessly fascinating’

London based photographer, Ivan Weiss, tells us where his love of photography first started and talks us through his secrets to delivering the perfect headshot.

Learning

Frankentoon: Creating a funny video game boss in Affinity Designer

You’ve been commissioned to design the final boss for an action role-playing video game, set in a futuristic Mayan dystopian world, where ancient gods have returned to take over the world...

Inspiration

From architect to artist: the creative journey of Tiago Galo

We love Tiago's bold geometric shapes and highly stylised depictions of bizarre everyday situations.

Inspiration

Illustrator Matt Griffin: ‘I love sci-fi that gets philosophical’

We spoke to Irish illustrator Matt Griffin about his love of cult science fiction, movie posters and his epic space-scapes...

Inspiration

Steve Simpson: ‘Ever since I was a kid I’ve been fascinated by folk art’

We spoke to illustrator and designer Steve Simpson about the inspiration behind his unique brand of anarchic folk art...

Learning

How to create vector brushes in Affinity Designer for iPad

Paolo Limoncelli, from DAUB Brushes, shows us how to create vector brushes that mimic real-world watercolour wash brushes in Affinity Designer for iPad.

Behind the Scenes

Affinity legend Enrique ‘Frankentoon’ Figueroa: ‘I hate sleeping, it prevents me from doing the things I love’

Artist Enrique 'Frankentoon' Figueroa talks to us about inspiration, creativity and his most interesting projects.

Inspiration

Photographer Linh Nguyen: ‘my ideas tend to come to me while I’m sleeping’

Photographer, dog trainer and vet nurse Linh Nguyen talks candidly about animal welfare in photography and the relationship between depression, creativity and inspiration.

Inspiration

Underwater photographer Dr Jens Hartmann: ‘Blue water, blue sharks, no ground below me’

Interview with Dr Jens Hartmann underwater photographer and author

Inspiration

Artist Giuliano Brocani: ‘Who is there that does not love impossible monsters?’

We asked art-director, designer and digital artist, Giuliano Brocani, what inspires him to create his concept illustrations.

Inspiration

Designer Pierrick Calvez: ‘I throw in some shapes and try to find a resonance’

Pierrick Calvez is a designer and illustrator who likes to talk simply about typography and creativity online. He also gives lectures in France and China.

Behind the Scenes

Raise the roof: a guide to creative crowdfunding

An overview of our pick of crowdfunding and subscription platforms for creative businesses.

Inspiration

Product photographer Fernando Martins Ribeiro: ‘depart from the typical image of very static objects’

Still life and product photographer, Fernando Martins Ribeiro, gives us an insight into how his studio works and the technique of capturing industrial and fashion photographs.

Behind the Scenes

Light, dark, moods and methods: product shooting tips with Fernando Ribeiro

We spoke to product photographer Fernando Martins Ribeiro to discuss his top tips for shooting for publications, clients and portfolio...

Learning

Making a monster with Monez

Fresh from his workshop at the Apple Store in Singapore, illustrator Monez gave us a step by step guide to the techniques he uses to create a monster illustration in Affinity Photo for iPad…

Behind the Scenes

Paolo Limoncelli: ‘I was the robots guy’

Paolo Limoncelli is a UI/UX designer, digital illustrator and the talent behind DAUB Brushes. In this profile, we find out about his process and discuss his collaborations with Affinity.

Inspiration

wirrow: ‘the world is not made of atoms, it’s made of tiny stories’

wirrow makes tiny stories. Beautifully created, with weird and wondrous characters, all with a poetic thought about life and the world around us.

Inspiration

Photographer Peter Collie: ‘I love light and the moods of the day’

Peter Collie is a world renowned photographer working with luxury and high fashion brands on striking editorial images.

Inspiration

3D artist Dimitrios Sakkas: ‘My inspiration originates from science fiction’

We talk to 3D artist Dimitrios Sakkas, who creates surreal fantasy and science fiction landscapes in Affinity Photo.

Behind the Scenes

Greatmade: ‘How can we design something unique without a custom lettering or type?’

Specialists in creating typography from scratch, Greatmade are pushing the boundaries of design with their illustrative style and hands-on traditional print techniques.