Affinity Writer for Newcomers (Touchdown Web page)

Let’s start with Panels in Affinity Writer.

Panels are a necessary a part of working in Affinity Writer. Consider them as key areas the place you possibly can view and manipulate content material in your work. For instance, we are able to flip to the Pages panel to view, add, and delete pages in our doc. There are all kinds of panels in Affinity Writer, every with totally different functions.

affinity publisher panels — This screenshot exhibits a listing of Affinity Writer panels and that are lively proper now.

Cannot discover a panel in Affinity Writer? Go to the Window menu. For those who see a checkmark by the identify of the panel, it is open.

On this lesson, we’ll check out opening up panels and dealing with them as one of many important Affinity Writer fundamentals.

For those who’re nonetheless having bother discovering a panel that Affinity Writer lists as already opened, it could be docked with one other open panel. Make sure that to tab between them to see what could be docked collectively.

Go to Studio > Reset Studio to reset your work space. This may occasionally make it simpler to comply with alongside as it should reset the location of your panels. You may, nevertheless, customise them any means you favor.

1.3 The right way to Use the Assist Function in Affinity Writer

For those who ever end up misplaced in Affinity Writer, the Assist function could be a big assist! On the prime of the software program, merely go to the Assist menu. Then, you possibly can click on and sort in your search time period. Affinity Writer will help.

On this instance, “Pages” has been typed in as a search time period. It then highlights not solely subjects, but additionally menu objects that it’ll direct you to, that can assist you discover the place and how one can do issues. It is very useful! Tune into this lesson to see this in motion.

1.4 The right way to Use the Affinity Writer Command Bar

The Command Bar is one other important a part of working in Writer. You could find it proper on the prime of the display screen, as highlighted within the screenshot beneath. There’s so much to see right here, however don’t fret about memorizing every little thing proper off the bat. On this lesson, we’ll stroll by the content material you will discover right here and while you may use it.

affinity publisher command bar — The Command Bar might be discovered on the prime of the software program, in Affinity Writer.

For those who’re ever not sure about an possibility within the Command Bar, simply mouse over it. Go away your cursor on the merchandise, and the identify of the device or possibility will pop as much as assist inform you of what it’s. These hints might be very useful for newbies!

1.5 The right way to Use the Affinity Writer Context Bar

On this subsequent lesson, we’ll check out the Context Bar. Consider this as a secondary record of choices. The Context Bar depends on the device or content material you have got lively on the time. So, for instance, after drawing a rectangle, the Context Bar exhibits us choices relative to our content material when it is lively and highlighted.

affinity publisher context bar — The Context Bar offers us choices which are relative to the content material we’re working with.

2. The right way to Set Up an Affinity Writer Doc

2.1 The right way to Create a New Doc in Affinity Writer

Now, let’s create a brand new doc collectively. On this lesson, we’ll stroll by the doc settings you may must create a tri-fold brochure together with this course.

Make sure that to look below Press Prepared for the doc preset we’ll use on this design. We will select A4 measurement. We’ll have a look at another choices right here, just like the margins, too. Able to get designing? Then let’s dig in.

affinity publisher new document — Create a brand new doc in Affinity Writer by going to File > New.

2.2 Working With Your New Affinity Writer Doc

Subsequent, let’s check out our new Affinity Writer doc collectively. We will create every kind of issues on this house, however we’ll begin with only a fundamental intro to our canvas. You may additionally wish to be sure to have your whole belongings and fonts able to go.

This can be a nice time to recollect to save lots of your work! You are able to do so by going to File > Save on the prime of the software program.

3. The right way to Use Grasp Pages in Affinity Writer

3.1 What Are Grasp Pages in Affinity Writer?

On this subsequent lesson, we’ll check out Grasp Pages. So what are Grasp Pages? Consider them like a grasp information that your different pages can comply with. For instance, in case you wished each web page to have a web page quantity in the identical place, you might outline that on a Grasp Web page slightly than doing it on each web page individually. Useful, proper?

affinity publisher master pages — You could find your Grasp Pages on the prime of the Pages panel.

3.2 The right way to Use Columns in Affinity Writer

Nonetheless, we will use our Grasp Pages to create some Column Guides. Since we’re making a tri-fold brochure, it is going to be useful to have visible guides to point out us the place every part is. Fortunately, Affinity Writer makes this simple. Able to see how one can do it collectively?

Not seeing your Column Guides? Make it possible for below View you have got Present Column Guides checked. In any other case, they will not be seen in your workspace.

3.3 The right way to Use Rulers and Guides in Affinity Writer

On this subsequent lesson, we’ll additionally use Rulers and Guides to assist additional set up some tips in our work. Not solely is that this useful, but it surely’s additionally easy to make use of. This takes all the guesswork out of lining up content material to match folds, having constant margins, and different visible associations.

affinity publisher rulers and guides — Right here is an instance of our work space with Column Guides and Rulers utilized

4. The right way to Create Wireframes in Affinity Writer

4.1 The right way to Create an Preliminary Structure in Affinity Writer

Subsequent, let’s begin speaking about our format design. That is the enjoyable half, proper? We’ll begin with Web page 1, and have a look at which panels in our tri-fold are which a part of our design (we’ll want to think about how our work will look and performance when folded). Observe together with this lesson, or use it as a suggestion to experiment with your personal tackle this design.

Do not forget to save lots of your work! Bear in mind, this may be completed by going to File > Save at any half within the course of.

4.2 Laying Out Design Parts in Affinity Writer

Now, let’s experiment with a few of the instruments in Affinity Writer. On this lesson, we’ll check out three totally different instruments as we start laying out our design:

The Creative Textual content Software—this is a wonderful device for putting key copy, like headlines or titles. We will simply click on and drag to scale our textual content, after which insert it.

The Image Body Rectangle—this permits us to put down a placeholder rectangle, the place we are able to insert a picture later. That is nice for creating wireframes and getting a really feel for the place you may like content material to go.

The Body Textual content Software—while you’re setting physique copy, slightly than a single headline, this device might be the proper alternative. Create a bigger field in your copy after which simply insert some placeholder copy.

This is an instance of every device in motion beneath! Tune into this lesson to work alongside and see them in use.

4.3 The right way to Use Affinity Writer Textual content Kinds

Watch Video Lesson (10 minutes) ↗

Textual content kinds make styling our textual content simpler than ever. On this lesson, we’ll check out the Textual content Kinds panel and a few of the introductory issues we are able to do with it. For some introductory context, think about having one header model for each header in your whole doc. That is means simpler than styling every header manually! Able to find out how? Then tune into this lesson.

4.4 Persevering with Our Structure and Extra Use Circumstances

We have coated a bunch of actually enjoyable and easy-to-use ideas to this point on this course. Tune in and we’ll proceed to follow them collectively, on this lesson, with sensible examples. We’ll use these methods to additional construct out our tri-fold brochure, step-by-step.

affinity publisher text layout design — We will use the totally different Textual content Instruments and Rectangular Frames to construct out the fundamentals of our format design.

5. The right way to Use Photos in Affinity Writer

5.1 The right way to Insert Photos in Affinity Writer

Now that we have constructed a wireframe to work with, it is time to begin working with pictures. We’ll learn to insert pictures in Affinity Writer on this lesson of the course. There are a number of methods to do it too, together with:

The Picture Place Software—a useful device you will discover proper within the Instruments panel.

File> Place—positioned on the prime of the software program, that is one other means you possibly can choose a picture out of your laptop and insert it into your format.

Having bother or caught on this idea? This is a free written walkthrough that may assist troubleshoot any issues you might need with inserting pictures in Affinity Writer.

5.2 The right way to Modify Photos in Affinity Writer

Watch Video Lesson (4 minutes) ↗

Now that you have your pictures inserted in Affinity Writer, you may probably wish to modify them. This would come with issues like resizing, cropping, rotating, and extra. Fortunately, Affinity Writer makes this a breeze.

Observe this lesson and we’ll have a look at a few of the methods you possibly can modify your pictures in Affinity Writer collectively.

5.3 The right way to Use the Photograph Persona

For superior picture modifying, we are able to additionally flip to the Photograph Persona in Affinity Writer. On this lesson, we’ll take a look at out the Photograph Persona and use it to pick out and masks the background out of this picture in our design. It would look difficult, however Affinity makes it simple. We do not even want to leap to Affinity Photograph to make these edits—Personas make it easy to make these modifications all inside Affinity Writer.

affinity publisher personas — We’ll make some picture edits within the Photograph Persona on this lesson.

5.4 Further Picture Strategies in Affinity Writer

Watch Video Lesson (10 minutes) ↗

Let’s take these methods we have discovered and put them to sensible use. On this lesson, we’ll use the ideas we have coated in different elements of our format design. We’ll add further pictures, edit them, and modify them to make our tri-fold brochure. Observe this lesson to follow these methods collectively.

5.5 The right way to Use the Baseline Grid in Affinity Writer

We’ll wrap up this lesson with a have a look at the Baseline Grid in Affinity Writer. Consider this like a line that your whole content material can sit on—and even snap to! We’ll check out toggling this function on, and the way you need to use it in your design work, on this lesson.

affinity publisher baseline grid — This is a have a look at the Baseline Grid in Affinity Writer. We will simply toggle its visibility on and off.

6. The right way to Work With Sort in Affinity Writer

6.1 The right way to Set up Fonts for Affinity Writer

Watch Video Lesson (4 minutes) ↗

You are probably going to wish to use fonts apart from the default, when working in Affinity Writer. On this lesson, we’ll stroll by putting in some new fonts, just like the sans serif font Visby, from Envato Parts.

Affinity Writer will entry your system fonts, so in case you’re inquisitive about how one can set up fonts for Affinity Writer, that is the place to begin.

For those who’re having bother putting in fonts, try these free walkthroughs for further assist. There is a walkthrough out there for each Home windows PC and Mac.

6.2 The right way to Use Fonts in Affinity Writer

Now that you have your fonts put in and able to go, how do you employ them? On this video lesson, we’ll stroll by utilizing fonts in Affinity Writer, accessing them, and getting them into your Textual content Kinds too. Affinity Writer Textual content Kinds offer you a ton of choices, from the font itself to the load, the colour, and far more. Prepared to offer it a strive for your self?

affinity publisher fonts — Modifying your Textual content Kinds is one strategy to change the font in Affinity Writer

6.3 The right way to Use the Affinity Writer Character Panel

The Character panel is one other key place you possibly can flip to while you’re working with sort in Affinity Writer. Right here, we are able to simply entry a complete host of choices for our copy, just like the font, the font measurement, the load, and extra. It is also a straightforward strategy to entry our Character Kinds—and, in flip, our Textual content Kinds. You may get an opportunity to strive all that out on this video lesson. Able to get began?

affinity publisher character panel — You should utilize the Character panel in Affinity Writer to edit various textual content attributes

Cannot discover the Character panel? You may open it up through Window > Textual content > Character.

6.4 The right way to Use the Discover and Substitute Panel in Affinity Writer

The Discover and Substitute panel is one other useful panel that you ought to be conscious of. It makes it a lot simpler to seek out and exchange content material positioned in your doc. That is particularly useful in case you’re working in a really lengthy doc. On this lesson, we’ll try an instance the place we are able to simply change up a few of our textual content.

6.5 Further Typography Strategies in Affinity Writer

Let’s wrap issues up by including some ending touches to our design. We’ll refine our title, for instance, with a few of the methods we have discovered within the course to this point. Soak up some further follow on this lesson’s walkthrough.

Bear in mind, you’re welcome to take these methods and experiment with them. Need to make a distinct tri-fold brochure or a distinct design altogether? Go for it! You can too undergo this course a second time to offer it a strive with some content material of your personal.

7. The right way to Work With Coloration in Affinity Writer

7.1 Introduction to Coloration in Affinity Writer

On this lesson, we’ll shift our focus to paint. We’ll begin out easy by simply including a easy form to our design that we’ll then apply colour to. It is easy and simple, however very efficient. We’ll use this easy form as our place to begin, after which transfer on to extra superior methods of working with colour.

You could find the Form Instruments within the Instruments on the left-hand aspect of the software program. On this case, we’ll use the Rounded Rectangle Software.

You might solely see a Rectangle while you look within the Instruments—that is okay! Simply click on and maintain on any Form Software to broaden the record. Then, you may see an enormous record of shapes to select from!

7.2 The right way to Use the Coloration and Swatches Panels

Watch Video Lesson (5 minutes) ↗

Subsequent, it is time to begin speaking about some key panels you may want, when working with colour: the Coloration panel and the Swatches panel.

The Coloration Panel—we are able to use this panel to simply choose colours in a wide range of methods. Select from totally different colour modes, like CMYK or RGB, or select from sliders or a colour wheel.

The Swatches Panel—that is the place your colour swatches will go. Consider them as a set of colours you possibly can retailer and use everytime you’d wish to.

We’ll use these panels on this lesson so that you get a really feel for a way they work. Able to take them for a take a look at run?

We’ll additionally check out International Colours on this lesson, that are an much more handy strategy to work with colour in Affinity Writer. Whenever you set a International Coloration, it will get utilized to your whole doc—so while you change it, it modifications globally.

7.3 The right way to Use the Designer Persona to Add Coloration

We’ll check out the Designer Persona on this lesson, one other one of many Personas you need to use in Affinity Writer. On this demonstration, we’ll draw some summary, colourful shapes to carry some extra colour to our design. No want to modify to different software program—with Personas, we are able to do all of it proper right here in Affinity Writer. Give it a strive on this video lesson.

affinity publisher designer persona — Use the Designer Persona in Affinity Writer to create some colourful summary shapes.

7.4 The right way to Use Picture Mixing Modes in Affinity Writer

Mixing Modes are one other means we are able to modify our pictures in Affinity Writer. On this case, we now have a picture that is not precisely taking part in good with our summary shapes. Whereas there are a lot of methods we might resolve this problem, we’ll use this as a possibility to offer Mixing Modes a strive. Check out the earlier than and after, beneath! That is what you may be taught to simply obtain on this lesson.

8. The right way to Preflight in Affinity Writer

8.1 The right way to Use the Preflight Panel in Affinity Writer

Watch Video Lesson (5 minutes) ↗

What’s Preflight? Preflight is a method of checking your work for errors. You may wish to do that earlier than you despatched it off to be printed, for instance. Preflight can apply to each printed and digital work too—you do not wish to ship off work as “full” with errors!

On this lesson, we’ll check out Preflight in Affinity Writer. Stroll by the content material together with the video to assist stop errors in your personal work.

Open the Preflight panel by going to Window > Preflight.

9. The right way to Export for Print in Affinity Writer

9.1 The right way to Use the Export Choices in Affinity Writer

So you have completed your design, and you’ve got checked every little thing over with the assistance of the Preflight panel in Affinity Writer. What’s subsequent? It is time to Export your work!

On this lesson, we’ll undergo the choices you have got when exporting your work in Affinity Writer. There are plenty of choices, which could appear overwhelming at first—but it surely’s a superb factor! From PDF information for print to digital work, Affinity Writer offers you a ton of decisions. Find out about them on this video lesson.

affinity publisher export — Simply Export your work in Affinity Writer

9.2 The right way to Bundle Your Affinity Writer Doc

It is also a good suggestion to package deal your work in Affinity Writer, and on this video lesson, you may find out how to take action. This can be a step past exporting your work, but it surely’s nonetheless a very necessary one to think about. It is a easy course of however might be a necessary one, particularly if you must return and edit your work later.

Why package deal your work? This fashion, your whole content material is in a single place, so you possibly can simply entry your work and all of the linked information sooner or later.

10. Now You Know the Affinity Writer Fundamentals

10.1 Thank You for Watching!