Ayup! Here are a few simple tweaks that I usually make to my JPG images in Affinity’s Pixel Studio. Additionally, I’ll discuss a better way to vignette, dark-mode edits and adding textures.
Due to the way I work, most of my images are (almost) good-to-go straight out of the camera. That said, the finishing touches are often a necessary progression. Attention to detail, and all that.
Basic edits
- Develop Studio
- Live Filter – Unsharp Mask
- Live Filter – Clarity
- Live Filter – Shadows / Highlights
- Adjustments – Levels
- Adjustments – Brightness / Contrast
First up, I always open the image in the Develop Studio. This is meant for RAW files, but there are several tools hidden away in here that you need for JPG, too. Namely, masking, showing clipped highlights/shadows, and straightening your horizontal or vertical lines.
In Pixel Studio, filters can be applied either destructively or as live, non-destructive filters. When using destructive filters, duplicate the original image layer first. Applying the filter to the duplicate preserves the original layer and makes it easy to compare the before-and-after result by toggling layer visibility.
Once all of the above is fixed, I add three live filters. Firstly, an Unsharp Mask set to between 2 and 4. The Clairity slider in Affinity is extremely subtle. I usually bring this down to around -40. Then, depending on the image, I’ll often bring down the highlights to anywhere between -50% and -100%.
Lastly, a couple of Adjustments. Levels to bring the blacks down to a slightly matte look. Normally, I just slide the output level to 2% or 4%. Then, finally, a quick blast on the brightness and contrast sliders, if needed.
Selective edits
I learnt this technique from the Affinity Revolution YouTube channel. Highly recommended, if you’re not already subscribed. If you want a bit more flexibility or control than masking, this one’s for you.
Often, you’ll need to brighten or darken certain parts of your image. To save heading back to the Develop Studio, try this instead:
- Use a curves adjustment to brighten/darken the whole image.
- Press command/control and I to invert the layer.
- Grab your paintbrush (arround 30% flow & 30% hardness)
- Paint onto the mask in white to reveal the dark/light
This one’s a real game changer. Once you’ve done it a couple of times and got used to it, it will likely fully replace the need to ever use masks again. Fully non-destrictive, too. Love it!
Inpainting Brush Tool
To clean up any spots, dots or unwanted distractions, I use the Inpainting Brush Tool. This does an absolutely cracking job of tidying everything up.
DIY Vignette
In my full Affinity Review, I mentioned how terrible the vignette was. This is still the case. It’s inferior to literally any other photo editing app or software. Fear not, you can build your own, and it looks incredible. Additionally, you can save it to your assets, ready to plonk over an image whenever you need it.
- Add a rectangle over your photo.
- Grab the Fill tool and drag out a gradient from the centre of the rectangle to the edge.
- Change the gradient type to elliptical.
- Set the outside to black and the inside to black with 0 opacity
- Change the blend mode to Overlay (play with the opacity levels)
- Experiment with the positioning of the rectangle (move outwards for a more subtle effect.
Example? You got it! Most of my Kaleidoscopic series used this technique. Here’s one of the images where you can see it in action.
Prefer to just use mine? Here’s one of my Affinity files. The top layer is the vignette. It’s all yours.
Dark mode
For a simple, effective way to apply a dark mode effect (like this image), I usually do the following:
- Add a black rectangle over your image.
- Set the blend mode to Soft Light.
- Duplicate for more effect (reduce opacity if needed).
There are a lot of ways to achieve this look, but this nearly always seems to be the cleanest.
Add noise or a texture
Lastly, sometimes an image calls for a bit of noise or texture. It adds a vintage/film look and works especially well in black and white. Here’s an example of this in use. It’s best not to go too mad with these, but applied subtly, it creates a lovely nostalgic aesthetic.
Two options that I use are a) Live Filter – Add Noise, or b) applying a texture layer over the top of the image. The latter is nearly always more effective. That said, I do quite like the noise filter in Affinity. On certain images, it works a treat.
If you’re new to adding texture layers, download this white dust overlay. Add it as a layer above your photo. Then play with the oppacity and blend modes until you get the look you’re after.
Texture packs and images are available in abundance across the internet. Start collecting them in a file, ready to use on your images when needed. This is a quick and easy way to add extra depth and interest to your photo.
Mission complete
You probably won’t ever want to use all of the above techniques on a single image. While I always apply basic edits, the rest is mostly on an as-needed basis.
Hopefully, a few ideas and tools here for you to experiment with. Happy editing!