Lesson 1Text handling and typography features: artistic vs. frame text, leading/kerning/tracking, text on path, converting text to curves for exportMaster Affinity text tools for branding and layout. You will compare artistic and frame text, refine leading, kerning, and tracking, place text on paths, and convert text to curves while preserving export quality and legibility.
Artistic text vs. frame text use casesManaging fonts and font substitutionsLeading, kerning, and tracking controlsText on a path for logos and badgesOpenType features and stylistic setsConverting text to curves for outputLesson 2Pen tool and node editing: creating precise curves, smooth vs. sharp nodes, converting and joining pathsDevelop precision with the Pen tool and node editing. You will draw smooth and sharp curves, convert node types, join and break paths, and refine outlines for logos and icons while keeping paths clean and efficient.
Pen tool basics and curve planningSmooth, sharp, and smart node typesAdjusting handles and curve tensionJoining, closing, and breaking pathsCleaning stray points and overlapsTracing sketches into vector pathsLesson 3Precision and alignment tools: snapping, smart guides, transform panel, alignment and distribute for pixel-perfect layoutsUse snapping, smart guides, and the Transform panel for pixel-perfect layouts. You will align and distribute objects, control exact size and position, and avoid blurry edges in icons, grids, and production artwork.
Snapping options and presetsUsing smart guides while drawingTransform panel numeric controlAlign and distribute tools in depthPixel alignment for sharp iconsMeasuring distances and spacingLesson 4Export personas and slices: exporting SVG, PDF and print-ready PDFs with bleed, crop marks, and asset slicesLearn how to use the Export Persona, slices, and presets to create SVG, PDF, and print-ready PDFs with bleed, crop marks, and reusable asset slices for consistent, efficient delivery across multiple platforms.
Export Persona interface overviewCreating and managing export slicesExporting clean SVG for web and UIPDF presets for print and proofingAdding bleed, crop marks, and registrationBatch exporting assets and icon setsLesson 5Basic and compound shapes: using shape tools, boolean operations (Add, Subtract, Intersect, XOR), and non-destructive geometryExplore basic and compound shapes as the foundation of vector design. You will use shape tools, boolean operations, and non-destructive geometry to build icons, logos, and complex illustrations that remain fully editable.
Using core shape tools and controlsCorner types and shape propertiesAdd, Subtract, Intersect, and XORCompound vs expanded boolean shapesNon-destructive geometry workflowsBuilding icons and logo marksLesson 6Workspace layout and customization: Personas, toolbars, docking, and performance settingsConfigure Personas, panels, and toolbars to match your workflow. You will arrange docks, save custom workspaces, tune performance settings, and optimise hardware acceleration for smooth work on complex vector files.
Designer, Pixel, and Export PersonasCustomising toolbars and context barsDocking, stacking, and collapsing panelsSaving and loading custom workspacesPerformance and hardware accelerationSetting up autosave and backupsLesson 7Symbols, Assets, and Styles: creating reusable elements, applying character/paragraph/graphic styles for rapid global editsCreate reusable symbols, asset libraries, and styles for rapid updates. You will build synchronised UI components, manage asset categories, and apply character, paragraph, and graphic styles for consistent global formatting.
Creating and editing SymbolsSyncing repeated UI componentsBuilding custom Asset librariesCharacter and paragraph stylesGraphic styles for strokes and fillsGlobal updates across documentsLesson 8Layers, groups and naming conventions: organising complex files, locking, visibility, and efficient layer naming for handoffOrganise complex documents with layers, groups, and naming rules. You will lock and hide elements, nest objects logically, and prepare clean, labelled structures that make collaboration and client handoff straightforward.
Layer panel overview and hierarchyGrouping, nesting, and clippingLocking, visibility, and isolationColour tagging and layer orderingNaming conventions for handoffPreparing files for print vendorsLesson 9Stroke, fills, gradients and patterns: solid fills, linear/radial/bitmap fills, gradient management for brand colour consistencyControl strokes, fills, gradients, and patterns for consistent branding. You will apply solid and bitmap fills, manage linear and radial gradients, and build reusable swatches that keep colour usage accurate across documents.
Stroke width, caps, joins, and pressureSolid fills and opacity controlLinear and radial gradient editingBitmap fills and texture overlaysCreating and syncing colour swatchesPattern fills and seamless tilesLesson 10Artboards and document setup: creating square logo artboards and print-size flyer documents (A5, US Letter) with correct DPI and colour profilesSet up artboards and documents for logos, print, and screen. You will create square logo artboards, A5 and US Letter flyers, choose correct DPI, and apply CMYK or RGB colour profiles suited to each production target.
New document presets and templatesChoosing DPI for print and screenRGB vs CMYK colour profile choicesCreating and resizing artboardsSquare logo artboard best practicesA5 and US Letter flyer layouts
